Cutting your ceiling for making a service trap

**DrAndy** · 10-03-2009, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by Butterfly

sounds quite complicated, too professional and well done, definitely not Thai style

if you get a proper builder rather than a village worker, you may be suprised at their skills

**Butterfly** · 10-03-2009, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by DrAndy

if you get a proper builder rather than a village worker, you may be suprised at their skills

good point but

1) they are difficult to find
2) they don't come for small jobs

Thanks

**DrAndy** · 10-03-2009, 12:16 PM

fair enough

so, now you know how to do it, hire a local bloke and supervise him closely!

**Butterfly** · 10-03-2009, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by DrAndy

hire a local bloke and supervise him closely!

try that before, took as much time and effort as doing it myself, might as well do it myself

I don't mind doing it, I learn something new and it can be fun. I just don't want to destroy everything, that's my main concern. Last week, I fixed a small leak in my roof. It took my neighbour 3 monkeys over 2 week-end to fix that same small leak (cracked in our common wall). They are fucking hopeless.

**DrAndy** · 10-03-2009, 04:16 PM

OK so, to make it larger you only have to change two sides, and lengthen the other two

as was said, make sure there are no wires or pipes

leave the side nearest the wall as is, just make it longer. Cut you hole to the size you want. If you are using a premade hole and door, that is what you have to work to, if not, any size around 50x30cm would be Ok, 50x40cm better

you now have your hole. Any supports that you have cut (don't worry, the other supports will take the weight for the short term) should be bridged so that the weight around the hole is then on the adjacent supports. You can do this with bits of aluminium, as suggested, or even wood. Using the latter, you can put them in place using Construction adhesive ("It is not nails", "Just like nails", "Sticks like shit" etc). Small screws or clamps can be used until the adhesive sets (24/48 hrs)

now you have a supported hole. You can make a trapdoor to fit, but remember that with that type of ceiling you cannot use a leaning ladder to access the space (as was pointed out) as the panels are not robust enough.

**Butterfly** · 10-03-2009, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by DrAndy

50x30cm would be Ok, 50x40cm better

I finally found the spot. I can't widen the existing one, too many wire and shit and there is a water pipe.

I am a fat bastard, I hope I can make it to 60x40 or 60x30,

should the longer side be near the wall ? that might be my only option.

**DrAndy** · 11-03-2009, 08:18 AM

if that is your only option, it should be!

I suppose in theory, the less supporting beams you cut, the better

try to only cut one main support, if possible

**Butterfly** · 11-03-2009, 08:39 AM

^ will probably need to cut 2 or 3, anyway I think I have an idea of what to do, should be interesting

Next project: fix another leak in the big roof,

**melvbot** · 11-03-2009, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Butterfly

^ will probably need to cut 2 or 3, anyway I think I have an idea of what to do, should be interesting

Next project: fix another leak in the big roof,

Can you take a few photos of how youre doing it please? This may come in handy for someone else.

**Butterfly** · 11-03-2009, 08:55 AM

^ I might, especially for the section around the edge to make the trap close, this is by far the most complex part. Will probably need to take pics for the roof leak once I climbed the service trap as I have no idea how to fix that one. Could be a tile that moved, or something else. That one is going to be a big project. New thread.

**Butterfly** · 15-03-2009, 03:47 PM

Ok, things are not going too well

first, drawing a large rectangle on a ceiling is harder than I expected, my neck hurts, and it looks kind of straight but drawing a right angle upside down is quite challenging

second, I have a Jigsaw, some Chinese one from Tesco, it looks ok so I hope it will perform well. But how do you cut through the ceiling with those ? I first tried to cut the ceiling with a cutter, but that didn't make it, ceiling too strong (5cm plaster), and the Jigsaw won't cut through for the first cut. What should I do ?

**Marmite the Dog** · 15-03-2009, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Butterfly

What should I do ?

Just bash out the hole with a hammer.

**Mid** · 15-03-2009, 05:14 PM

drill a hole

to start the jigsaw

BUT given you were unaware of that , your best bet would be to give the job to someone who knows what they are doing

**skidley** · 15-03-2009, 05:18 PM

Drill a series of holes at the start of each cut line to insert the blade. When you get to the end of the cut line stop just short of meeting the next series of start holes. Only need to leave a couple of millimeters. These will keep the cut out tacked in place at the corners instead of coming down on your head. When you have done all four cuts place one hand in the center of the cut out and with the palm of your other hand give each corner a good knock and the corners will break away easily.

There is no way the ceiling is 5 cm (50 millimeters) thick, maximun would be 1.2 cm.

Also when working upside down try not to stand on your head it can cause you to fall though your arse.

**dirtydog** · 15-03-2009, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by Butterfly

I first tried to cut the ceiling with a cutter, but that didn't make it,

Use a cutter if the board is on the floor, just score the board, snap it and then cut the back whilst the board is at an angle, up on the ceiling use a hacksaw blade.

PS, if you think your plaster board is 5 cms thick and you reckon you got a 15cm knob we shall have to rename you "Tiny".

**Fabian** · 16-03-2009, 08:06 PM

I cannot see the pictures.

**Butterfly** · 17-03-2009, 08:34 AM

^ none, yet, I haven't started

Thanks for the full explanation on what to do, skidley, very helpful

To answer your question DD, yes I have a 8'' knob, and that is a bit more than your 15cm

**dirtydog** · 17-03-2009, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by Butterfly

yes I have a 8'' knob

And 5cm plasterboard? as your plaster board is at most 1.2cm we can therefore assume that you have a a 2inch nob.

**Butterfly** · 17-03-2009, 09:14 AM

^ yeah, it got mixed up with cm and mm, so it's probably 50mm which is 0.5cm, right ?

should I take pics of my knob to prove my point ?

**Butterfly** · 01-04-2009, 10:42 PM

ok here are a few pics:

This is the new trap hole, quite difficult to cut, not completely straight, not as much as I wanted. Damn, that was hard.

and this is the original trap, as you can see monkey planning, the trap is too small, and there is water pipe in the middle of it

From the other side,

**jizzybloke** · 01-04-2009, 11:27 PM

if you couldn't fit through the original hole how did you get the third picture?

**Butterfly** · 01-04-2009, 11:36 PM

^ with the new service trap hole

see pic #1

**jizzybloke** · 01-04-2009, 11:39 PM

ok, i thought that picture was of the small entrance.

**Butterfly** · 22-05-2009, 02:32 PM

ok time to finish that project, I have been extremely lazy in the last few weeks

I have T strips, quite nice and cheap. Question: what best tool to use to cut those ? they are flexible and bend easily ? and how do you cut nice V shaped angles ?

I have the structure to attach the T strips, but how to do you fix the frame structure from the other side of the ceiling ? surely you don't drill holes. I don't see drill holes for the existing metal frame structure that holds the ceiling, how did they do it ?

**DrAndy** · 22-05-2009, 02:38 PM

blimey BF!

Originally Posted by Butterfly

I have T strips, quite nice and cheap. Question: what best tool to use to cut those ?

probably a hacksaw

Originally Posted by Butterfly

and how do you cut nice V shaped angles ?

probably a mitre

Originally Posted by Butterfly

I don't see drill holes for the existing metal frame structure that holds the ceiling, how did they do it ?

probably self tapping screws, but maybe with small pilot holes drilled first

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