Fire rated attic small door

[Bill Dufour]

My house has an attached garage with a fire wall, floor to rafters covered in sheetrock. I would like to cut a small access door into the attic space to install extra insulation etc. Door would be about 3x2 feet. What can I make or buy that still maintains the fire separation. I was thinking 2x4 frame with drywall covering on garage side. Do they make small fire rated doors?
Bill D

[Ron Selzer]

google search

https://www.google.com/search?q=fire...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[Bill Dufour]

Thanks for the info. The info is it is called an access panel not a door.

[Rob Damon]

If you install it yourself make sure you follow the installation details exactly or it will not be considered an approved installation and insurance could be invalidated.
In almost all cases any penetration of a fire rated wall/floor/ceiling requires a permit.
With the typical detail, you must extent the rated GWB up the inside of the 2x4 studs to protect the wood. You can't just nail/screw the fire rated access panel to the wood stud.
Depending on the rating (1hr/2hr) you may need two layers of rated GWB around the opening.
We have designed tons of these for commercial buildings over the past several decades.
Also, if the manufacturer list a specific fire caulk, you must use that specific caulk and not just any general fire caulking.
The rated access panel was UL tested as an assembly with a specific installation and specific caulk that you must follow to the letter or it is will not be UL compliant installation.

[Stan Coryell]

Bill,
McMaster carries them.
Access Doors, Ceiling and Wall Mount, for 36-3/8" x 24-3/8" Cutout

https://www.mcmaster.com/1124A36
$300
I may be able to put you in touch with a supplier that has better pricing. I doubt it would save you much. If you're interested let me know.
Happy New Year
Stan

[Mel Fulks]

I would buy Hardiplank corner boards for perimeter frame. Hardiplank panel for the door. Screws...not adhesive.

[Rob Damon]

"I would buy Hardiplank corner boards for perimeter frame. Hardiplank panel for the door. Screws...not adhesive."

Please, please, I have been doing this as a part of my job for the past 40 years. Do the research before buying any product:

https://www.jameshardie.com/product-...aq?loc=refresh

There is a reason for a fire rated wall between your garage and your living spaces.

It is to buy you time to get your family out of the house when you garage goes up in flames.

This is why most localities require a permit when penetrating a fire wall with anything.

TO MAKE SURE IT IS DONE CORRECTLY!

But in the end you can do anything you want and take any risk you feel comfortable, until you sell the house and someone else ends up unknownly takes on the risk.

[Mel Fulks]

Thanks, Rob. I had already looked at the prices on the doors ....astranomical cost . Did not further. I would use the
plan I offered. Humvees and army tanks are safer than regular cars, but most people drive cars.

[Charlie Velasquez]

My house has an attached garage with a fire wall, floor to rafters covered in sheetrock. I would like to cut a small access door into the attic space to install extra insulation etc. Door would be about 3x2 feet. What can I make or buy that still maintains the fire separation. I was thinking 2x4 frame with drywall covering on garage side. Do they make small fire rated doors?
Bill D

Not sure I understand what you’re asking.
Let me paraphrase to see if I have it right.

You have space above both your garage and your living space
The space above your garage (garage space, gs) is completely separated from space above your living space (living space, Ls) by fire rated sheetrock.

Check with your inspector. My understanding is as long as that fire rated wall is not broached you are good.
You can cut a hole in the garage ceiling anywhere and put in any door, you still have 2-hour separation from your living area.

I assume you have access to the space above your living area some place in the interior.

P.S. If I am mistaken others will offer additional suggestions. I will offer another option that I used that may work. It was not for blowing insulation, but for placing some 20’ long purlins.
I removed four or five courses of vinyl siding with a vinyl tool (5 minutes - check youtube videos), cut an access hole in the sheathing, climbed in, son slid purlins in, then climbed in to help install, screwed the access cutout back in, replaced the siding.

[Bill Dufour]

Charlie you are close except garage has no ceiling or drywall on the side walls. So a solid firewall to block garage from the house. Would like a hatch to get into attic to blow insulation , connect fallen stove vent hood, and at least one solar tube fell off. We are in the process of buying, I hope. There is a small hatch in a closet ceiling.
It is going to be fun if I need to redo sink drains which are galvanized. I think the toilet drain lines are cast iron which should be okay.. There is only a small floor trapdoor to the crawlspace so I will have to remove a vent screen to get pipe lengths down.
Bil lD

[Brian Elfert]

The website bestaccessdoors.com has many different fire rated hatches that would probably work for this.

[Bill Dufour]

I have a feeling there will be no insulation in this wall meaning... it should have all the old sheet rock pulled off then be insulated with rockwool and covered in plywood for a shear wall then new sheet rock over that. Somewhere in all that an access hatch can be added in. I did not even notice if the house is bolted down!
Bill D.

[Jim Becker]

If the only reason you need access to that area is to blow in insulation over the ceiling...just do a temporary hole between the rafters for the nice insulation folks to do their deed and reinstall that piece of drywall with an appropriate thickness piece of fiberglass or rockwool, tape it and then mud it as normal. Cheap, meets fire code since it would be the same 5/8" fire rated 'rock going back in place and easy to "disappear" with good mud work.

This was actually a common method used when I was in the insulation contracting business many years ago, although it was rare for our company to do retrofits.

[Bill Dufour]

OP here: Problem solved! I was at habitat today. They had three brand new access hatches with mounting hardware. Roughly 24x24 so I bought one for $10.00. I had been planning to see if they had any fire rated doors I could cut down and use. Never even made it to that part of the warehouse.
I am glad I asked here I did not realize cutting into that wall was such a big deal.
Bill D