Are you unsure how to fit a loft ladder? Let the Loft Centre educate you on how simple it can be to install a loft ladder in your home...
Key tools required to install a loft ladder
You must make sure that you have the following tools in order to install a loft ladder successfully:
Hammer,
Screwdriver,
Panel Saw,
Tenon Saw,
Craft Knife
Cordless Drill.
You will also require:
Tape Measure,
A Square,
Some Pencils,
10 x 50 millimetre Wood Screws,
50 millimetre Oval Wire Nails,
25 millimetre Panel Pins.
Step 1
Before installing a loft ladder it is essential that you check whether the position of the ladder will allow sufficient room for headspace as you enter the loft. In addition, you must make sure that the entrance is not too close to the external wall, thus a meter in both cases is recommended.
Step 2
Before making the hole in the ceiling you must mark the measurements with a pencil and cut an experimental hole in the middle of the measurements. The way the loft ladder should be installed is in the direction of the joists.
Step 3
Make the opening in the ceiling depending on the width of the ladder and install the trapdoors accordingly. Then, install the ladder into the opening using screws. Make sure to use a minimum of 8 screws to fix the ladder into the pre-drilled measurements. Make sure the ladder when installed slides down in the desired direction.
Step 4
Make sure the ladder is the right length. Once the loft ladder is installed, as normally this would be a timber ladder, you must extend the three pieces and tuck the last one back underneath. Then you must measure the distance between the end of the middle part of the ladder and the floor and according to those measurements shorten the last/bottom part of the ladder that is tucked underneath.
Step 5
If all of the above goes according to plan then you have successfully installed the loft ladder and can enjoy the extra space in your attic. Do try the strength of the ladder first by applying some weight on it, before using it just in case one of your installations is loose.
Nevertheless text guidance can be very tricky to follow and the easiest way to install a loft ladder is to follow a visual manual that can be found on the Internet. Here is a link to get you started - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvzQMts-giM
And remember, if you are unsure of your construction skills, it is always safer to employ someone to do it for you. Good luck.
