An adequately constructed loft hatch is always purposeful in providing tactical access to the roof area of a dwelling. Loft hatches constructed for older properties tend to be cramped (often only providing space that is between two rafters) or before the 1920’s, properties rarely provided any type of access to the roof area.
In the present day, access to the roof are is often a necessity to allocate provisional optioning for the putting in insulation, installing water tanks and a loft space provides for additional storage allocation in depositing varieties of household items. Even if you decide to forego a loft ladder, installing an adequately fitted hatch affords access that is expeditiously convenient.
A quick tip:
Prefabricated roof trusses under no circumstances should be retrofitted without first enlisting the expertise of a structural engineer. Prefabricated roof trusses are constructed to ensure precise calculations in relation to structural integrity while minimizing materials; cutting any section will compromise the trusses integrity and structural failure could result.
Roofs constructed in the traditional manner will warrant caution as well and retrofitting such construction should begin with enlisting the advice of a structural engineer. Unless otherwise directed by a structural engineer, you should:
- Refrain from cutting a joist affixed to a strut or hanger.
- Refrain from sawing through two adjacent joists.
- Refrain from cutting binders, collars, struts, a hanger, or rafters.
It is important to note that each of these are an option when needed, rather what is critical will be ensuring structural integrity of the roof and this often involves additions to the structure which should be accompanied by advice from a structural engineer in relation to such projects.
How to Position the Hatch
When surveying the roof area, you first will need to determine a suitable position to fit a hatch. The hatch will need to be fitted to take two adjacent gaps between joists, requiring you to saw out a section of one of the joists. A hatch should never be fitted in the following places:
- At a middle joist attached to a strut or hanger.
- Beneath a binder.
- Beneath a low collar.
If your intention is to put in a loft ladder, is crucial to assure sufficient space at the edge of the fitting for the ladder to lay parallel to the joists.
How to Proceed From Here
1. In all probability, you have an existing, but cramped loft hatch fitted between two adjacent joists.
2. As a first step you will want to measure the inside width of the joists, adding twice the breadth of the wood used to fit the flanks of the retrofitted hatch – the length of the central joist will then need to be eliminated. Make sure to use a pencil to record the length of the joist removed.
3. Affix two pieces of timber on the top of the joists of the new opening and secure them to the joists – the purpose is to provide additional support for the ceiling during construction of the hatch.
4. Next, with caution, you want to remove the center joist and kept in mind that this will be facing away from the required edge for the interior of the hatch – if it is an option, you want to leave the ceiling unblemished while commencing the construction of the frame work. This allows for the bottom side of the new wood to be fitted at the top area of the ceiling.
5. In the next step you will need to saw two pieces of joist wood to create both ends of the hatch and position them between both joists crossways with the awed end of the one in the middle. In consideration of the ceiling being plastered, most likely you will have to remove some of the plaster from above and in-between the laths allowing for the new wood to be positioned flat on the laths. You will want to measure diagonally to make sure the new timber forms a square and are equal in distance.
6. Attach the new timber on the existing joists – if the house is new, you will want to nail them, however, if you are dealing with a ceiling that has been decorated, to avoid damage from hammering you may want to consider screwing them in.
7. Once you have the frame in place, affix the ceiling to the new wood with either nails or screws. Trim back the ceiling flush with the frames edging – taking care to minimize any damage to the ceiling. Hint: the best way to accomplish this task is to cut from the bottom upwards.
8. The last step will be to remove the both pieces of wood you affixed to the joists in step 3 for support and your basic insulated loft latch frame will be complete.
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