How to Frame an Exterior Access Panel

Most exterior access panels fit within the 14½-inch cavity between studs in a standard wall. You can attach such a panel to the studs that frame the wall, or you can bolster the panel and the wall by building a frame for the access panel within the existing wall frame. The custom opening for your access panel will become the fastening surface for the panel's flanges. Note that exterior walls usually support structural loads; if your access panel's width exceeds the size of the stud bay, consult a building professional before cutting, moving or removing studs. Since openings in exterior walls create entries for moisture and pests, be sure to seal the joint between the panel's outer flanges and your home's siding with caulk or flexible sealant.

Tape measure
Level
2-by-4 framing lumber
Circular saw
Nail gun
8d or 16d strip nails

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the width and height of the access panel. Mark the top and bottom ends of the panel's height on one of the studs surrounding the cavity that will hold the panel. Align one end of a level with the height marks and the other end with the cavity's opposite stud. Transcribe the height marks to the opposite stud.
- 2
  Measure the distance between the corresponding top and bottom marks; although standard stud bays measure 14½ inches wide, some variation occurs. Mark the width on a piece of 2-by-4 framing lumber and cut the lumber to size with a circular saw. Cut a second, identical piece.
- 3
  Load 8d or 16d framing nails into a nail gun. Place one of the cut pieces of lumber face down in the stud's bay; the term "face" here refers to the wide side of the lumber. Align its bottom face with the top height marks and align its edges flush with the studs' outer edges.
- 4
  Fasten the the lumber to the studs with the nail gun; use toenails through the lumber's edges or, if possible, drive nails through the outer face of the studs and into the lumber's ends. If you must toenail through the access panel lumber's face, only drive nails through the face that will sit on the outside of the access panel frame.
- 5
  Align the remaining cut piece of lumber with the bottom height marks and fasten the lumber to the studs with the nail gun. Mark the width of the access panel on both the top and bottom pieces of access panel framing lumber. Use a level to plumb corresponding marks. If desired, use a wall stud as one side of the frame.
- 6
  Mark and cut two pieces of framing lumber to the height of the access panel. Slide the pieces between the installed top and bottom pieces of the access panel frame. Align one piece with the panel's right side marks and align the other piece with the panel's left side marks. Position the lumber flush with the outside edges of the installed framing.
- 7
  Fasten the boards to the framing with toenails or by face-nailing through the outside faces of the installed framing. Insert the access panel's interior flanges into the box-shaped frame and install per your panel manufacturer's instructions.

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