Installing an attic access door

[Gilbert Vega]

I need to install an attic access door in my new 30'*32'*12' woodshop.what is the procedure for modifying the ceiling joust to accomodate a 24" wide door? Do I have to add any temporary support to cut the joust in the way? I plan on adding double 2x10 at both ends of the opening. For info, it is framed with a 7"x18" paralam beam in the center and 2x10's on 19" centers.

[Tom Hargrove]

You will have to support the joist(s) that will be cut. You can support them from above or below.

Instructions for cutting and heading off the joists usually come with attic stair kits, (they did with the stairs I have installed in the past) since the "hole" is the same type of thing for an access door or stairs. You should be able to find something in the 'net using "attic stairs" in the search feature of your browser.

As long as you are going to frame for an access door, I would size it to fit an attic stair kit. You don't have to install the stairs now, but as long as you are doing the framing work, you might as well size it so the stair installation is easy at some point in the future.

[Gilbert Vega]

Thanks for the tips. I think I will frame it for the largest attic ladder I can find.

[Von Bickley]

Why 19" on center? Just curious.......

[Russ Ellis]

Given the 19" centers, I would go for the bigger ladder with a 30-1/2" wide rough opening. Plus the load rating would be around 350-lbs.

Since the ceiling is open, use a joist hanger at the connections between the existing joists and transverse doubles.

[Larry Edgerton]

Why 19" on center? Just curious.......

19 3/16" is another layout for plywood with one less joist/stud. common in modulars and down South.

[Gilbert Vega]

Good to know. I thought it was a strange spacing.

[David Linnabary]

I installed a wider access door for my attic some years back much like your situation with common joist ceiling that had to be reframed for stair box. Was well worth the effort. Check out Rainbow attic stairs, http://www.stairwayshop.com/Rainbow_Attic_Stairs_s/29.htm?gclid=CJmc4trc4cYCFQGUaQodHkED3A

As to the support, it looks like you probably only need something to hold the loose end of the joist up, maybe just a temporary 2x4 across several joist with a few deck screws. That should keep things in place while you are making your cuts and framing the stair box. If I were framing this I'd probably double up the joist on each side of the stair box as well as the ends.

David