Cutting Joists For Attic Access

Instead you should place the cutout opening inline with the ceiling joists rafter ties.

Cutting joists for attic access.

How to cut a hole in the ceiling for attic access 1. It may be necessary to add. Position a stepladder directly under the desired area for the attic access hole. Using a pencil mark the edges of any joists on the ceiling this will then create your access hole.

This way you only need to cut one of them to make the room for the rough framing opening. Step 2 cut joist support boards. To transfer the weight that the now cut ceiling joist would need to carry i needed to add a header to either end of the now cut 2 x 6. Figure 1 modified joists remove any insulation that is directly in your work area and remember to replace it after you have completed the new.

Werner s easy access attic ladder 5 cut ceiling joists step 1 mark. This is part 2 in my series of loft conversion videos. Our ceiling joists are 2 x 6 s. Locate the joists behind the drywall.

Bridging involves cutting new wood members and installing them perpendicularly between the existing joists. If the room has a ceiling and you have cut the required hole go to step 2. In this video i show how i cut my my joists make packer plates get the joists from the garden up int. I needed to cut one of those 2 x 6 s out to make our attic access larger.

If the room has no ceiling. Head off the truss to the others with double 2x10 as normally done for the floor load and sheeth the floor. Locate an area centered between the two joists and cut a 6 to 8 inch diameter hole using a keyhole saw. Lay a 4x8 3 4 sheet of plywood on each end of the truss on the bottom chord spanning to the two trusses on each side of the one to be cut.

You potentially compromise too many of the rafter cross ties by doing that. Cut 2 joist sized boards long enough to span two joists on each side of your chosen. Building code often requires stairway access to the attic if the space is to be used. This is done to hold the bottom chord from pushing the wall out.

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.