Basement door into basement project.

[Lennyzx11]

Looking for input.
I am building a porch in my place and want to incorporate a door over my steps going down to basement underneath the floor.

The old cover is made of 2x 10s, 3/4 plywood, tarpaper, and shingles. It is a heavy monster to open.

I’d like to do something like this.
But homemade.

About a 4’x8’ foot opening to fill and span.
It must support 50 psf. I want it t
o meet code but not be overbuilt for weight savings if possible.

So here’s what I’m thinking.
An angle iron frame around the inside of the concrete block opening with anchors to hold the door in closed position. Maybe 1 1/4” by 1/4” thickness.

Rectangle door frame made of
Square tubing then skinned over with sheet metal to keep out rain.

Steel hinges or a 1” round steel bar hinge.

1. What size tubing would I use steel or aluminum?
2. What gauge of sheet metal?
3. Then I’d fix sleepers/battens to that to support the 10 or so 5/4 by 6” deck boards to hide it.

I have the equipment to do aluminum but want to figure out the weight savings vs cost of
Steel vs wood vs aluminum construction.

 

[Dirt Guy]

Aluminum would be the way to go. It would be the most expensive, but would last forever. would be the lightest of the three ,also no rust to worry about. Steps and the door could be made out of Diamond Plate aluminum, would look great. Just my thoughts on the project. Whatever you make it out of I'm sure it will come out great and fun to build.

 

[CA_Bgrwldr]

I would use 1,5x1.5x .125", maybe 2x2 angle iron for the door frame, with 1"x1"x.125 angle iron for cross members every 16", with studs welded to the tops side of the 1" angle iron that 2"x2" wood strips of wood would bolt to which the deck boards would screw down to. For sheeting the the door itself, would go with 16 gauge sheet metal, thinnest aluminum, or even possibly use fiberglass matting and have it shot in a few layers of line-x.

For hinges would go with a lift hinge, so that the you can clear the decking on the hinge side,

With the weight of it, would look into using some kind of counter weight and pulley system to aid in opening the door.

 

[Gary Fowler]

One or two of those pressurized struts like the ones that hold up your car hood would assist in raising the door. I think I would go with aluminum frame on the door with a stainless steel frame on the deck (no rust that way and plenty strong. Diamond plate the door and forget about adding the wood decking unless you are looking for concealment of the door.

Heck the picture you posted is as good of a go by as you will find. Copy that as best you can and it would work. It also shows the struts I was talking about to help lift the door.

 

[Andrew]

Aluminum would be the way to go. It would be the most expensive, but would last forever. would be the lightest of the three ,also no rust to worry about. Steps and the door could be made out of Diamond Plate aluminum, would look great. Just my thoughts on the project. Whatever you make it out of I'm sure it will come out great and fun to build.

Checker plate steps look nice, but slippery as when wet. Dont want to be tumbling down there.

Maybe apply the stuff they use on sail boats for foot traction?

 

[Smittyboy]

I would use a locking mechanism on the wall, like what is used on a RV sewer drain to pull a slide bar, so water won't run it, if it was a surface mount. The stair treads I would use open grate so nothing will make it slippery. Use the offset hinges as said in #3 and the pressurized struts as in #4. Put a micro switch on the door to activate a light for the stairs. Depends on the distance from the deck to the ground surface. Might use rectangle tubing for the frame at the top of the stairs.

 

[BobinRVA]

The floor/door, when open, presents a "trip hazard" for anybody or thing approaching from the deep end.

 

[OHIOJACK]

I would go to 8020.net It would cost a bit more, but it would be a functioning door, not too heavy, and we would both be long gone before it needed to be replaced or repaired.

 

[Lowensenf]

Looking for input.
I am building a porch in my place and want to incorporate a door over my steps going down to basement underneath the floor.

The old cover is made of 2x 10s, 3/4 plywood, tarpaper, and shingles. It is a heavy monster to open.

I’d like to do something like this.View attachment 1220
But homemade.

About a 4’x8’ foot opening to fill and span.
It must support 50 psf. I want it t
o meet code but not be overbuilt for weight savings if possible.

So here’s what I’m thinking.
An angle iron frame around the inside of the concrete block opening with anchors to hold the door in closed position. Maybe 1 1/4” by 1/4” thickness.

Rectangle door frame made of
Square tubing then skinned over with sheet metal to keep out rain.

Steel hinges or a 1” round steel bar hinge.

1. What size tubing would I use steel or aluminum?
2. What gauge of sheet metal?
3. Then I’d fix sleepers/battens to that to support the 10 or so 5/4 by 6” deck boards to hide it.

I have the equipment to do aluminum but want to figure out the weight savings vs cost of
Steel vs wood vs aluminum construction.

Sometimes, when the only tool at hand is a hammer . . .

Is this door-in-deck to be Exposed to the elements? Or under cover?
Now, thinkking 'inside the box,' - have you even considered torsion-box construction?
The 'hollow core doors; made of 'door skins' with a cardboard lattice glued to the respective panels employ such an approach to achieve considerable strength in a 36 x 80 door your wife could carry with one hand.
It is likely you could get away with using aluminum flashing-gauge material with 1.5" solid wood at the perimeter and maybe a piece or two within the 'box.'
You likely know more about the weight of steel (per sf) than I. Also, I'm not sure how rigid a 4x8 torsion box would be as I've only built them under 36 x 80 inches or so.
A consideration would be the design of your deck relative to the fixed opening to the basement - will this 'door' be subject to regular foot travel - or can you design a deck that, effectively, keeps the access 'out of the way?'
Could you leave an opening in the deck and simply 'rail 'round it' with an access gate at the one end? Done with intent, the railing could support a temporary 'flat surface' as well.

For the 'walls' beneath the deck and above the cellar portal, take a look at Hardi-Board siding material. It can take years of weather - even if not painted and takes paint quite nicely, too.

 

[zigblazer]

Looks like a fun project. I've done a few weird aluminum projects (dog training equipment, horse trailer movable wall, folding bed frame in an enclosed trailer). Just need to figure out what code is and figure out what metal meets the load capabilities required. For such a narrow span it shouldn't take much. You could build out of steel, but in a floor being walked on near an outside door, I would worry about corrosion. Aluminum would fix that, and be lighter. Price is going to be more, possibly double if I look at prices a couple months ago when I bought aluminum last, but a project like that shouldn't take more than $500 in aluminum, which would be well worth the cost over steel. Gas struts are a great idea also. Could do an aluminum frame topped with wood or whatever other flooring to almost hide the floor.