How to Install a Streamline Removable Access Door for Shut-Off Valves
No matter what type of house you design and build, all requires removable panels that allow homeowners to gain access to plumbing shut-off valves or other equipment.
In this video, Best Access Doors demonstrates how easy it is to install its BA-F2 Drywall Inlay Removable Access Door and mud the unit into the wall, creating a near invisible access panel to plumbing pipes.
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Most access panels are made from plastic and feature a clunky design that does not fit it in well with the architecture. Some designers also specify custom panels that require skilled millworkers to build. But Best Access Doors says it offers a range of products that are easy to install and offer a clean design which blends into a home’s interior.
The “drywall access panels provide an aesthetically pleasing way to hide cables, unsightly wires, and even water valves,” the company writes on its website. “They are useful in a wide range of commercial and residential applications. The different types of drywall access doors in our inventory include drywall access panel--behind drywall flange, drywall access panel with mud in a flange, glass fiber reinforced cement, drywall access panel with exposed flange, and gypsum-GFRG drywall access panels.”
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Panels come in different styles and in a wide variety of sizes, including 12 by 12 inches, 16 by 16 inches, 18 by 18 inches, 20 by 20 inches, 22 by 30 inches, 22 by 36 inches, and 24 by 24 inches, among many others.
In addition to its drywall access doors, the company also offers general purpose access door with flanges for quick and easy installation on non-rated vertical and horizontal surfaces made of drywall or any other type of material. Model BA-AHD has rounded mitered corners, concealed pin hinge and ⅜ inch return all around the door, which makes it the sturdiest door on the market, the brand says. “The AHD prevents sagging as compared to flat door panels and requires fewer locks.”
Watch the video to see how the BA-F2 panels are installed.
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Transcript
Welcome to the installation video for BA-F2 drywall inlay removable access door from bestaccessdoors.com
Using a pencil, mark your location on the wall. Continue to draw your opening 3/8 inches larger than the door size, while keeping a minimum clearance of one and a half inches from each surrounding stud.
Please note accurate marking is important. Make sure lines are square. Using a saw, cut the opening for and remove excess drywall carefully and place it aside. After excess drywall has been removed, sand the edges clean.
With touch latches positioned at top, pass the frame through the opening and pull firmly back. Drive self tapping screws through the drywall into the frame every 4 inches. Attach the panel starting with the bottom base of frame. Attach safety cable to hold the door into place.
Prepare drywall compound, then apply it directly around perimeter. Once dry, sand smooth. Reattach the door, then reattach safety cable to secure the door into place. Close the door and then paint to match. Installation is complete.