How to Cut Into an Attic Space Above the Bedroom

Go up into the attic and inspect the area you want to cut for obstructions such as ductwork or wiring. It might be necessary to lift up insulation to look under it for obstructions. Walk only on ceiling joists or boards that lay across the ceiling. If there are any obstructions, you must find an alternative location.

Place a stepladder under the area where you want to cut the hole in the bedroom ceiling. Make a hole in the center of the area you want the hole with a hammer and chisel. Once the initial hole is in the ceiling, cut into the drywall with a drywall saw until you come across a ceiling joist.

Mark off the rough opening size onto the ceiling with a pencil, making one of the sides run parallel with the ceiling joist. Use the dimensions in the instructions of the attic ladder for your rough dimensions.

Cut the ceiling board along the outline with a utility knife or the drywall saw. Pull the ceiling board out of the ceiling in small pieces. Do not cut through any ceiling joists. Only remove the ceiling board from your hole.

Crawl up through the hole and into your attic if a ceiling joist is in the middle of your hole and requires removal. Nail an 8-foot-long 2-by-4-inch board across the ceiling joists on each end of the opening with 16d nails and a hammer. The boards should be 2 feet away from the opening. The boards tie the joist together and equalize weight distribution so the joist in the center of the opening can be removed.

Cut the joist out of the hole, even with the ends of the hole, with a handsaw. Ask a friend to hold the center of the joist while you cut so it doesn't simply fall to the floor.