Hinge type (help)

[Osprey]

SWMBO moaning about kyrypton factor task of getting Xmas decorations up in Loft. So finally got round to fitting loft ladder ... bought it 2 houses ago :-)

Until now loft hatch has been a simple over-sized piece of Wheyrock .. pushed out of way for access.

Now cut a new hatch board out of ply to fit flush into the opening, which will be lined with architrave ...

I can edge the ply with batten is necessary to stop flexing and maybe to give better fixing for hinge, the question is what hinge to use, the ladder kit supplied a pair of standard but hinges ... if I fit from below they would work OK, but look plug ugly.

If I fit from above no good as the edge of hatch cover would jam as hinge swings open, I could fit into end grain of hatch cover .. (like door hinge) they would work OK .... but very weak fitting

I could use something like a Flush finial hinge and fit into the 'end' of the hatch cover, but again concerned that open hatch is then relying on screws into end grain to take weight of cover, would prefer something that screws onto back face rather than end. Anybody know of a specific hinge suited to this application, guess it needs to be some kind of offset or cranked hinge.

[Adrian Simpson]

In article , Osprey writes

I've got a lump of plywood for my hatch with a large batten fastened down the side, and the hinges are fastened to that, so only the pins are visible when it is closed. The hinges are steel, 75mm long and with 3 screws in each side. Lump of insulation on the top keeps things snug.

Adrian

[Cash]

Osprey,

Could something like a bar-flap hinge be adapted to suit what you need?

one part of the hinge flap on the back of the trap and the other flap at 90° (vertical) into the side of the trap door frame using something like a No10 or No12 steel screws to take the weight of the ladder and person.

With the hinge vertical on the trap door frame, there would be a 'sheer force' on the shank rather than a 'pulling force' on the thread of the screw (if you get my drift).

BTW, I've cut many holes in old ceilings to form a trap for access (usually for those "useless sparks" doing rewires [says me ducking to miss the brick-bats from one or two here]), but I have *never* had the occasion to fit a ladder to one - so I'm merely guessing at what may be needed.

And my apologies to the sparks for insulting them - LOL

Cash

[Andrew Gabriel]

[Dave Liquorice]

Depends how thick it is, which isn't specified, 6mm will wobble all over the place. B-)

[stuart noble]

IME blockboard is the only sheet material that will take a screw on the edge and is light enough to hang downwards. Usual advice to hang the door on the frame before it's installed.....

[Osprey]

On Jan 7, 6:36=A0pm, harry wrote: be some kind of offset or cranked hinge.

No use to me as this is a non standard size opening.

[Osprey]

If I hold this sheet up I can flex it easily acrosss it's length ... very easily bows into a shape ..... this ability to flex is how they build up laminated shapes with ply.

OK if I used 18mm ply for that size it might not flex... but 9mm certainly does.using 9mm to weight down.

[Osprey]

That was my intent to frame the inside edge with a batten ... a 2 x 1 would give me 2" to screw into on edge, but would still prefer to screw into rear face.