A trapdoor is a hinged door, flush with the surface of a floor, roof, or ceiling, or in the stage of a theatre. A hatch, an opening which may also be in a wall and need not be flush with the surface, is similar; in some cases either name is applicable. A small door in a wall, floor or ceiling used to gain access to equipment is called an access hatch or access door.
Steel Roof Hatches
A steel roof hatch provides access to a roof from the interior of a building. Made of heavy-duty steel, these hatches are designed to withstand the elements and foot traffic. Weather gaskets, sturdy handles, and rust-resistant coating make a steel roof hatches suitable for installation on the outside of a building. Black and yellow tape line the perimeter and inside the door. This makes using the door safer by making it obvious when the hatch is in its open position.
Roof hatches are often used in combination with a disappearing stairway. These ladders collapse and are stored behind the access door. They are manufactured from aluminum and are custom made for the space they occupy up to 13.5 feet.
Fire rated floor Hatches
Floor hatches in certain commercial and industrials settings must be fire rated. An aluminum fire rated floor hatch should be both fire resistant and sturdy enough to handle regular foot traffic. These doors are stabilized with a diamond plate for this reason
Fire rated floor hatches offer the added benefit of a recessed panel in the door to hold a square of floor material. Once installed with the flooring surface surrounding it, the closed hatch is flush with the floor. It can be fitted with tile, concrete, stone, and other thick materials in order to fit in seamlessly with the surrounding design.
Recessed Floor Hatches
Hatches are like any other door: they should fit the design of the room they’re installed in Recessed floor hatches allow you to fit a piece of flooring into the door so it blends in seamlessly with surrounding floor surfaces. They are made to accept 1” of flooring material including concrete, stone, and tile. Recessed floor hatches are made with the same level of durability as other floor doors, but offer additional design features that make an exposed floor hatch less noticeable.
Different uses of Access Doors
Due to the needs for and applications of access doors, dozens of access door solutions have emerged in the 21st century. The same door that may be ideal for a crawl space might not be best for a plumbing space.
Walls
Unlike other access doors, wall access doors can serve several purposes. These doors give you access to plumbing, pipes, cables, crawl spaces or storage spaces, and as you may imagine, there are dozens of options to fulfill those needs. Flush access doors are best for walls that have built-in welded trim for extra strength and durability
Ceilings
Access doors for ceilings can be doors or panels. These access doors are most often used to get into crawl spaces or attics.
Roofs
When you need access to a roof, you want it to be easy. Roof access doors and roof hatches solve that problem
Having a heavy duty weather resistant roof access door is important for commercial buildings and frequent use. You want a roof door that is durable and won’t rust so that it can last for years without replacement.
Ducts
This hinged duct access door is an ideal option for getting to small ducts. A full duct panel duct access door will give you walk-in access to much larger spaces.
Floor Space & Storage
Floor access doors are used for accessing sewage systems, underground pipes, electrical and sometimes storage areas. Since floor access doors have so many use-cases, there are a bevy of different sizes and materials these doors come in.
For most floor access doors, you’ll want to make sure they have a sturdy handle. If they are outdoors you’ll want to make sure they are weather-resistant.
