Enlarge Attic Opening

Gently tap into plaster.

Enlarge attic opening.

Snap chalk lines onto the ceiling to represent the rough opening of the attic staircase. Place a 4 inch x 1 inch timber flat on the joists behind your. This will involve cutting 2 of the joists or whatever they re called. Cut off the electricity and determine where wiring and plumbing pipes run in the area.

If your new hatch spans more than 2 joists involving cutting more than two joists you will need to contact a. Work from a stable a frame ladder and use a. Peek into the attic to make sure there aren t any ducts wires or pipes in the way. We want to enlarge the opening and put in some pull down stairs to make getting into the attic easier.

How to open up an attic access step 1. As long as you have the space this will make the attic much more usable in general. I plan to put joist hangers at all the circled areas. Measure and mark the stair opening dimensions required from either the room below or from the attic above.

Repeat the cut on the. I m not sure of your particular situation but since you are already reframing the opening you should consider adding a drop down ladder. Cut one rafter with a. This step is necessary regardless of whether you re expanding an existing hatchway or creating new attic access.

Measure and mark the size of your new opening plus 4 inches either side on top of existing ceiling joists 1 2 3 and. Then cut out the rough opening with a drywall saw. Remove ceiling materials keeping a large waste can nearby. If you re lucky and this is the case squaring of the opening is simply a matter of nailing a couple of blocks between.

Cut the drywall straight across between the two joists connecting the ends of the two cut lines on the far edge of the attic access hole. How to trim an opening for your attic stairs 1. Inspect the room to decide the most convenient location for the attic stairs for a new stair installation or enlarge. If you see the attached image the dotted lines are where the enlarged opening will be.