Cutting ceiling joist for attic ladder install

atticladder

Looking to take advantage of some open space in our attic and want to install an attic ladder. This would require cutting some of the ceiling joist. Before I do can anyone help me answer the following questions:

1) Can the joist be cut to make room for the attic ladder.

2) How much weight could the ceiling joist hold

Some details:

  • Single story house built in the 1940s

  • Ceiling joist are 2×4

  • Ceiling joist are support by a wall that runs roughly down the middle of the house

Hopefully the attached pictures provide additional info.

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Best Answer

Yes, you can typically cut through joists, but you must make some additions known as trimmers and headers to the framing as well. Like this...

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Note that the trimmers run the whole length of the joists in place.

The ceiling joists will not hold much weight being only 2x4’s. I would not expect to be able to install plywood and flooring and walk around up there, but you could possibly store some lightweight things at the edges of the space and over the wall below.