Attic Stairs Across Joists

Standard joist spacing for the installation of attic flooring materials is 16 inches on center oc meaning the distance from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist is 16 inches.

Attic stairs across joists.

Saw through the joist s being careful not to cut through the ceiling and making sure the cut ends of the joist s are flat and vertical. Part 6 shows you how. Click here to purchase the easy access attic ladder by werner. 2 how much weight could the ceiling joist hold.

Remove the loose section of drywall. Attic ladder kits are made to fit between existing framing in the ceiling that is the flooring of the attic. 1 can the joist be cut to make room for the attic ladder. Ceiling joist are 2x4.

One will be used as your stationary the other you ll cut header it off and put your attic stair in. The screw should be between two joists. Now that you ve cut your joists it s time to frame the new opening. Single story house built in the 1940s.

Most homes will have a ladder of stairs that lead up to the attic. Sistering is the process of adding a new joist next to each existing joist. Hopefully the attached pictures provide additional info. If the attic joists are not adequate one way to strengthen the floor for live loads is to sister the old joists.

In the case of 2x6 joists you can pair them up with additional 2x6 joists by nailing them together side by side. Cut the drywall straight across between the two joists connecting the ends of the two cut lines on the far edge of the attic access hole. Where possible pick a size and location for your attic ladder that enables it to fit between existing ceiling joists or trusses. Step 3 before cutting the joist first brace it to prevent sagging as you re cutting it.

Joists carry the weight of the walls furniture and people on them.