Floor trap door hardware???

[dpb]

Have new hardwood floor going in...access to crawl space in closet is thru a opening in the floor as was impractical to build in other entry and there's very little likelihood of this area needing access anyway--no plumbing, wiring, etc.

Q? It would be kewl to have somthing like a lever or handle release with a spring load or something similar to raise one end for access when needed so don't have to put a set of protruding handles in the floor. It is back in a closet out of traffic area, but still would be better to be flush.

Anybody got ideas for purpose? I've not found anything yet truly outstanding...

[hubops]

Crawl space can be damp & hardware prone to rusting .. ? Without knowing the size / weight ..

perhaps gate spring(s) combined with a hidden latch .. ?

An attractive recessed handle is another idea .. but might be a dust collector ..

John T.

[whit3rd]

Easiest hardware-wise is to frame in an aperture, and simply drop a flooring panel into it. Hinges for such a 'door' are unlikely to work well (flush hinges? geting dirt dropped onto 'em?). A minor discontinuity at a floor-panel edge is not likely to trip anyone, because it's in a closet.

You'd want to panelize subflooring and frame, the 'door' has to be as sturdy as the rest of a floor.

Recessed handle, or even just an oval aperture (manhole-cover style, for a lifting tool) will suffice for opening. If the panel could be rested in an upright position, with a latch or drop-into-slot feature to keep it from flopping closed, that'd be a bonus.

Real hardware doors can also be store-bought, like and all it takes is... money.

[DerbyDad03]

You want outstanding?

There are few pretty cool "floor doors" sprinkled in with the "wall doors" in the first video at this link and in some of the other videos in the side bar links.

[dpb]

The recessed chest handle is one idea had...

This is only in between 16" joist spacing width and little over 2-ft long so is just big enough to manage to get through if one's not too big...with just the framed flooring and backer it doesn't weigh 10 lb probably.

Area is dry enough I don't expect much moisture trouble...

[Unquestionably Confused]

Similar problem/situation. I have a water softener brine tank in the crawl spaced beneath a cramped laundry room. I need "constant" access to fill it with salt. Framed area between the joists in order to lay a flush fitting "trap door" which was then covered with the same flooring as the rest of the room. No hinges, just a simple flush mount brass ring pull which swivels up easily when needed.

It's right where we normally kick off off our shoes and boots so it collects a fair amount of gunk.

When I need to remove it, I simply reach down, hook my index finger through the ring and lift it up.

It's worked like a charm so far, but who knows how long it will last? It's only been in place since 1975. LOL!

[ads]

I think you nailed that one ;-)

[hubops]

For something that size & seldom used - I wouldn't even bother with hinges, let alone springs & latches. I'd just have it lift out, with a recessed handle. John T.

[dpb]

I was mostly looking for the way to be able to get a hold of it to lift out without that being something that would be too much of either trip over or a big collector of dirt...hinges are, indeed, more than needed.

A spring-loaded catch that would raise the lip enough to get a grasp might work if it didn't release every time just by stepping on the panel.

[Unquestionably Confused]

Just order one (or two) of these and your problem is solved.

or to make it easy:

If you trip over this in your application, you have much bigger problems than accessing that crawl space. LOL! ;)

[Scott Lurndal]

Or to make it easy, and descriptive:

You can almost always trim off any query parameters (everything after the first question mark symbol).

Ther are large versions of that flush ring available specifically for trap doors.

[DerbyDad03]

I wouldn't even bother

? handle.

No trip hazard, but it is a "collector of dirt", something dpb wants to avo id.

Think flat, just like the floor. No crevice, divot or indentation.

[Markem]

How about a strong magnet hang it in the closet, put a piece of steel in the trap door.

[hubops]

Ha ! great minds think alike ! < fools seldom differ >

I was just now looking-up strong magnets - they make them to lift a few hundred pounds - for salvaging stuff from rivers & lakes .. but they don't seem to have any "release" mechanism ..

just one example :

Not sure what thickness of flooring it would lift 10 - 20 pounds through ? Easy to experiment on scrap wood pieces .. It would allow the hidey-hole to remain invisible .. .. to the narcs :-) but not their dogs ... John T.

[DerbyDad03]

Or a switchable magnet, where the switch is also the handle.

[J. Clarke]

Might be fancier than you want to get but lots of newer cars have electric powered hatch lifters. Kick your foot at it a couple of times and the hatch opens, kick again and it closes. The lifters and sensors you should be able to get for a reasonable price at a junk yard. The logic to put them together I don't know about.

[DerbyDad03]

Where would he mount the bumper? ;-)

[dpb]

I had thought a little about magnets as one alternative...can always counterbore to create thinner location. Was trying to figure out a clever mechanism that could move opposing poles in line to "pop up" the one end...

Many of examples on the video somebody posted link to use that kind of lifting mechanism. This is small enough the mechanism would probably cover more of the opening than can spare.

Dunno about where or when you've last tried to price something from a salvage yard but my experiences recently trying that route are they're more expensive than NAPA replacements and almost impossible to actually find what one's looking for besides.

[DerbyDad03]

OK, modify this idea as required...

Plug an electromagnet into a smart plug and have it hold down a lightly spring-loaded door. Maybe even just a piece of foam weather stripping. Just enough so that when it releases, you can get your fingers in a rabbet, if not under the door itself.

When you say "Alexa, door off" the smart plug will turn off and the magnet will release the door. Pop! To close, say "Alexa, door on" and then press the door closed to engage the magnet.

[Markem]

You could cut the edge at an angle leave a small gap and use a monkey paw to lift it. That would be a kiss approach.