A hatch is a loose or hinged panel that closes an opening in a floor, roof, wall or facade without sealing it permanently. The difference from a door is one of use: a door is for daily circulation, a hatch for occasional access, ventilation or screening.
Types of hatch
- Floor hatch — access to a crawl space, cellar or services pit. Often built as a tiled or timber tray so it disappears into the floor finish
- Loft hatch — the opening from the landing into the roof space, sometimes combined with a folding ladder
- Access panel — a small hatch in a wall or ceiling giving access to valves, manifolds and service risers
- Hoisting hatch — a hatch in a floor or facade of a warehouse through which goods were lifted
- Shutter — the timber panel in front of a window, for blackout, security and protection against sun and storm
- Fire rated hatch — a hatch in a wall or floor between fire compartments, with a tested fire resistance
Practical points
- Size. Make a crawl space or access hatch generous enough to pass through with tools and materials. In practice about 600 × 600 mm is the lower limit; smaller than that and you cannot get insulation boards or pipework through
- Airtightness. A floor or loft hatch is a classic leak in the building envelope. Cold, damp air pushes past the edges. Fit a continuous compressible seal and make sure the hatch pulls tight into its frame
- Insulation. Insulate the hatch in the same plane as the floor or ceiling around it, otherwise you leave a cold bridge exactly where you will feel it
- Load. A floor hatch that gets walked on must carry the same load as the floor around it. Use a stiff frame and a proper bearing of at least a few centimetres all round
- Fall protection. An open hatch in a floor or roof needs a temporary barrier or a permanent guard
Related terms
- Beam hatch
- Hoisting hatch
- Crawl space
- Fall protection
- Airtightness
- Cold bridge
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