Need to add attic ladder in stairwell

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jan 7, 2009
Messages
2,686
Location
Rochester, MI, US, World
The house we live in has a pretty good size attic (ranch style home). About 1/4 of it also has plywood laid down for easy movement/storage, which is nice. Problem is, the attic hatch is in the stairwell to the basement. Unfortunately there is no other feasible spot to add another hatch, for various reasons. The few times I've had to get up there for electrical work, I've maneuvered an extension ladder into the stairwell to get up there, but it scratches the walls up and is a huge pain. The stairwell will be finished soon, and we want to use the attic for storage, so I need a better way to get up there. I know I can get one of those folding stair hatches, but the included ladders are way too short because the stairs obviously slope downward. I was thinking about getting one of those compact telescoping extension ladders. I've used them, and they are nice. The storage will mainly be for stuff that we don't need frequent access to, so it doesn't have to be a super elegant solution. Thoughts?
 
My brother had the same issue
We just used a stairway ladder- wood not metal- made it easy
I hate those little giant ladders- Added
I just searched these and I don't think you can buy them anymore.
I used them for years in stairways but it may have been a specialty maker- I'll look for a picture
 
The majority of ranch houses will have the pull down attic stairs in the hallway leading back the the bedrooms. with both sides of the cut being along the hallway walls there is little issues with support as the hallway walls are usually load bearing.
 
Originally Posted by dbias
The majority of ranch houses will have the pull down attic stairs in the hallway leading back the the bedrooms. with both sides of the cut being along the hallway walls there is little issues with support as the hallway walls are usually load bearing.


Won't work here, as the hallway has cove ceilings, and there isn't enough room in between the coves because of the way the joists run. But if not for the coves, this is what I would have done.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by earlyre
wonder how something like this would work.( not sure of the costs... but it looks cool...)




Very cool stairs!

I built a more robust set of conventional stairs for my attic/bonus room. They retract against the garage ceiling using a 115V cable winch.
 
Originally Posted by Cujet
Originally Posted by earlyre
wonder how something like this would work.( not sure of the costs... but it looks cool...)




Very cool stairs!

I built a more robust set of conventional stairs for my attic/bonus room. They retract against the garage ceiling using a 115V cable winch.


I've seen stairs in the garage leading to an attic in Florida before. Is that common there?
 
DO NOT cut the joists !! There is a good chance it will cause structural problems. And if not, if you ever sell the house then the inspector will catch it immediately and make you fix it, and get it approved by a structural engineer. That will be very expensive.
 
sounds to me like. if you have that much stuff some of needs to be tossed OUT. iam going throu this at moms house. 60 years of stuff. and 60 % is going to be tossed out.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top