Ok so I want to put up an attic hatch in the garage I am building and wondering the best way to do it and make it reasonably energy efficient. I was planning on just doing a little access hole to allow someone up there to repair.
I'd someone could point me in the right direction that would be awesome
Is the ceiling sheetrock over joists?
If so just cut a square hole in the ceiling (from one joist to the other should give you 14") a bit of trim around the opening and use the piece you cut out at the plug to fill the hole. Glue rigid insulation to the top side as you like for R-factor.
In reply to KyAllroad :
It is going to be. So should I wait until sheetrock is up before putting in the frame?
KyAllroad said:Is the ceiling sheetrock over joists?
If so just cut a square hole in the ceiling (from one joist to the other should give you 14") a bit of trim around the opening and use the piece you cut out at the plug to fill the hole. Glue rigid insulation to the top side as you like for R-factor.
What he said but I'd frame the opening with some twice by to avoid sheetrock damage when crawling through it.
As someone that goes up into attics a lot, spring for the drop down ladder.
A buddy had be retrieve things from his attic a few times. It was a hole cut into the sheetrock, with trim finish nailed into the beams, and that same peirce of sheetrock they cut out just sitting on the trim.
If you use that as your low bar, you can't go wrong!
It's hateful to use. Get a real nice stairway and frame it for real, and insulate the underside of the stairs.
In reply to tuna55 :
I have access hatches in the house. Kind of a pain to get stuff in but not that bad. Honestly in the garage the trusses aren't really designed to act as a storage space so I am not really planning on storing stuff up there expect maybe super light stuff that get used very occasionally. It mostly for blowing in insulation and if there needs to be repair done to the lighting wiring or something later.
Toyman! said:KyAllroad said:Is the ceiling sheetrock over joists?
If so just cut a square hole in the ceiling (from one joist to the other should give you 14") a bit of trim around the opening and use the piece you cut out at the plug to fill the hole. Glue rigid insulation to the top side as you like for R-factor.
What he said but I'd frame the opening with some twice by to avoid sheetrock damage when crawling through it.
So put in the 2 bys after the sheetrock is done? I was basically thinking of putting 2 2x4s across to connect the two trusses then adding trim after sheetrock so that way when the sheetrock goes in I don't need to cut it after.
It doesn't seem like it would be any easier to do after the ceiling is rocked. You can always frame it out first but you need to find it after putting the sheetrock up anyway.
How much room do you have in the attic? Can you use it as storage space? If so, I recommend a drop down ladder, the kind that folds down at an angle like steep stairs with a large opening. Attic storage is great to have. I wouldn't worry too much about the opening, just add some insulation over the back of the door.
Where abouts do you live? What is the roof truss or joist spacing 16" or 24" o.c.? How much insulation are planning on putting up there? Make the opening at least 32" long. If you are going to blow in insulation, build a 7/16" OSB box taller than the amount of insulation you are going to use and frame the top of the box with 2x4's so that you can use it to pull yourself up into the attic. Or get the fold up ladder. Do all of that before you drywall the ceiling. Wire a light up there.
If your air handler is up there you'll be ahead of the game to set up an opening sufficient to easily get it in and out of the attic.
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