Stairs to the attic with their own hands

Private houses usually have attic rooms that require a staircase. And if before the stairs to the attic was a rather cumbersome installation, today it is mobile and practical. In addition, such structures are compact, functional and do not require large installation costs. They can be easily done by yourself.

Basic features of the

If not so long ago lofts in the mainwere used to add here various unnecessary things. Today they are equipped for working classrooms, rooms for children and other premises used for household needs. What has not changed since then, is that you need to build a ladder to climb the attic. A more convenient way to go upstairs has not yet been invented. However, before deciding which loft ladder to build, you need to learn more about all possible options. In this case, it is necessary to understand the order of their installation and use. Only after this, you can make the final choice.

The following types of ladders are distinguished by the configuration:

• folding,
• screw,
• scissor,
• telescopic,
• sliding,
• automatic.

When you need to install a ladder, then most often for unfolding use a manual and automatic method.

By the location of the stairs there are:

• external,
• internal.

These attic structures are installed both inside the house and outside. In the latter case, the ladder leading to the attic is usually placed on the outside of the wall. However, it is more convenient to arrange it nevertheless inside the house. After all, it is likely that it will have to be used when it's cold outside.

The staircase in the house to the attic should not cause any inconvenience. Therefore, do not put it in the kitchen or in the living room. A more suitable place for the arrangement is a corridor or an entrance hall. Although, if you rarely use the attic, you can place a folding ladder, even in the living room. Only for this purpose it is necessary to allocate a special zone. Also it is necessary to equip a place where it will be possible to "hide" the construction in the folded form. If the staircase is more an element of the interior than a functional detail, then it is better to leave it open.

One of the most convenient is a folding ladder to the attic. It has a lot of advantages. In particular, it's easy to manufacture and install. In addition, it saves space. But this is not the only possible option. If the area of ​​the attic space allows, then you can install a retractable ladder to the attic. It will move along previously made furrows.

The telescopic ladder is considered quite convenient, but it is rarely used in private houses. It is more often found in industrial premises. The fact is that it is very difficult to make such a ladder with your own hands.

Selection of materials

If you decide to make a wooden staircase to the attic, then it's best to work with material that has not yet been painted so that after installation you can paint the design yourself, taking into account the rest of the interior palette. Most often, wooden stairs are made of solid pine. Nevertheless, the tree is recommended not to be used as the main frame, but as a decorative insert. However, it is much easier to assemble the wooden staircase to the attic with your own hands than from the metal. After all, for metal structures requires a method of processing, not always possible at home.

If you decide to build a metal folding ladder in the attic, you should first of all know that during the work the structure should be covered with zinc to protect the material from corrosion. Metal stairs to the attic are very durable and at the same time take up less space than the wooden ones. This saves space.

There is no alternative to metal yet. To prevent friction of metal parts, plastic elements are additionally used. To avoid lateral sliding, plastic inserts are used.

Requirements for stairs

There are several important requirements for attic ladders. So, the most important point is convenience of use and safety. Although, in fact, these two requirements also imply several secondary characteristics of attic structures. They, in particular, are the type of stairs, the width of the steps, the height of the climb, mobility and compactness. The specified parameters should be thought out in advance. In this case, first of all, it is necessary to mount and install the structure so that it complies with the safety requirements.

Dimensions of the ladder to the attic

First imagine the future design in finished form. Estimate what parameters and characteristics it will have. If you want to install a folding ladder, then you need roughly outline the dimensions of the entire structure in disassembled form. That it could fit into the dimensions of the room, you need to calculate the height of the opening and know the height of the ceiling. You also need to think about secondary dimensions. The results obtained should be used in drawing up the drawings of the future design.

The steps must be sized so that an adult can easily climb the stairs. The average value is approximately 640 mm. Another important role in the correctness of the manufacture of the future staircase is played by the way the steps are arranged. So, they should not be placed too far apart. In addition, it is important that they are parallel to the floor.

For safety reasons, it is recommended to use stable and wide ladders. At the same time, the width of the span must not be less than 0,9 m. It is important that during installation the angle of inclination of the ladder is observed. This parameter should be approximately 50 degrees.

