Folding attic ladder — tall ceilings
user-1070819
| Posted in General Discussion on
I need to install a folding attic ladder in my house for access to attic storage, but I have 13′ 6″ high ceilings. I’m having trouble finding a manufacturer that makes ladders this tall. The best I’ve found go up to 12′ (Bessler, Werner, Century Folding Attic Stairs, etc). Any suggestions? If I can’t find a ladder, any ideas where could I get a kit with the hardware and plans to make my own ladder? Thanks!
Replies
You should have a Bessler Model #100 for this app. They make one that goes to 12'10" which is close. I would bet that they would custom make one for you to 13'6". The stair is one piece, so clearance in the attic may be an issue. You should give them a call.
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carpenter in transition
I had one of the "leg breaker" type folding stairs in the garage at my last home....no good...you can get up and down but storing any large objects in next to impossible since the opening on the ceiling is limited...and assuming you don't fall.
I put in a fixed stair in the corner...3 or 4 steps up to a landing, turn, then up to the top floor, made is wide as possible...gave up some floor space in the garage but got great use for the storage area.
May cost as much for a custom folder.
I'd look into it... but would use the folding stair as a last resort.
We've got a heavy duty Memphis Stair Ultimate model, and use it a lot. Obviously it's not like walking up a set of stairs, much steeper, but it is a great way to get to the attic without losing a bunch of space.
13'6" is a reach. The longest folding set I've ever put in climbed to 12'. We had to get to 13' and built a portable "step" (plywood platform) to make that rise. It works, but I wouldn't want to have to deal with it.
These folks might be able to make what you want:
http://www.ambossaccessladder.com.au/products.php?sec=item1 Don't worry, we can fix that later!
an acess panel and an extension ladder may be more practical, how often do NEED to access the attic? and the extension or big step ladder can be used outdoors as well. An attic ladder sees very little use, and has ONLY one use.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
how often do NEED to access the attic?
Probably depends. All of my xmas stuff and a bunch of seasonal things reside in my attic--my folding attic stair is much nicer for toting boxes up an down than the 18x24 access ever was. No basement on my house, either (like most of the houses in this part of Texas).
The newer upscale houses have "texas basements." That's a tape & floated finished attic over the garage--they are running 70/30 fixed stairs/folders.
Back to the thread--make the access big enough for the ladder you will use. It's a good idea to work out the "how" of the ladder first, then go back to the drawing board (or scrap box lid, plywood, whatever). Needing a folder so you can reach the access to open it is one thing; needing an extension ladder to use the access means having two ladders (not good). Leaving a folder open and unattended under an access gets to be more than some fun, too (not that I'd know from having someone move the ladder out of the way to one side of the hall and not 17-19" below the lip of tha access or anything . . .)*
*4-6 foot of bungee gord from the store with a snap hook spliced to both ends not only helps lash down the ladder, but makes a nice way to keep a ladder under that access . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
What do you guys do when there's a tornado? Guess that's what work benches and bathtubs are for.
What do you guys do when there's a tornado?
LoL!
Last one that came close to me was 6 miles away (went after the moblie homes) . . .
With modern waterproofing & materials, a basement would be an easy thing to have around here--excepting that "everybody" uses slab on grade. (That 4.2" frost depth makes it an easy enough choice.)Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Well, we have a basement, but I try to limit myself to using it only when we have tornadoes (last one, the weather service said the tornado would be in downtown area (about 2 miles away) at 4:45, I decided it was pretty windy about 4:35 and we went to the basement. By 4:40, the sun was out and it was a nice day! Another time the warning sirens went off about ten minutes after a twister destroyed the roof of the Holiday Inn north of us and was well on its way to Pinconning--my step-daughter was out by the Holiday Inn and said she saw a flock of birds flying in a spiral and then realized they weren't birds, they were tree branches!)
My basement has joists 6' off the floor ("floor" is more like concrete icebergs floating in a sea of mucky clay) and since I'm 6'-2" it is not pleasant for me to spend much time down there. Wife wonders why I don't work at the workbench her ex- left down there.
4.2" frost depth Our depth here in San Antonio is about the same ... after you subtract 4 inches. We don't have basements cuz there's only about 6 inches of dirt, then limestone.Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Our depth here in San Antonio is about the same
Soil depth is more of a limiting factor around SA than frost depth.
I was joking about 4.2 inches, my brain wants to recollect that the record freeze depth for Brazos county is around 3" or so. I suppose I could go to City-Data and look up the correct climate info--but it's lunchtime <g>Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Light AL ladder with access cover?
Jon Blakemore
I like the AL ladder and access idea....anything but that folding deal.
I installed an airtight attic door from Resource Conservation Technology (http://www.conservationtechnology.com) a few years ago. The nice thing about this unit is that the door panel is insulated and has a gasket to prevent air leakage. It was easy to install and is overall a good-quality unit, although the wood used on the stairs only appears to be pine. The regular unit fits 8' ceilings, but I know that there is an extension available for it for higher ceilings.
Get the longest fold-down attic stairs you can find and then build a box for the bottom of the floding ladder to land on; use that as the bottmo step.
Build it yourself.
My ceiling is not as tall as yours but the access hole is 4'x5'. The stairs are 4' wide. I can put a sofa and a queen matress and box spring up there.
It's a folding unit - hinge point set so that when the thing is up it covers the entire hole.
Heavy? You bet! I use a salvaged electric winch to raise and lower the stairs.
I had a top of the line folding aluminum pulldown stair to access the attic space above my garage. It has a 12' ceiling. After two years of lugging christmas decorations etc. up and down that ladder I took it out and built a proper staircase on the back of the building.
I never felt secure using the pulldown to move boxes etc up and down. I was mostly worried about dropping a box of glass ornaments and my wife beating me.... :-)
dropping a box of glass ornaments and my wife beating me....
Many years ago, we moved from our first (small) house to a larger one, and did ythe move ourselves. Had one buddy helping. Wife was paranoid about breaking china or whatever. So when she wasn't looking, we put 3-4 light bulbs in a plastic bag, and "dropped" it on the garage floor while carrying a box of dishes or glasses. Boy she came unglued. It was really funny cuz me & the buddy knew it was fake, so we had a carefree attitude, and that made her madder. Even when we told her the joke, it took her a while to calm down.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Just put in an elevator! : )