Step By Step Process Of Building A Crawl Space Door
It is a great addition to have a crawl space in your home, due to the fact that it adds extra storage space, however, without a secure crawl space door, the added storage could be very dangerous or risky. In spite of the fact that this added storage space is likely present in your home, but there are no guarantees that it has a door. This means that children or pets could potentially get inside this dark area. Therefore, it is important to add a crawl space door in order to avoid this problem.
Thing's You Will Need
- 1/4-Inch Thick Plywood
- Sander, Bolt & Lock
- Pencil, Drill & Hinges
- Electric Screwdriver
- Handle, Saw & Tap Measure
Step 1: Size Up The Door
Some of the crawl spaces have doors but others do not, which in turn makes sizing very important. If there is a door, then you can simply pull out the existing door and trace its dimensions on to the plywood. If there is no door, then you will need to take down the measurements of the frame before transferring them to the piece of plywood. Use the tape measure in order to measure the length, width, top, as well as the bottom of the crawl space entrance. It is important to take the measurement on the inside of the frame. The door should be able to fit inside of the frame otherwise it will not close properly. Write down the measurements before recording them on the plywood.
Step 2: Prepare The Crawl Space Door
With the dimensions of the door transferred or copied to the plywood, use the saw in order to cut it from the larger piece. As soon as the door is free from the wood, sand down the edges, to a small degree, in order to remove the rough edges as well ass any wood that may cause splinters. Take the door to the crawl space before testing it in the frame for fit. As soon as you are satisfied that the door will fit, you can start assembling the hardware.
Step 3: Add The Hardware
The crawl space door will not just sit there in order to make sure that it has to be attached to the frame. For this, you will need to add the hardware. Start by adding the hinges & then calculate or compute two inches from the top as well as the bottom and make a hash mark, as this will indicate the place from where the hinges will be placed. Position the first hinge in a way so as it is centered over one of the hash marks with the center post facing up. Secure and affix the screws and repeat with the second hinge. Now, position the handle on the other side of the door. Calculate halfway down from the top and several inches toward the inside. Place or fix the handle with the screws. Repeat this with the latch but make sure to place it slightly above the handle.
Step 4: Attach The Door
Take the door to the crawl space before fitting it in place. Use the drill in order to make pilot holes for the other side of the hinges and secure or fix them. Position the second part of the latch on the other hand of the frame on the outside. Finally, add a padlock and you are done with the process.