# Forum Home Renovation Home Theatres  Design for Hatch Cover

## Sterob

I'm thinking of fitting one or two hatches on top of the riser, to allow access to the internal wiring, if I need to.
I want to have them fitting flush with the floor. I'm not concerned about seeing the break in the carpet as long as its neat.
Anyone know of a simple neat way of doing it. Not sure if they need to support human and/or chair weights yet. It depends on where I need them.
Initial thoughts are to cut rounded corner rectangle out of the floor, where I want it, then cut a slightly smaller rounded corner rectangle out of another piece of MDF and fasten it under the first hole to create a 'lip' or a 'step'. This will support the hatch cover.
I want to re-use the first piece cut out for the cover, but I will have to make if smaller to accept two thicknesses of carpet, when its re-fitted. Would be easy to route it smaller if I could control the depth of cut,b ut I can't think of a way just now.....
Otherwise I would have to use a different piece of material to make the cover out of and just make it smaller all the way around. 
Any better ideas out there? 
Hope you can follow what I'm on about...lol
Steve

----------


## goldie1

A simple way to support a hatch is just fix a couple of pieces of timber to the sides of two joists and have the hatch sit on 
that. Can you work out the position before you put the flooring on and add noggins etc for the hatches

----------


## Sterob

> A simple way to support a hatch is just fix a couple of pieces of timber to the sides of two joists and have the hatch sit on 
> that. Can you work out the position before you put the flooring on and add noggins etc for the hatches

  I should be able to. I need to do the wiring first so I can work out where I need hatches.
Thanks Goldie. 
I WAS going to carry on with this project this weekend, but I have just cut my thumb and got six stitches, so that has put the mockas on that.....bugger!

----------


## Sterob

I got the two hatches done today. I fitted two battens to the underside of each one and they fit quite snugly in place.
I was going to screw them to the riser to make double sure that they do not resonate during a movie, but I wonder if that may be overkill. They would be neater if I didn't have to have screw heads showing in the carpet.
What do you think? 
Steve

----------


## goldie1

> I got the two hatches done today. I fitted two battens to the underside of each one and they fit quite snugly in place.
> I was going to screw them to the riser to make double sure that they do not resonate during a movie, but I wonder if that may be overkill. They would be neater if I didn't have to have screw heads showing in the carpet.
> What do you think? 
> Steve

  I would doubt it. If you have two thickness of carpet at the joint. It can be a fairly tight fit as you shouldn't be lifting 
them very often. You could put on one of those fold down handles like they have on boat hatches  but if it is only rarely that  
you lift it may be some thing simple like just putting a screw through the carpet to lift then removing it after

----------


## Sterob

> I would doubt it. If you have two thickness of carpet at the joint. It can be a fairly tight fit as you shouldn't be lifting 
> them very often. You could put on one of those fold down handles like they have on boat hatches  but if it is only rarely that  
> you lift it may be some thing simple like just putting a screw through the carpet to lift then removing it after

  Thanks Goldie, I won't need a handle, as both covers have a overhang that can be used ti lift off the cover.
The hatches are quite snug without the carpet they should be more so with carpet.
I might try them without fixing screws and see how they go. ( KISS method) I can always add them later if need be.

----------

