DIY Network

Attic Access and Flooring From "Wasted Spaces" episode DWSP-102

(Continued from page 1)

Tips:

• Having a helper up in the attic will greatly speed up this process.

• Always check for wires in the attic before you begin to cut.

• Make sure the insulation is cleared from the area before you make your final cut.

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	Figure G
	Figure H
	Figure I
	Figure J
	Figure K

Attic Ladder Installation

1. Go up in the attic right above the opening you just created; the next step is to frame the ladder. Nail in two 2x10s perpendicularly between the existing joists at each short end of the opening (figure G). Make sure the top of the framing is flush with the existing joists, that way later on your flooring will be level.

2. In order to help hold the attic ladder during installation, attach 1x4 ledger boards to your frame from below at each short end of the hole in the ceiling, and leave a lip so the ladder can rest on the boards. These are temporary and are very helpful when installing the ladder and will ensure your ladder folds up flush with the ceiling (figure H).

3. While it is still folded, angle in the attic ladder from below and rest each of the short ends of it on the temporary ledgers (figure I).

4. From above, lower the ladder just enough so you can hammer the attachment parts of the ladder into the frame.

5. Use shims to fill in the gaps between the ladder and joists. Shims can also be use to make sure the ladder is square and in place (figure J).

6. Once the shims are fitting tightly between the ladder and the joists, the ladder can be secured by hammering nails through its hinges.

7. Use 3" nails, not screws, to secure the attic ladder to the joists.

8. Most attic ladders come with adjustable feet. Make sure the ladder is opened completely and straight down to the floor before you attach the feet. This will ensure the feet of the ladder make solid contact with the floor below (figure K). Drill a hole through each side of the feet into the ladder, and the feet to the ladder using bolts. Make sure to tighten the bolts.

9. You can attach a pull cord to the ladder, for easier use.

Tips:

• Screws are typically used to fasten things tightly together that have the risk of being pulled apart. Screws create a tighter hold between two things than a nail does. A nail has more sheer strength than a screw and can hold more weight. It takes much more force to break a nail than a screw.

• "OC", which means "on center", refers to how plywood is measured. It refers to how the joists were measured; from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist. It gives 22" between which is the width of the new pull down ladder.

• When working around insulation, make sure to check what kind of insulation your home has and dress appropriately.

	To keep wires and other cables safe, cut grooves in the joists (using a reciprocating saw) in which you can bury the cords. Cut a groove, notch out the space with a wood chisel and set the cables in. Use a nail plate to secure the cables.
	Protect exposed duct work by custom cutting the plywood flooring to fit over where the duct work lays flat.

Attic Flooring

1. Metal nailing plates are good for ensuring nails don't get hammered into the cables they protect. No nails are required to attach the plates; they are just spiked into the joist with a hammer.

2. Center the edges of the plywood on the long center on the joists; this ensures the next piece of plywood you lay will have an equal sized edge of the joist on which to rest. The plywood we used is tongue and groove plywood called OSB. Just fit the tongue into the groove of the plywood.

3. Screw the plywood sheets down to the joists. Using a screw gun can make this much quicker and easier.

Tips:

• OSB, or Oriented Strand Board, has dots on the sheet and saves you from having to measure the center and making it easier to keep the boards properly oriented on the joists, thus making drilling them down easier.

• When deciding how much space to install flooring on, think about whether or not you will want to be able to stand up in the space.

• Once the flooring is down, it's a good idea to create a barrier around the flooring to keep people and possessions from going over the edge.

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