Many individuals enjoy having an attic ladder for access to their attic. However, you can enter the attic without attic ladder equipment. In reality, many folks will use a standard ladder and a hole they’ve cut in the ceiling to get access.
Know a few things before you choose that path. Your ceiling’s fire rating will be compromised if you make a hole. For the extra storage space, this is still a popular choice. Install trim molding around the opening’s perimeter if you decide to cut a hole in the wall. Trim has two distinct purposes. The trim, first of all, cuts an appealing finish.
Second, when you don’t require access to the attic, the trim is a ledge for the drywall ceiling component to rest on. Similar to how a picture frame is made, painted or stained molding is cut to size and put around the opening’s exterior edges.
Ensuring the corners are uniform when nailing the separate parts overhead may be the most difficult aspect of the task.
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Steps To Install Trim Around Attic Door
Attic access is made possible via drop-down stairs, which, when not in use, fold up against the ceiling. Trim molding installation around the outer edge of the ceiling opening is one of the final procedures in adding attic stairs.
The trim significantly enhances the stairs’ appearance while preventing air from leaking out of the house. To ensure that the stair hinges can open and close properly, attic staircase trim installation must be done with the correct spacing.
Use A Step Ladder To Access Attic
To access the ceiling region easily, place a step ladder underneath the attic steps. The length of the stair aperture should be measured by stretching a tape measure along one of the long sides. Even though it ought to be identical to the first side, measure the opposing side as well.
Measure Attic Stairs Edges
Utilizing the tape measure, determine the width of the front edge of the stairs from left to the right and record the measurement. To ensure that it matches the front-edge measurement, measure the opening’s rear-hinged side again.
A work table should be covered with lengthy pieces of case molding or clamshell molding. With a pencil and tape measure, mark each measurement onto the molding.
Create An Angled Cut On Molding
A miter box should be used, and one of the pencil marks on the molding should line up with a mark on the box. Use the same angled groove in the top of the box to insert a handsaw, then cut straight down to angle the molding. Repeat the procedure on each additional molding piece to create four distinct pieces with angled ends.
Place the left molding piece up and to the side of the attic entrance, away from the door, after climbing back up the step ladder: every six inches, hammering nails into the wood to keep it in place. The correct molding piece should be installed in the same way.
Install Front Molding
Position the front molding piece away from the door and toward the ceiling to fit exactly against the angled corners of the side parts and slide the angled corners. Apply finishing nails to the molding to secure it.
Install the rear-hinge molding part similarly, but space it farther away from the opening to give the hinges room to move.
Firm The Frame With Nails
To sink the heads, place a nail set tool on top of each nail and tap it firmly. Each depression should have wood putty applied on top of it. Let it dry. Using grit sandpaper, smooth off the wood putty. Using a paintbrush and latex primer, prime the trim. Utilizing a new paintbrush and once the primer has dried, add a coat of latex paint.
Use trim molding wide enough to cover the rough cut and extend into the aperture far enough for the drywall to have space to sit in without falling out. To build a box, two woodcuts are normally installed after being cut along the width of the ceiling joists.
You will have something to nail into, and the trim will be secured. To prevent the trim and drywall cut-out from falling to the floor, secure it to the ceiling joists with nails during installation. Otherwise, the weight of the drywall will drive the trim out of place.
Caulk The Molding Edges
Now, just minor adjustments need to be made. To begin, caulk the exterior edges where the trim meets the drywall to close any gaps. Next, apply wood putty to the nail holes. Sand and paint the area when the wood putty has cured.
