PROJECTS ONLINE: CREATING AN ACCESS PANEL IN DRYWALL
Project Difficulty:
Moderate Estimated
Project Time: A few hours
Tools and Materials:
Drywall
Safety goggles
Measuring tape
Pencil
2x4 or 2x6 blocking material
8d nails
Utility knife
Heavy-duty construction adhesive
Drywall screws and power driver or drywall screw gun
Molding and appropriate screws
When putting up wallboard adjacent to a bathroom, kitchen, or utility room, you may want to create a removable panel that allows access to pipes behind the wall. This way, if the pipes ever require service, you won't have to spend the time and effort cutting away finished drywall to get to them--and then rebuilding and refinishing the wall after the pipes are fixed. Ideally, an access panel should be situated in an inconspicuous place, such as inside a closet or behind a washing machine, but its site will ultimately depend on the location of the pipes for which the access panel is being built. Sometimes that might mean locating the panel on an obvious wall, say the stairway wall just behind the pipes for the upstairs bathroom tub.
Constructing the Access Panel
When planning for an access panel, keep in mind that studs or plates must back all of the panel's edges. You may need to install 2x4 or 2x6 blocking to provide this support. Wear safety goggles while making the panel.
1.
Determine the Size of the Access Panel
Determine the location and desired dimensions of your access panel. One stud bay width by 3 feet high allows ample space for servicing pipes.
2.
Provide Sufficient Backing for the Hole
When preparing for an access panel, be sure that a framing member will support all the edges of the finished panel. Install blocking where necessary between the studs to support the panel. Here in Figure 1, a short horizontal two-by has been added between stud bays for just this reason. The centerline of both the top and bottom blocking should align with the panel's top and bottom edges, respectively.
3.
Install Drywall
Install drywall as you would on any wall, but allow for the desired dimensions of the access panel. Leave half a stud width exposed around the hole so that the access panel can bear on the framing members or blocking along all of its edges. (Fig. 2)
4.
Install Access Panel and Finish It
Cut the panel piece from scrap drywall, and fit it into the area you want to cover. Install the panel using screws and a power driver or drywall screw gun, and leave the heads of the screws exposed so that the panel can be removed to allow for work on utilities within the wall. If an access panel will be in view, consider covering the seams with trim molding to trap the paneling place. Attach the trim using screws so that they can be removed easily without damaging either the trim or the drywall (Fig. 3). If the panel is in an inconspicuous spot, consider attaching a small handle to it so that it will be easier to take out and then put back into place.
