Loft Hatch
 

My 1820's build house has a rediculous sized loft opening of 60x30cm. V.
difficult to use.
I want to install a loft ladder which need far more space than this. I could
make a decent sized hatch but this would need a 2-3 ft. length of one joist
to be removed. I have visions of ceiling collapsing and a shower of ton
slates on my head. Can anyone reassure me that there will be no calamity?
Any precautions I could take while sawing out a 3ft. section?

TIA

Loft Hatch
 

On Feb 9, 4:47*pm, "Roger Cain"
wrote:
My 1820's build house has a rediculous sized loft opening of 60x30cm. V.
difficult to use.
I want to install a loft ladder which need far more space than this. I could
make a decent sized hatch but this would need a 2-3 ft. length of one joist
to be removed. I have visions of ceiling collapsing and a shower of ton
slates on my head. Can anyone reassure me that there will be no calamity?
Any precautions I could take while sawing out a 3ft. section?

TIA

Yes, you could get a man in ;)

Philip

Loft Hatch
 

On Feb 9, 4:51*pm, " wrote:
On Feb 9, 4:47*pm, "Roger Cain"
wrote:

My 1820's build house has a rediculous sized loft opening of 60x30cm. V..
difficult to use.
I want to install a loft ladder which need far more space than this. I could
make a decent sized hatch but this would need a 2-3 ft. length of one joist
to be removed. I have visions of ceiling collapsing and a shower of ton
slates on my head. Can anyone reassure me that there will be no calamity?
Any precautions I could take while sawing out a 3ft. section?

TIA


I really wouldn't cut the joist.

Philip

Loft Hatch
 

In message
,
" writes
On Feb 9, 4:51*pm, " wrote:
On Feb 9, 4:47*pm, "Roger Cain"
wrote:

My 1820's build house has a rediculous sized loft opening of 60x30cm. V.
difficult to use.
I want to install a loft ladder which need far more space than
this. I could
make a decent sized hatch but this would need a 2-3 ft. length of one joist
to be removed. I have visions of ceiling collapsing and a shower of ton
slates on my head. Can anyone reassure me that there will be no calamity?
Any precautions I could take while sawing out a 3ft. section?

TIA


I really wouldn't cut the joist.

I suppose you could temporarily support the joist to be cut by screwing
a length of 4"x2" to the top and spanning the joists either side. I
doubt there is anything other than the ceiling load on that particular
joist.

Someone with more knowledge will be along shortly:-)

regards
--
Tim Lamb

Loft Hatch
 

In message
,
" writes
On Feb 9, 4:51*pm, " wrote:
On Feb 9, 4:47*pm, "Roger Cain"
wrote:

My 1820's build house has a rediculous sized loft opening of 60x30cm. V.
difficult to use.
I want to install a loft ladder which need far more space than
this. I could
make a decent sized hatch but this would need a 2-3 ft. length of one joist
to be removed. I have visions of ceiling collapsing and a shower of ton
slates on my head. Can anyone reassure me that there will be no calamity?
Any precautions I could take while sawing out a 3ft. section?

TIA


I really wouldn't cut the joist.

Cutting the joist is standard practice, how else do you think you make a
decent sized hatch?

Once the joist is cut, you fix a couple of lengths of timber (like the
joists obviously) across to support the end of the cut joist, and make
the sides of the hole.

As for cutting the joist. If it's a lath and plaster ceiling, then
removing the laths and plaster and cutting the joist will probably make
a bit of mess round the edge of the hole, as it's hard to do it really
neatly, and the plaster tends to fall off a bit, but it's easily
patched/filled afterwards.

I didn't bother when I did mine, but you could fix a couple of bits of
4x2 or whatever across the joists each side of the opening to support it
while it is cut

But really, it's not hard task, the joists are only normally supporting
the ceiling, it's not all going to come tumbling down.
--
Chris French

Loft Hatch
 

On 09/02/2011 17:51, John Rumm wrote:
On 09/02/2011 16:47, Roger Cain wrote:
My 1820's build house has a rediculous sized loft opening of 60x30cm. V.
difficult to use.
I want to install a loft ladder which need far more space than this. I
could
make a decent sized hatch but this would need a 2-3 ft. length of one
joist
to be removed. I have visions of ceiling collapsing and a shower of ton
slates on my head. Can anyone reassure me that there will be no calamity?
Any precautions I could take while sawing out a 3ft. section?

Easy enough...

[...]

