Man, my back still hurts just thinking about this project. It all started last weekend. Needed to get under the house to check some plumbing after the freeze, you know?
The Frustration Begins
Got down on my hands and knees, flashlight in my teeth, ready to face the crawl space darkness. Pulled on that little plywood cover… stuck. Pulled harder. Wiggled it. Nothin’. Finally got it loose after way too much effort, skinning my knuckles pretty good on the brick foundation. Squeezing through that tiny hole felt like being born backwards. Cramped as heck under there, dust bunnies big enough to saddle.
Getting out was somehow worse. Had to crawl backwards like a crab, scraping my shoulder on a pipe, banging my head hard on a joist. Took forever. I just lay there on the grass afterwards breathing heavy, looking at the clouds, thinking, “Nope. Never again.” That stupid access panel was a joke.
Brainstorming the Fix
Okay, okay. Rant over. Time for action. That weekend warrior energy kicked in. Went down to the basement again. Measured the opening. Smaller than I remembered. Maybe 20 inches by 18? Tighter than my jeans after Thanksgiving. Thought about the usual fixes:
- Just leaving it open? Nope. Critters, cold drafts, energy bills skyrocketing.
- Buy a pre-made door? Yeah, right. Where you gonna find one that tiny? Everything at the big box stores is standard size, way bigger than my sad little hole.
- Call some fancy custom door place? Hah! That price tag would make my wallet cry.
So, DIY it was. Fine. Bring it on.
The Dirt Cheap Door Build
First stop: the scrap pile. Found some leftover foam insulation board, about 2 inches thick. Lightweight is key! Grabbed a scrap piece of thin plywood roughly the right size. Taped them together good with heavy-duty duct tape around the edges. Instant, super-light panel.
But how to make it a door? Needed hinges. Didn’t wanna screw them into the foundation brick – seemed like asking for cracks. Brain worked overtime. Then it hit me. Heavy-duty hook-and-loop tape! The kind meant for industrial stuff, not sewing. Bought a roll.
Operation time:
- Wiped the dusty brick frame around the opening real good. Let it dry.
- Stuck one side of the hook-and-loop tape all the way around the brick opening. Smacked it down hard for good stick.
- Cut the other side of the tape to match the edge of my foam/plywood panel. Glued it down super strong.
- Added a little pull tab made of paracord duct-taped to the front. Needed something to grip.
Success (Mostly)
Slapped the panel onto the opening. The hook-and-loop grabbed it fast. Snug fit. Pulled the tab – popped right off! Stuck it back on fast. Boom. Door access achieved! Total cost? Basically pennies from scrap pile stuff plus the tape.
Is it the fanciest door ever? Heck no. Looks pretty funky. That hook-and-loop might not hold forever, but it’s easy to replace. But man, crawling out this time? Just popped the door off and stepped out. Stood there grinning like an idiot. Back? Totally fine. Worth every awkward scrounge in the scrap pile. Sometimes the simplest, cheapest fixes are the absolute best.
