If I am going to re-build my loft hatch, do I have to conform to any new
building regulations or can I do what ever I want?

What I want to do is fit a frame within the existing opening using
wooden strips. The hatch will be cut from 18mm plywood and will fit
within the opening up against the newly fitted frame. The ceiling side
of the hatch will be flush with the ceiling. I will have self adhesive
foam strips stuck to the loft side of the hatch which will be compressed
against the frame, hopefully forming a moisture and draught seal. I will
then fix some celotex to the loft side of the hatch for insulation.

Any opinions?

Thanks.

Rob Horton wrote:
If I am going to re-build my loft hatch, do I have to conform to any new
building regulations or can I do what ever I want?

If in doubt, assume there's a regulation, and then ignore it.

What I want to do is fit a frame within the existing opening using
wooden strips. The hatch will be cut from 18mm plywood and will fit
within the opening up against the newly fitted frame. The ceiling side
of the hatch will be flush with the ceiling. I will have self adhesive
foam strips stuck to the loft side of the hatch which will be compressed
against the frame, hopefully forming a moisture and draught seal. I will
then fix some celotex to the loft side of the hatch for insulation.

Any opinions?

Thanks.

Make it up as a free standing unit with the hinges, catches etc before
fixing it to the joists. Loft openings are invariably out of square and
it's easier to fill a few gaps between the joists and the frame than to
tailor the door to fit a wonky frame.
18mm ply's a bit heavy for a swing down door. I'd use 12mm blockboard

On 13 Mar, 09:35, Rob Horton wrote:
If I am going to re-build my loft hatch, do I have to conform to any new
building regulations or can I do what ever I want?

What I want to do is fit a frame within the existing opening using
wooden strips. The hatch will be cut from 18mm plywood and will fit
within the opening up against the newly fitted frame. The ceiling side
of the hatch will be flush with the ceiling. I will have self adhesive
foam strips stuck to the loft side of the hatch which will be compressed
against the frame, hopefully forming a moisture and draught seal. I will
then fix some celotex to the loft side of the hatch for insulation.

Any opinions?

Thanks.

I've just done exactly the same, except:

- 12.5mm MDF instead of the ply just because I had a suitably-sized
piece (75cmx75cm) piece available
- Opens from the top (loft) side i.e. the door is recessed into the
ceiling
- Door hinged from above and utilises a 'pub style' counter catch to
keep it in the open position

All other aspects, e.g. foam strips, insulation etc just the same. All
in all does a super job for only a few quid.

Mathew

"Rob Horton" wrote in message
...
If I am going to re-build my loft hatch, do I have to conform to any new
building regulations or can I do what ever I want?

What I want to do is fit a frame within the existing opening using wooden
strips. The hatch will be cut from 18mm plywood and will fit within the
opening up against the newly fitted frame. The ceiling side of the hatch
will be flush with the ceiling. I will have self adhesive foam strips
stuck to the loft side of the hatch which will be compressed against the
frame, hopefully forming a moisture and draught seal. I will then fix some
celotex to the loft side of the hatch for insulation.

Any opinions?

Thanks.

As others have said build the frame and hang the door before fitting

I made a door from 2 bits of 3mm ply and 2 x1 timber much like a normal
panel door but put a piece of polystyrene sheet inside for insulation.

This has worked for 30 years so far with regular access

Tony

On Mar 13, 1:03 pm, "Mathew Newton" wrote:

- 12.5mm MDF instead of the ply just because I had a suitably-sized
piece (75cmx75cm) piece available
- Opens from the top (loft) side i.e. the door is recessed into the
ceiling
- Door hinged from above and utilises a 'pub style' counter catch to
keep it in the open position

Just to add a few things to what I wrote earlier... There are some
advantages to having an 'upward opening' (i.e. frame underneath) door
including:

- The criticality of cutting a perfectly shaped door to be (out of)
square with the existing hole is greatly reduced given that the
battons cover the door edge hence giving ~15mm leeway
- You can use a thinner door (lighter) given that it is supported all
round the perimeter hence there'll be no sagging even for a door my
size compared to if was only secured at the hinges/catch
- The weight of the door will keep a good seal with the rubber strips
even as they compress over time

