Each private house has a room located under the roof itself. This is an attic. You can use it in different ways, it all depends on the desires and preferences of the owners of the house. In any case, a compact attic ladder is needed to access the attic space. All members of your family will be able to use such a ladder without difficulty. So how to install an attic ladder by yourself we will tell you in this article.
Table of Contents
- What designs are used for the attic
- Start of installation – fastening the box
- Measure all sides of the box
- Securing the structure with boards
- Fixing the ladder with screws
- Fastening the entire structure
- Fill the cracks with foam
- Screw the screws tightly
- Check that the ladder is correctly installed
- Tilt adjuster
- Additions and clarifications
- Installed ladder box
- White panels to match the ceiling
- Features of modern attic stairs
- Modern attic ladders have their own characteristics
- Attic ladder installation (metal)
- Attic ladder installation (wooden)
- Let’s summarize
- Video how to install an attic ladder with your own hands
What designs are used for the attic
The simplest solution is a ladder and a hatch without a cover. But today hardly anyone will choose this option. Another “budget” option is a stationary single-span staircase. It can be very durable and comfortable, but it will take up a lot of space. Two spans are a more compact solution, but building with your own hands will be more difficult, and, as a rule, you do not want to sacrifice space.
When deciding which ladder structure to install, it is necessary to take into account a number of points. Firstly, the area and height of the room under the attic opening can become a limitation when choosing a suitable structure. Secondly, you need to decide on the purpose of the stairs. The ladder should be solid and comfortable to climb and descend. Consider all dimensions before installing the ladder.
Let’s turn to the most modern options of the attic ladders. For those who love comfort, value their time and do not want to clutter up the living space, constructions are available that do not take up any space in the house at all.
How to choose a compact attic ladder look through this helpful information.
When folded, the attic staircase will take up a minimum of space in your home.
These are folding attic ladders of the following types:
- They unfold like an accordion, the structure is metal.
- Also made of metal, the sections slide into one another.
- They consist of several knees on hinges, the material can be either wood or metal.
- Folds and unfolds using an electric drive, equipped with a remote control, made of wood and metal.
Such designs are supplied, as a rule, immediately with a box and a hatch cover. Their installation is simplified so much that you can do it yourself in 2-3 hours. You just need to understand a little about construction and have all the necessary tools. Consider the process of installing a compact folding attic staircase with your own hands in all details.
Start of installation – fastening the box
The staircase is selected taking into account the parameters of the opening. The box should be 1–3 cm smaller than it. You also need to know the distance from the floor to the ceiling in the place where the installation is planned. The length of the attic staircase is calculated based on the angle of its inclination and the height of the ceiling.
Measure all sides of the box
To carry out the installation, you need to temporarily fix the structure in the opening. For this, 2 auxiliary boards are used. They are nailed to the ceiling at the opening so that a box can be laid on them, having previously lifted it through the opening.
Securing the structure with boards
Two people should be involved in the installation. The first one is in the attic, having with him:
- goniometer;
- screwdriver;
- flat keys;
The second, being at the bottom, feeds the folded structure. The box is placed on the boards nailed in advance. Spacers need to be inserted into the gaps between the box and the opening, they will allow you to withstand right angles when screwing in the screws. In addition, using mounting wedges, you need to align the plane of the box, focusing on the plane of the ceiling.
Fixing the ladder with screws
The ladder should now be secured with screws – two on the front and two on the back. After that, the worker from below can remove the auxiliary boards and unfold the ladder structure. But you can’t use it yet.
Fastening the entire structure
Having expanded the attic structure, the side parts of the box should be fixed with screws. This should be done by the worker at the top. Each side panel is attached with at least 2 screws. You can immediately fill the cracks with polyurethane foam or other suitable material.
Fill the cracks with foam
In addition, bolts will need to be loosened in the side members. This will allow the ladder to be pushed all the way away from the hatch cover, after which the bolts must be tightened again.
Screw the screws tightly
Now attention should be paid to the staircase itself. It should be straight when unfolded. There is practically no perfect fit in size, so you need to buy with a margin of height. When installing, of course, you have to saw off the lower part. For this, the manufacturer has attached a template with instructions, with which the sawing line is determined. The excess part is sawn off along this line.
Check that the ladder is correctly installed
But in the place of the saw, there may be a step. To solve the problem, use the height adjusters located on the side corners. First, you need to loosen the screws fixing the corners, then a slight downward or upward movement of the structure becomes available. The same should be done if the drank turned out to be inaccurate.
Tilt adjuster
The slope is also adjustable. This is done by changing the position of the hole used in the side support mount. Railings and handrails are installed last. This is the final stage of the installation of the attic staircase with your own hands.
