What is a floor door hatch?
Floor hatches play a vital role in the way buildings perform or operate. They provide easy and reliable access between building floors to equipment or storage areas with a wide or walk-through opening. A floor access door is usually designed to withstand heavy foot and wheel traffic. It maintains the insulative properties of a floor with a seal.
How to install a floor door hatch?
For a walk-through access to critical areas below floors such as plumbing, furnace or electrical, choose to install a quality floor door hatch. Instead of building up your floor access door, buying a ready-made door from known manufacturers is a safer and more practical choice. A wide array of sizes, designs, and materials are available in the market to meet various opening requirements.
Whether you plan to install a floor hatch on your own or with help from the pros, learn more about the installation process by staying on this page.
Identify floor door location
Location is a determining factor when choosing an access door to buy. It is important to know the location first, so to avoid the risk of buying the wrong door which will definitely cost you a lot of money and time. Before buying an equipment, answer the following questions: What is the floor material the door will be installed into? Will it be installed indoors or outdoors? Once location is identified, do the necessary measurements on the area and base your product choice on it to make sure the door fits 100%.
Put together the floor door parts
A floor access door includes a frame, latches, hinges and key locks. While all these door components can be purchased separately, some manufacturers offer an all-in-one deal. Opting for the latter can best assure you that all four main components fit together perfectly.
First, using a masonry drill and masonry screws, secure the door frame to the foundation. Second, screw hinges safely on one end of the door and make sure they are positioned outwards, so the door swings in the right direction. Third, attach one piece of the latch to the other end of the door and remember to keep it centered. For safety, a screwdriver lock or padlock is provided when purchasing the door assembly. Otherwise, installing a padlock latch is necessary.
Attaching the door to the frame or opening
Position your door on the frame. Mark with a pencil where the hinge and latch will go. Drill guide holes and hold up door on them and screw each one on place. When it’s finally installed, test run before shutting the access door and locking it.
Always refer to the required building codes in your area when installing a floor door hatch. It must meet safety requirements and must hold up to foot traffic on the area it is installed. Install and choose a floor access door that is designed to support an adult’s weight.
Quality floor door hatch is key to a secure access below floors
In addition to proper and accurate installation, finding high performance floor hatches ensure quality and long-term use for both commercial and residential applications. Thus, be sure to check into manufacturing companies you are planning to deal with. Get valid referrals from previous clients to know whether or not investing in the products of those companies is the right decision to make.