Door in the floor

[big-all]

just to clarify all my comments refer to the stairwell and its function an not any connected area other than when the now stored contents in what used to be a stair well now temporary moved have occupied another area when you need to use the stairs

 

[big-all]

i have often helped freinds who are short off storage space who live in a victorian terrace like me to use areas say above an up stairs door in a narrow hallway where the ceiling height is say 8ft and the hallway is narrow about 3ft with a pendant light fitting hanging down about a foot to build a platform above the door frame and perhaps 24-30" along the hallway to a point where you can reach into the space and not block out or effect the light spread onto the area underneath

 

[markius]

Yeah we've gone a bit off track talking about storage.
I'm really after tips around constructing the door... Like

• Does it need to be fire rated
• What hinges can I use that are flush on the surface that also work with a door that's potentially 40mm thick
• Steel frame or timber frame
• Would this be notifiable?

 

[Ian H]

I'd make a door out of floorboards with 3x2 strips on the bottom and double hinged like this:

With one of those swinging farm gate type catches to hold it up. You will have to run a rim round the opening for the 3x2's to sit on.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Isn't that diagonal the wrong way around?

 

[Bowlzi]

Hi, my opinion, if it is of any help is that you will be doing a lot of work for little real benefit. I like the idea but in practice you will have to put the stored stuff on the new door ( so itself will need to be structurally sound to take the added weight) SO.. When you are down there in the gym , den etc., where is the stored stuff going to be stored. Your wife will get very upset if in the hallway. Also , and more importantly, there will be no safe barrier stopping people falling down the hole when you are down there.

The alternative is to alter the lower stairs for a spiral.. Or ad some winders. That way you still have stairs and may be able to create some space in the small section of wasted space under the existing stairs.

Just my thoughts.

 

[big-all]

Hi, my opinion, if it is of any help is that you will be doing a lot of work for little real benefit. I like the idea but in practice you will have to put the stored stuff on the new door ( so itself will need to be structurally sound to take the added weight) SO.. When you are down there in the gym , den etc., where is the stored stuff going to be stored. Your wife will get very upset if in the hallway. Also , and more importantly, there will be no safe barrier stopping people falling down the hole when you are down there.

The alternative is to alter the lower stairs for a spiral.. Or ad some winders. That way you still have stairs and may be able to create some space in the small section of wasted space under the existing stairs.

Just my thoughts.

exactly my thought hence my suggestions to look to use other areas
a more useful solution may be shelves occupying a part off the side wall down the stairs making using the stairs a bit awkward but not too bad

 

[Doggit]

Isn't that diagonal the wrong way around?

No it's correct; it allows the door to go up against the wall.

Ians made a good suggestion of using floorboards, but I'd split the floor/door in half. Half to lift up against the wall, and the other half to lift up and under the stairs. This makes them both lighter to handle. But you could also split it 1 third and 2 thirds, with the latter being hinged at the bottom of the stairs, and having gas struts to help lift it. Unless you could find gas struts extendable enough to handle the whole door whilst hinging it from the end. Use fire rated ball race hinges.

You are right in thinking about extra large door stops to support the "doors", something like 2x1 should be sufficient, but I'd glue and screw them to make certain.

There are a lot of storage systems, and even wheeled storage boxes that you can get that would slide out quickly, but unless you need them, I'd almost suggest that in taking out the stud wall, you're going to have a larger feeling area.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Yeah, sorry for your purposes it's fine

But I thought his original plan was to use the door as the rail to protect the hole?
Opening up and blocking the gap between the stair rise and the drop on the room side

 

[big-all]

my thoughts are to find the point going down the stairs where you just clear the floor with your head or have to duck a bit then cut a trap to fit that area that only moves when you need maximum clearance
this will reduce the weight and unsupported span off the main trapdoor/s