Additions and clarifications
Bars can be used as auxiliary boards, which are placed on top of the attic opening. The box is tied to them with ropes and hangs in the opening. The one who is in the attic should untie him from the bars. There are also options from the manufacturer – corners with special fasteners.
Installed ladder box
The final fastening of the box in the opening must be very reliable. For heavy metal structures, manufacturers provide special fasteners. If it is not provided, and the staircase is quite massive, then, when mounting the box with your own hands, you just need to use more screws.
If the ceiling is finished with plastic panels, then it is still advisable to place the box flush with the ceiling (and not with the surface of the panels). Leaving the correct gap, you can make the attic hatch invisible by finishing it with the same panels as on the ceiling.
White panels to match the ceiling
When buying an attic staircase, you should ask the seller if installation work is included in its cost. Maybe you don’t have to do anything with your own hands. It happens that manufacturers in the characteristics of products indicate the dimensions of the opening, and not the box. To avoid misunderstandings, this point needs to be clarified. By calling the master, you protect yourself from the difficulties that you may face.
How long the stain takes dry you can check right here.
Features of modern attic stairs
If your relatives lived in the countryside, then you probably remember with horror the forays into the attic. And the staircase, of course, inspired this fear – the famous wobbly rural dragina, along which it was necessary to climb up, every second fearing to fall.
All these horrors are a thing of the past, since the modern attic staircase with a trapdoor has nothing to do with the compact ladder that provided access to the attic. Time has passed and thanks to interesting developments, the current attic stairs are absolutely safe and do not spoil the interior. They do not take up much space and, which is not unimportant, are not always in sight. We are talking about folding attic stairs, which, thanks to their modern design, will be able to conquer even the most sophisticated consumer.
Modern attic ladders have their own characteristics
- Manufactured only from natural materials
- Compactness
- Functionality
- The convenience of use
- Operational safety
- Durability and reliability
- Minimal heat loss in the room
- Original design
- Huge selection of options
- Convenience during transportation and storage
- Ease of installation and assembly
Attic ladder installation (metal)
Remember that the size of the opening in which you need to install the attic ladder should not be less or more, so be sure to carefully measure everything before purchasing.
All work on the installation of the attic ladder structure must be carried out together!
Required tools
- boards;
- screwdriver;
- key for 10;
- goniometer;
- screws;
Progress
- Fix the boards in the opening, which will simplify the installation of the stairs.
- One person should go upstairs with the tools. Raise the attic ladder and place it on the auxiliary boards. At the place where the screws are screwed, it is necessary to put spacers between the staircase and the edge of the opening – a right angle should form. Fasten the staircase with screws at the front and back.
- The man (below) removes the boards that hold the attic door, opens the opening.
- The person at the top should carefully secure the left and right sides of the ladder.
- The space between the opening and the box is filled with insulation.
- The bolts on the attic ladder are unscrewed, the ladder is reclined, the bolts are tightened.
- When unfolding, the ladder should project a straight line.
- Adjust the angle of inclination of the ladder – for this it is necessary to offset the holes of the side support.
Attic ladder installation (wooden)
The work is carried out in almost the same way as in the first version – only the bars are attached with a cord.
Required tools
- bars;
- cord;
- screwdriver;
- key for 10;
- goniometer;
- screws;
Progress
- Fasten the bars in the opening with a cord, then lower the entire structure into the opening. When using finishing panels, leave a distance of one centimeter between the boards and the ceiling.
- The ladder rises and is installed on auxiliary boards. At the place where the screws are screwed in, spacers are placed – right between the edge and the staircase, so that right angles are preserved. With the help of mounting wedges, the planes of the ceiling and the staircase frame are connected.
- The staircase is secured with four screws (two at the front and two at the back).
- The auxiliary boards that hold the attic doors are removed and the stairs open.
- The left and right sides of the ladder are secured with additional screws.
- The space between the opening and the staircase is filled with insulation.
- The bolts are unscrewed, the attic ladder is folded back, then the bolts are tightened again.
- The height of the wooden ladder can be adjusted. In the event that a cut line suddenly hits a step, then on the sides of the stairs it is necessary to use the height adjuster. To do this, loosen the screws at the corners, and move the ladder until the saw line is displaced by the step. This method can be used if the edge of the stairs is sawn off inaccurately – only in this case the screws are loosened, and then it is necessary to ensure that all sections are in a straight line.
- The angle of inclination of the stairs can be adjusted if the holes of the side support are displaced.
- Handrails on the stairs and hatch railings are installed.
Let’s summarize
A person always strives to make the most of the usable space of his home, a staircase is needed to access and use the attic. And then the question immediately arises, which is the best to use the attic ladder by design, where to place it and how to install the attic staircase correctly. We have presented you with the best options for your home. We hope that this information was useful to you as much as possible.
