Enlarging Attic Access

I plan to put joist hangers at all the circled areas.

Enlarging attic access.

And yes this is a do it yourself project. It is recommended to have a professional design and do the construction for this remodeling project unless you have substantial experience in this area. Use long nails to nail an outline next to joists where ceiling material will need to be cut away. Cutting and framing the space is actually the simplest portion of the job.

We ll show you how to cut out frame the opening then install a fo. Cut one rafter with a handsaw to allow space for you to crawl up into the attic. This will involve cutting 2 of the joists or whatever they re called. 1 inspect the room to decide the most convenient location for the attic stairs for a new stair installation or enlarge a.

Using a pencil mark the edges of any joists on the ceiling this will then create your access hole. The nails will show where the joists lie in the attic. If you see the attached image the dotted lines are where the enlarged opening will be. Do not cut through a double beam in the attic since these are support beams for the entire house.

Use a drill and suitable drill bit to create enough holes in one of the corners to allow you to insert a saw and cut along the lines that you have marked out. Yes there are potential structural issues you may face but they aren t insurmountable. Yes a larger access opening to the attic is a viable option. Remodel the roof as needed to increase the attic ceiling height by removing the old roof changing the angle of the new roof and installing rafters joists sheathing and shingles.