40d:Floor hatch

Requires a hatch cover.

A Floor Hatch is door based on the Z-axis. When you create a stairway between two floors (both an upwards staircase on the lower floor and a downwards staircase on the upper floor) the Floor Hatch, when put on the upper floor staircase, acts like a door. If you lock it, the dwarves will not use that staircase. A closed floor hatch will block the passage of fluids onto the lower floor, and will stop falling creatures. They can also be used on ramps. Floor hatches can also be placed on open space, provided they have support.

Uses

Floor Hatches could possibly have another use:

• Trap doors when hooked to pressure plates?
• For use over pits and ponds?
• Preventing water and magma from flowing down stairs or ramps - useful for aquifer levels

Testing

Testing shows that in a nutshell:

• They work just like doors. Only on the Z-axis.
• The hatch will be flashing if placed over stairs.
• A dwarf falling down a multiple floor stairway will be stopped by a closed floor hatch.
• Hatches can be linked to levers to function like a "vertical" floodgate without blocking liquid accumulating on the surface above - for example they can be used as emergency drains for pools of water - or magma, if made of magma-safe materials.

More testing is required.

V · T · E Buildings
Workshops • Furnaces
Rooms	Barracks • Bedroom • Dining room • Jail • Meeting hall • Office • Sculpture garden • Tomb • Zoo
Furniture	Animal trap • Anvil • Armor stand • Bed • Bin • Bucket • Cabinet • Cage • Coffin • Container • Restraint • Seat • Statue • Table • Weapon rack
Access	Door • Floodgate • Bars • Grate • Floor hatch • Bridge • Road • Window
Constructions	Fortification • Floor • Stairs • Ramp • Wall
Machine & Trap parts	Axle • Gear assembly • Millstone • Screw pump • Water wheel • Windmill • Lever • Pressure plate • Trap • Support
Other Buildings	Archery target • Kennel • Shop • Siege engine • Trade depot • Wagon • Well
Related Articles	Design strategies • Bedroom design • Cave-in • Computing • Furniture industry