Mark the corners of the hole with a pencil then stretch and snap the chalk line between the corners leaving a straight line marked in chalk.
How to cut a larger attic hole.
Don t cut into any rafters.
The nails will show where the joists lie in the attic.
Use a straight edge knife to cut any drywall paper that wasn t taken care of with the drywall knife.
Locate the joists behind the drywall.
Cut a square hole in the roof the same size as the hole in the base of the vent you re installing.
Do not cut through a double beam in the attic since these are support beams for the entire house.
Locate an area centered between the two joists and cut a 6 to 8 inch diameter hole using a keyhole saw.
Locate the top of the hole about 15 in.
How to cut a hole in the ceiling for attic access 1.
Cut a piece of paneling just slightly smaller than your attic hole.
Put on safety goggles and a dust mask.
Step 4 make it bigger.
Below the peak of the roof.
Cut one rafter with a handsaw to allow space for you to crawl up into the attic.
Use long nails to nail an outline next to joists where ceiling material will need to be cut away.
With your access hole created follow the below instructions to create your loft hatch.
These will keep pieces of ceiling particles and dust from falling into your eyes mouth or nose as you make a starter hole and cut into the ceiling.
With a hammer and chisel make a starter hole near the center of the chosen location.
Position a stepladder directly under the desired area for the attic access hole.
Lay out the location where your new staircase will go using a tape measure and a chalk line.
Using drywall knife start cutting the ceiling out along your line.
Using a pencil mark the edges of any joists on the ceiling this will then create your access hole.
Take the drywall out.
Make the hole 3 inches larger in each dimension than you want the finished opening to be.
Mark the hole with chalk and set your saw depth to cut through the shingles and the roof sheathing only.
Step 3 cut a hole.