A steel bulkhead door can be a great addition to a home. To install, a steel frame is lowered onto the pre cast cellar stairs. Next, pilot holes are drill into the concrete and the steel frame is bolted down. The door and latching hardware are attached, providing secure and weather tight basement access.

The heavy-duty metal Bilco bulkhead is installed using a crane to lower the bulkhead frame onto the pre-cast concrete stairs. The crew from S. T. Griswold drills pilot holes in the concrete and bolts the heavy gauge steel frame onto it. Finally they install the doors and the latching hardware and the bulkhead is finished. Security from intruders and snow loads is one of the key features of this system.

Bob meets Larry Landers, who is working on the access to the old bulkhead, a trapdoor, essentially. The trapdoor is kept in place in order to access the basement from the outside of the house. Sheet lead flashing and an ice and water barrier are used to waterproof the trapdoor. To give the door stability they use four pressure treated cleaters. They use two inch galvanized screws to secure the plywood sub-floor/door to the cleats. They use stainless steal nails to secure the decking to the plywood.