Loft ladder form

The stairs to the attic can be of any shape. The most important thing is that the attic structure is reliable and at the same time compact and easy to use. It is advisable to choose the configuration of the staircase, which is most suitable for the interior of the house. So, for example, for a small room it makes no sense to put a massive ladder that takes up a lot of space. In a large room you can put designs of almost any shape.

A ladder can have one, two or three flights. The choice of one of these options depends on the size of the free space and the wishes of the owner of the house. So, the simplest design is a single-ladder ladder. It is usually used if the difference is not more than 2.7 m between the ground floor of the main building and the attic space. It is worth saying that such a simple, at first glance, design can be built in a special way in an original way. For example, a single-ladder ladder to the attic can have an arcuate shape. Its steps can be made in the form of divergent rays. In addition, a unique interior can be created with a screw attic staircase.

When deciding which ladder design to choose, you need to take into account the height at which it should be installed. This parameter depends on the total height of the ceiling. In addition, you need to consider what the size of the opening in the ceiling.

Ladder to the attic with your own hands

If you have a little experience in similar works, then for starters it is desirable to choose the simplest design. For example, you can build a two-section folding ladder. The construction of a ladder design usually begins with the necessary measurements. The angle of inclination is chosen according to the type of room, but most often it is about 40 degrees.

To calculate the length of the ladder, you need to take into account the angle of its inclination and the height of the ceilings. So, if the angle is 40 degrees, and the ceiling height is 2.5 meters, then the length of the ladder should be about 3 meters. It is advisable to note all this in the attached drawing.

When making stairs, you usually need:

• Boards for the manufacture of steps.
• Bars for stair bowstring.
• Folding suspension. They will not let the hatch cover close.

When all materials are prepared, you can proceed directly to the construction of the attic. When performing work, be sure to consider the height and width of the ladder. In addition, you need to take into account the number of steps that are attached from both sides by means of screws or glue. On the step it is necessary to attach in any way the overlays that will prevent slipping.

Stages of the construction of the attic

So, how to make a ladder to the attic? All work on the construction of a conditional can be divided into several basic stages:

1. All work is carried out in the direction of the bottom-up. First of all, special beams are installed. After that, we check how tightly the hatch box is fixed.
2. Then the installation works are carried out. First, on the inner side of the hatch, there is an even line and points, where they will be fixed with screws of the plate. Then a plate is fixed on one side of the hatch.
3. When the ladder is in place, the points for the screws located on the reverse side must be strictly aligned.
4. Then the plates are fastened in parallel to the hatch in the ceiling. Further, a staircase is inserted between them. Then through the holes made in the plates, the design is fixed with screws.
5. Further two other parts of the attic are joined by means of articulated joints.
6. The next step is to start adjusting. First, you need to make sure that the fixed parts of the ladder, located on the hatch, are strictly parallel to each other.
7. Then check how the swivel joint works. Finally, you need to match the length of the stairs to the attic with the height of the ceiling by sawing off the excess from the bottom. By the way, the greater the angle of the design, the stronger it will press on the ceiling and the places where the hatch will be fixed. It is best when the pressure is almost absent, but the ladder touches the floor surface.
8. When installing the attic structure, it is recommended to choose the angle convenient for lifting. In this case, its value should be as close as possible to 80 degrees. As practice has shown, most often the most suitable is the angle of inclination of 70 degrees.
9. There is very little left. It is necessary to adjust altitude by means of lateral corners. Then fasten the side staircases.
10. Next, fix the entire structure under the opening in the ceiling. Several bars are connected together by loops. The boards should be equal in width to the dimensions of the ladder. Separate elements are assembled with the help of furniture fittings. And if loops are used, their performance must be checked before finally fastening the fasteners. Note that the work strop may be different.

This design is considered one of the simplest. Therefore, there should be no problems with its device. There is another version of the attic structure. For this, not one but two short ladders of the same length are manufactured. After that they are joined together by steel mechanisms. A similar ladder will be installed directly on the hatchway. If necessary, go up to the attic, it is laid out manually. When drawing a drawing of such a design, you need to calculate the mass of the attic ladder and the number of fasteners for fixing the parts.

Ladder to the loft: photo

Ladder to the loft: video