Trapdoors

AGuy

Building trapdoors and trying to make sure I'm within code.
What I want to do is attach them to removable joists.
The joists would sit in hangers of course.

So basically you'd lift up the trapdoor/hatch with the joists attached.
Will be somewhat heavy since it's SYP #2 but can't find another way to do this because they're surrounding mechanicals in the crawlspace.

joecaption

Far better to header off an area and not have to mess with the removing the floor joist everytime you need to open the hatch.
It would sort of look like the framing for an attic access ladder, or around a sky light.
If you Google how to install one some pictures come up so you see what it would look like.

AGuy

Thought of that but didn't want to have such a big section of the floor without support. It's like 2x6 and there would be no support there since it needs to be open

TarheelTerp

That's why you "header it off" like for any other opening.
You can then fill that gap with whatever you like... even a removable trap door.

joecaption

It's common to see floor joist 24" apart, as long as your using 3/4 Advantec as a hatch door and you add headers on the ends and a sistered pieces of 2X to the sides set to the thickness of the subfloor it should be fine.

joecaption

http://images.search.yahoo.com/image...mb=cpCLpHoH11V

Would sort of look like this.

AGuy

I meant to say I can't really header it because I need access to the end of it.
Unless it was removable.

Think I need to open up Paint and do a draft of what I'm trying to do.