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Home Improvement

Home Decorating

Loft Ladders ~ Getting To Unused Space

Aug

My friend Henry and I recently took on some home improvement projects. One of them was to make my attic more accessible by installing a loft ladder. Henry’s pretty handy and he is always willing to help me and wants to do it himself. Most of the time he does a great job (with a few disastrous exceptions), but in this case I suggested his energy would be better spent elsewhere. There are just so many great loft ladders to choose from online. And so I began my research for loft ladders.

One ladder I liked uses a telescoping design which makes it very compact and a cinch to put away. It’s also made of aluminum so it’s lightweight and isn’t prone to rusting. I also liked that it comes fully assembled (I go crazy trying to follow cryptic instructions from manufacturers in Taiwan and China), so all I have to do is screw it in and it’s ready to go. It’s inexpensive too. Just about the only thing I didn’t like about it was the fact that the hatch isn’t insulated.

Another neat compact ladder uses a scissor system to fold up. It’s a cool design, but I’ve pinched myself so many times on these scissor-thingys and when I do it really hurts! Its hatch is insulated and has a rubber gasket to make it airtight. It’s a bit more expensive, but I’m OK with that because I think the insulation is important. The biggest thing I didn’t like about these fancy ladders is that they have a cheap, flimsy look to them. I know that they’re rated to sustain a lot of weight, but that doesn’t change the fact that I just wouldn’t feel truly safe on them.

For that reason, I began leaning towards the wooden attic ladders. I think they’re a good choice because if and when I decide to sell my home, a nice, solid wooden attic ladder might add some value, whereas the metal attic ladders might actually detract from it.

When I went to look for Henry to ask about his thoughts I was surprised to find him out in the garage in the middle of building a ladder. He looked up at me and laughed sheepishly. It looked to be about finished. At first I was annoyed, but then I took notice: he used rustic brass fasteners and fixtures and even routed out some gorgeous details in the rails. “I’ll pick out the stain,” I said.

A few days later we secured his creation to the loft opening. It’s beautiful, and sturdy! Fear not, however, if you don’t have a handy Henry in your life, you can find something that meets all your needs with just a few minutes of research on the internet for loft ladders.

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About the Author:
Daisy Profits writes articles and builds websites on various subjects. She is a jewelry artist and has been a Flight Attendant for 10 years. Daisy lives in Florida with her maltipoo, Sky, in a house she is renovating. You can visit her latest site at http://www.pulldownatticstairs.net/with information that you need when you are considering buying pull down stairs or loft ladders for small spaces.
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