Cutting Rafters For Attic Stairs

Figure 1 shows the floor or ceiling joists after the access hole has been cut to install a new flight of stairs or provide an attic access.

Cutting rafters for attic stairs.

Let s compare common roof trusses with the roof framing materials that were used in your parent s house. The plumb or ridge cut is made at the top of the rafter. I would not put the attic stairs ladder assembly opening at right angles to the ceiling joists. Choose which end of your rafter you want to be the top.

Replacement of these furnaces can be difficult and sometimes cannot be done without cutting or modifying a truss. Instead you should place the cutout opening inline with the ceiling joists rafter ties. Most common attic trusses for homes and garages are made with 2x4 s. Enjoy the videos and music you love upload original content and share it all with friends family and the world on youtube.

This way you only need to cut one of them to make the room for the rough framing opening. Set the framing square on top of the rafter beam with the tongue facing the top of the rafter. Mark the plumb cut at the top of the rafter. While they look the same you probably didn t notice the subtle differences.

Cut a 2 by 4 to fit horizontally from rafter to rafter on each truss. You potentially compromise too many of the rafter cross ties by doing that. Cutting and or removing joists to provide an entry or access can be the most difficult part of the overall project. Modifying floor or ceiling joists rafters for access.

This completes the reframing process. Your parents roof rafters were probably made from 2x8 s and could have been 2x10 s or. This is done to hold the bottom chord from pushing the wall out. Home owners sometimes will cut trusses to make more storage space in the attic or to do other modifications or remodeling.

Furnaces are often located in attic areas. Nail them to the rafters and angle nail the center support to the top edge of the horizontal brace.