Having an attic in your house can be great because it provides a nice out-of-the-way storage space, but climbing into an attic isn’t always as great. Continue reading for some solutions to the hassle of climbing into your attic.
What Can Help?
Different types and styles of ladders are available on the market. Having a good attic ladder is essential. The best attic ladders will offer comfort, safety, and convenient ease of access, and they can even conform to your specific sense of home-fashion style (if you’re the type of person to whom things like attic ladder style matter).
Types of Ladders to Consider
Just as there are different types of attic openings, there are different types of attic ladders. Attic ladder types vary by installation/placement style, storage method, and safety rating.
Regular ladder—A simple and affordable ladder to use for attic access is a regular ladder. This is not the easiest attic-entry method, but it can be a good choice if your attic has no ladder at all.
Platform ladder—A platform ladder is a short folding ladder that usually comes with steadying rubber heels, which is a good choice if your attic has a partial ladder attached to the door that doesn’t reach the floor.
Attic extension ladder—This is your typical door-attached folding attic ladder.
Wooden attic door with attached collapsible ladder—This is the same as above, but it includes an attached attic door.
Folding attic ladder—These ladders conveniently fold vertically like an accordion.
Telescopic wall-mounted ladder—You can mount this kind of ladder to the wall directly under an attic door that reaches the wall. It also folds vertically like an accordion.
Collapsible ladder WITH handrails—This kind of ladder is the top choice for safety and comfort level. The ladder also has handrails for extra climbing support and safety, and it conveniently folds like an accordion.
Installation
You can choose to install your new ladder on your own or with the help of a professional.
DIY
When you purchase a new attic ladder, you’ll be able to follow the included instructions for DIY installation.
Professional Help
If you’re not quite the handy type, or if the installation has proven more challenging than you’d imagined it would be, then consider contacting a carpenter or your local handyman for some assistance.
Consider Installing a Pulley System
A pulley system can be installed to help make folding your attic ladder back into place simple. If you’re handy, you can create one of these on your own by doing a little research on how they work. There are also kits available for purchase. If you buy a kit, it should come with instructions, a blueprint, and all the necessary hardware needed to install your attic ladder pulley system.
Conclusion
Once you’ve decided on a more convenient attic ladder and it’s been installed, it will be much easier to store and access things you want to keep but have no current use for.