I would totally concur with John's answer, except I'd want to eyeball
the situation first! TBH I can't think of any specific gotchas but I
think I'd want to be reassured that the joist/ceiling/roof structure is
as we're assuming, before going ahead.

David

Loft Hatch
 

"Lobster" wrote in message
...
On 09/02/2011 17:51, John Rumm wrote:
On 09/02/2011 16:47, Roger Cain wrote:
My 1820's build house has a rediculous sized loft opening of 60x30cm. V.
difficult to use.
I want to install a loft ladder which need far more space than this. I
could
make a decent sized hatch but this would need a 2-3 ft. length of one
joist
to be removed. I have visions of ceiling collapsing and a shower of ton
slates on my head. Can anyone reassure me that there will be no
calamity?
Any precautions I could take while sawing out a 3ft. section?

Easy enough...

[...]

I would totally concur with John's answer, except I'd want to eyeball the
situation first! TBH I can't think of any specific gotchas but I think
I'd want to be reassured that the joist/ceiling/roof structure is as we're
assuming, before going ahead.

David


I agree with David, best to be sure.
Can you take a few pictures showing structure above / below and actual area
to be cut as that might help others to advise.
Link the pics on here.

Loft Hatch
 

On 09/02/2011 21:09, SS wrote:
wrote in message
...
On 09/02/2011 17:51, John Rumm wrote:
On 09/02/2011 16:47, Roger Cain wrote:
My 1820's build house has a rediculous sized loft opening of 60x30cm. V.
difficult to use.
I want to install a loft ladder which need far more space than this. I
could
make a decent sized hatch but this would need a 2-3 ft. length of one
joist
to be removed. I have visions of ceiling collapsing and a shower of ton
slates on my head. Can anyone reassure me that there will be no
calamity?
Any precautions I could take while sawing out a 3ft. section?

Easy enough...

[...]

I would totally concur with John's answer, except I'd want to eyeball the
situation first! TBH I can't think of any specific gotchas but I think
I'd want to be reassured that the joist/ceiling/roof structure is as we're
assuming, before going ahead.

David


I agree with David, best to be sure.
Can you take a few pictures showing structure above / below and actual area
to be cut as that might help others to advise.
Link the pics on here.




Best to make the frame out of 4" x 2", hang the door on it, then fit the
whole thing to the surrounding joists.

Loft Hatch
 

On Feb 9, 4:54*pm, " wrote:
On Feb 9, 4:51*pm, " wrote:

On Feb 9, 4:47*pm, "Roger Cain"
wrote:

My 1820's build house has a rediculous sized loft opening of 60x30cm. V.
difficult to use.
I want to install a loft ladder which need far more space than this. I could
make a decent sized hatch but this would need a 2-3 ft. length of one joist
to be removed. I have visions of ceiling collapsing and a shower of ton
slates on my head. Can anyone reassure me that there will be no calamity?
Any precautions I could take while sawing out a 3ft. section?

TIA

I really wouldn't cut the joist.

What are you afraid of?

MBQ

Loft Hatch
 

On 09/02/11 16:47, Roger Cain wrote:
My 1820's build house has a rediculous sized loft opening of 60x30cm. V.
difficult to use.
I want to install a loft ladder which need far more space than this. I could
make a decent sized hatch but this would need a 2-3 ft. length of one joist
to be removed. I have visions of ceiling collapsing and a shower of ton
slates on my head. Can anyone reassure me that there will be no calamity?
Any precautions I could take while sawing out a 3ft. section?

TIA


Can you put the hole somewhere else?
Good to have headroom above it.
And make it long and thin,
It doesnt have to be square,
I can now get 4x8foot sheets up my new long thin loft hatch!
[g]

Loft Hatch
 

On 10 Feb, 13:51, "george [dicegeorge]"
wrote:
On 09/02/11 16:47, Roger Cain wrote: My 1820's build house has a rediculous sized loft opening of 60x30cm. V.
difficult to use.
I want to install a loft ladder which need far more space than this. I could
make a decent sized hatch but this would need a 2-3 ft. length of one joist
to be removed. I have visions of ceiling collapsing and a shower of ton
slates on my head. Can anyone reassure me that there will be no calamity?
Any precautions I could take while sawing out a 3ft. section?

TIA

Can you put the hole somewhere else?
Good to have headroom above it.
And make it long and thin,
It doesnt have to be square,
I can now get 4x8foot sheets up my new long thin loft hatch!
[g]

You'd struggle with a piano though.

Cheers
Richard