Client has asked for a proposal to fix or replace the pull-down attic stairs in the garage. The existing unit is damaged and needs work, but permanent stairs are an option. Ceiling ht is 10′-4″. There’s room for stairs, but the big question is…how do you close the opening? Cureently the folding stairs close the hole with the attached plywood panel, but I’m not sure how to do it with fixed stairs.
Also, what is the generally accepted rise/run for these types of stairs? Do I need to stay with 7 & 11?
Replies
what's the attic like? how much headroom?
bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's cheat sheet
Elcid,
Generically speaking, residential stairs can have a maximum unit rise of 8", and a minimum unit run of 9". The typical rule of thumbs: rise + run = 17 to 18", and run + twice the rise =24 to 26". You'll definitely have to check with the local building department if you're interested in complying with code, however.
About "closing the opening", I had a client ask me this once in order to keep down noise. I put in a type of trap door in the upstairs portion, which was hinged on one side so it could be lowered into position. It got to be a bit Rube Goldberg, but I used a rope attached to the trap door handle to open and close it from above (the rope passed through an overhead pulley, and then was tied off at a nautical cleat). This allowed them to open and close the door without having to bend over the opening and possibly fall though it! The opening was guarded on three sides by handrail and bannisters.
Ragnar
Going to 8" rise rather thna 7" will reduce the number of steps by 2, which will be a big help. It sounds like the opening you closed was primarily accessed from above, whereas mine (theirs) will always be accessed from below. I have not been above the ceiling yet so I can't say how much head room there is. The existing pull-down is dmaged enough that I only want to open it one time...when it gets fixed. I'm thinking that a plywood hatch, hinged on the side and opening up, may be the best/easiest solution.
Elcid,
Yes, opening the hatch from the bottom is much easier, and your solution of a plywood hatch will work just fine.
Now that I think about it, my grandma's garage had something like we're tallking about. You know how some cellar stairs on the outside of old houses have storm doors on them? The top of her attic stairs had something like that on them.
Good luck on the project,
Ragnar
I don't understand why you want to reinvent the stair system. Replace the existing stair with another pullown unit. It's amazing how the technology has improved while remaining so low tech in design. I just replaced one last month and am looking for another oppertunity to "do it again".
I used one made by Bessler or Bessel out of PA. It was not the foldup version. The stair was straight and slides up quite easily. The Client is 78 years old and she has no trouble lifting it up and pulling it down. Different springs do the lifting and sliding travel motions.
The one I used sold for about $400. Took a couple of hrs to install. Chaching!
Not my choice. I will give the HO a couple of options and let him choose. While I was looking at the existing problem, he mentioned that a friend had replaced the pull-down with permanent steps, and he liked the results, so now that becomes an option. I can get a rplacement set of folding steps for about $100. I don't know if there is room for the one-piece unit, but I have never seen one installed here.
Last one I did like this was a fixed stairs to replace a trap door.
Put stairs against garage firewall, enclosed stairs with firecode drywall, steel door at bottom 90 degrees to stairs with 3 ft by 3 ft 'alcove'. May be past your coustomer's budget, this was in a dotcom millionair's house.
I recently had a customer who went on at great length about the danger of his "ruined" pull-down attic stair unit. I pulled it down to get dimensions, check the stability of the opening, and remove the unit, and discovered that there were several screws missing from the unit. Replaced the screws and 'voila' it was fine. Most folks NEVER check these units for things like that.
If you do opt to replace the unit with fixed stairs, you may find that local code for tread minimum only applies to stairs serving an occupied space of a certain size, as our code does. Applying the general stair formula, twice the rise + the run = 26", will allow you to make the steps fairly steep. To avoid a heavy plywood door, as well as potential overhead clearance problems, I think I'd go with a double door, hinged on either side of the opening.
Mac