Ideas needed for trap-door....

[Ssushi]

Hi All,

I have a stairwell leading into an attic room, originally it was boxed in with a sliding door (ugly). I want to make some kind of trap door (hinged or sliding), any ideas as to how I could do this? It could be flat on the floor or angled.

I'm concerned that hingling it updards, towards the wall will restrict access to the very steep stairs.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Cheers!

 

[JohnD]

your pic is very dark and I can't make out the run of the stairs except as a brown blob. where do you step onto the stairs?

 

[big-all]

i am not 100% sure but believe your alteration will have to comply with building regs ??

 

[Muzz]

your pic is very dark and I can't make out the run of the stairs except as a brown blob. where do you step onto the stairs?

look at the last pic where the white edge stops and goes back to yellow tiles, you can see dark blue carpet running down the middle of the stairs

 

[JohnD]

no, I can't make it out.

 

[big-all]

the pictures are normal to me john
basicaly a steep set off stairs with 5 winders at the top to clear the roof
in general looks like any other set off stairs but without the handrail on the landing to stop you falling onto the stairs from the attic floor

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

JohnD needs an eyetest!

 

[JohnD]

JohnD needs a new screen on his spare PC.

 

[ladylola]

To be frankly honest I'd put in a glazed screen or a handrail around the portion of the stairs that is just a big drop and either leave the rest open or put on a door hinged at the side, because I can't really see how a trap door will work.
However, as you want a trap door the only thing that comes to mind is to do it in two sections.
Firstly I'd fix a panel to the nib on the left of the picture .This would be solid and permanent not hinged in any way.
Secondly I'd cut the first trap door to hinge on the floor swinging away from the slope.It should be long enough or short enough if you like to leave a stair sized gap between it and the opposite wall. When in the open position I'd clip it to the first panel thus forming a safety guard for when the attic is in use.
Now the third panel I'd hinge to the second panel so that it covers the stairs when the attic is not in use and folds back against the second panel to enter the attic and will also double as a stair gate if needed.
So to enter the attic the process would be- walk up stairs and push the panel (no 3) backwards over your head, - turn around and fold the trapdoor to your left (i.e. panels 2and 3) cliping it to the solid fixed panel.
Hope this all makes sense.

But don't forget big-all's comment about regs.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Why not just have a partition and a door opening into the room? A trap door is just a stupid idea.

 

[JohnD]

you could fit a sliding door

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

you could fit a sliding door

You either need an eyetest right away or that's really rather sarky!

 

[Symptoms]

S - consider a tambour door.

 

[ladylola]

S - consider a tambour door.

I'll confess I had to google that one
I can see that would work although won't the stairs still be left with falling hazard ?

 

[Symptoms]

S - consider a tambour door.

I'll confess I had to google that one
I can see that would work although won't the stairs still be left with falling hazard ?

Spot on with that lady but the OP was only asking for 'trapdoor' solutions