Choosing the Right Attic Ladder
An attic ladder is a sheathable stairway that hangs on the ceiling, allowing easy and quick accessibility to your storage space. It folds up and sits securely on your home ceiling frame. The available attic ladder options go beyond tastes and preferences. Use the tips below to select the best quality attic ladder and get a professional home service provider to install it.
Materials and durability
Your home attic ladder should withstand regular use and have the strength to serve you for years. While shopping, you'll need to decide between lightweight, durable aluminum attic ladders and economical but less durable wood ladders. The long-lasting and well-designed aluminum ladders have an outstanding holding capacity of approximately 375 pounds, while the compact modern wood ladders can support 250 pounds. The more advanced and durable wood ladders have superb weight support of up to 350 pounds.
Framing type
Attic roofing and flooring systems come with floor joisted, raft or truss frames. Truss frames have interlocking system-like designs with frames connected by gusset or metallic connectors. The truss frames come fully structured and assembled, so you can’t modify the components, as that could affect the durability of the framing system. Normal frames have floor joists or rafters, which can be modified when needed to install new frame hatchway openings.
Attic ladder features for usage and safety
Attic ladders are available in multiple options with distinct features designed to improve the ladders' usefulness and safety. Among the features to compare are the rungs and shallow steps, which determine how quickly and conveniently you can move up and down the ladder. Compare attic ladders with telescoping and folding designs. Don't forget to check the staircase's angle of steepness, as that could affect how easily you can ascend and descend the attic ladder.
Complexity of installation
The amount of work needed to have different types of attic ladders installed is not the same. To install an attic ladder in Southern California, you need a professional with expert squaring, aligning and sawing skills from a trusted home building and remodeling company such as Brent Silver Construction, Inc. The time it takes to install an attic ladder varies, as units that have more features and components require more work to install. The good news is that hiring a professional eases the installation process.
Dimensions
To select your ideal attic ladder, compare its dimensions to the space it will occupy. You'll need precise measurements of the ceiling and the surrounding area to ensure they match the ladder you plan to buy. Before you purchase the ladder, have a professional take the floor-to-ceiling height, landing space, opening size, and swing clearance measurements to make sure you select the best ladder to suit your home.
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