Access panel and method of manufacture

A method of forming an access panel system for providing flush mounted access through a rough opening in a drywall ceiling into a space above the drywall ceiling, the drywall ceiling having an exterior facing surface, the access panel system comprising a frame and an associated layered access panel, the method comprising:

• providing a first sheet of drywall having a thickness substantially the same as the thickness of the drywall ceiling;
• utilizing a CNC milling machine having a bit to controllably mill a section from the first sheet of drywall to form the frame, the frame having a milled peripheral edge and a milled frame opening edge defining a frame opening within the frame, the milled peripheral edge dimensioned to fit into the rough opening in the drywall ceiling, the frame adapted to be substantially flush with the exterior facing surface of the drywall ceiling when installed in the drywall ceiling;
• providing a second sheet of drywall having a thickness substantially the same as the thickness of the first sheet of drywall, the second sheet of drywall having a layer of drywall paper on opposing sides thereof;
• utilizing the CNC milling machine having the bit or utilizing a second CNC milling machine having a bit to controllably mill a section from the second sheet of drywall to form a lower panel piece having a peripheral edge dimensioned to provide a controlled fit within the frame opening;
• providing a third sheet of drywall, the third sheet of drywall having a layer of drywall paper on opposing sides of thereof;
• utilizing the CNC milling machine having the bit, utilizing the second CNC milling machine having the bit or utilizing a third CNC milling machine having a bit to controllably mill a section from the third sheet of drywall to create an upper panel piece, the upper panel piece having a dimension relative to the lower panel piece to form a lip extending about the periphery of the upper panel piece, the lip adapted to rest on an upper surface of the frame;
• and
• glueing the upper panel piece to the lower panel piece to form the layered access panel;
• wherein when the layered access panel is disposed in the frame opening, an exterior facing surface of the access panel is substantially flush with an exterior facing surface of the frame.