Having an attic most often means having a space to dump things that you don’t need or use anymore but can’t get yourself to throw or store things that are of seasonal use. Whichever way you choose to see it, most people don’t think or care much for their attics.
However, an attic can prove to be way more useful if you spruce it up and keep it organized. You can take your average attic and convert it into a spacious room that can accommodate guests, or you can use it as a specific room, like your gym, jam room. Even if you decide to use it as a room to store your old things, you can do it in a way where you get more space available.
If you do manage to use for more than just storing items, you must be wondering how you would then access your attic? You could use a ladder, but that would discourage you from using your attic often, seeing how’d you’d have to lift and move the ladder around. Permanent stairs leading up to your attic can be an option, but they take up a lot of space and might even mess up the aesthetics of the house, making it an inconvenience.
This is why investing in the best pull-down attic stairs can help you use your attic to its maximum
potential. These are reliable, safe, and durable, making it seem like there’s nothing there.
Before choosing the perfect pull-down attic stairs for your house though, here are tips to help you choose better.
1. Consider the location of the ladder:
Most ladders will be attached to the floor of the attic. You have to consider the location of the ladder.
First, you must see if your existing hatch that opens up to your attic can accommodate the ladder or if you would have to enlarge it. Then, consider the length of the ladder- it should open up to safely land on your floor or barely hover above it. You also have to make sure the entrance to the attic via the ladder leads to a safe spot
2. Type of Framing:
The floor of attics is fitted with either trusses or individual rafters attached to floor joints. A truss is like an interlocked frame fit with metal connectors. You cannot alter these attachments as it could alter or ruin the structural integrity of the attic. You must consider the type of framework your attic has and then see which retractable stairway will best suit the floor. If the floor is framed with trusses, then the ladder is mostly attached in between the gaps. If the measurements of the gaps don’t suffice, you will need additional fitting for the pull-down attic stairs.
3. Length and weight:
You must check to see if the length of the ladder matches the measurement between the attic floor and the floor of the structure below it. You want the ladder to perfectly fall into place without being too high for you to conveniently climb or so low that it’d scratch or stay put on the floor. The weight also matters because the heavier the ladder is, the more secure it is. However, its weight must be accommodated by the floor of the attic. Make sure it can handle the weight of the heaviest person in your house without disturbing the structure of the attic.
4. Material:
Ladders are usually made of wood, steel, and aluminum. Consider what kind of material you want. Aluminum is rust-resistant and fares well under different temperatures. It also weighs less but is sturdy. Wood too is pretty sturdy but is prone to changes with weather and termites or other issues. You can always have your ladder coated to protect it from these illnesses if you want a wood ladder.
A few more things to consider for the best pull-down attic stairs for your attic are features of the stairs itself like if you want a handrail if you want your ladder to have a bit of an angle or fall straight, whether you want a pull-down ladder or an extension ladder than folds down like a telescope, and also whether you want rungs on the ladder or want steps.
Once you have considered all of this, you can get a kit and start your progress on having the best pull-down attic stairs. Most attachments are self-doable, DIY projects, and the kits are pretty explanatory unless you need to change the framework or fitting of the attic hatch. With these steps, you can step-up your attic game with the best pull-down ladder for you.
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