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent/loft1.jpg
http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent/loft2.jpg

Mathew

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Mathew Newton wrote:

On Mar 13, 1:03 pm, "Mathew Newton" wrote:

- 12.5mm MDF instead of the ply just because I had a suitably-sized
piece (75cmx75cm) piece available
- Opens from the top (loft) side i.e. the door is recessed into the
ceiling
- Door hinged from above and utilises a 'pub style' counter catch to
keep it in the open position

Just to add a few things to what I wrote earlier... There are some
advantages to having an 'upward opening' (i.e. frame underneath) door
including:

- The criticality of cutting a perfectly shaped door to be (out of)
square with the existing hole is greatly reduced given that the
battons cover the door edge hence giving ~15mm leeway
- You can use a thinner door (lighter) given that it is supported all
round the perimeter hence there'll be no sagging even for a door my
size compared to if was only secured at the hinges/catch
- The weight of the door will keep a good seal with the rubber strips
even as they compress over time

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent/loft1.jpg
http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent/loft2.jpg

Mathew

Makes sense. Nice job!

The only problem, as I see it, with a door which opens upwards is that it
would prevent you from installing and using a loft ladder.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

On Mar 13, 7:22 pm, "Roger Mills" wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Mathew Newton wrote:

On Mar 13, 1:03 pm, "Mathew Newton" wrote:

- 12.5mm MDF instead of the ply just because I had a suitably-sized
piece (75cmx75cm) piece available
- Opens from the top (loft) side i.e. the door is recessed into the
ceiling
- Door hinged from above and utilises a 'pub style' counter catch to
keep it in the open position

Just to add a few things to what I wrote earlier... There are some
advantages to having an 'upward opening' (i.e. frame underneath) door
including:

- The criticality of cutting a perfectly shaped door to be (out of)
square with the existing hole is greatly reduced given that the
battons cover the door edge hence giving ~15mm leeway
- You can use a thinner door (lighter) given that it is supported all
round the perimeter hence there'll be no sagging even for a door my
size compared to if was only secured at the hinges/catch
- The weight of the door will keep a good seal with the rubber strips
even as they compress over time

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent/loft1.jpg
http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent/loft2.jpg

Mathew

Makes sense. Nice job!

The only problem, as I see it, with a door which opens upwards is that it
would prevent you from installing and using a loft ladder.

Possibly, yes. Although I guess it might depend on the ladder and
exactly how it fixes/functions? We just use a stepladder but I admit
it's not for everyone...

The other problem for me is that my hatch is now 30mm smaller in each
dimension... And I distinctly remember that the desk we've got stored
in the loft only *just* fitted through the opening all those years
back... D'oh! ;-)

Mathew

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Mathew Newton wrote:

On Mar 13, 7:22 pm, "Roger Mills" wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,

The only problem, as I see it, with a door which opens upwards is
that it would prevent you from installing and using a loft ladder.

Possibly, yes. Although I guess it might depend on the ladder and
exactly how it fixes/functions?

I think it's more than possibly! Every loft ladder I've seen parks *across*
the hole - so you wouldn't be able to open the hatch. Or, if you installed
it with the hatch open (which you'd have to do!) you wouldn't be able to
shut the hatch.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

On Mar 13, 10:25 pm, "Roger Mills" wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Mathew Newton wrote:

On Mar 13, 7:22 pm, "Roger Mills" wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,

The only problem, as I see it, with a door which opens upwards is
that it would prevent you from installing and using a loft ladder.

Possibly, yes. Although I guess it might depend on the ladder and
exactly how it fixes/functions?

I think it's more than possibly! Every loft ladder I've seen parks *across*
the hole - so you wouldn't be able to open the hatch. Or, if you installed
it with the hatch open (which you'd have to do!) you wouldn't be able to
shut the hatch.

Ah yes... And, more to the point, you would of course need a ladder
anyway to get up to swing open the hatch!!

To the OP, caveat all my advice therefore with the warning regarding
loft ladders as opposed to stepladder access!

Mathew