Interior Decorating Ideas

One of the simplest ways to pick up some storage space that you never knew you had is to make use of the attic. In order to get into the attic, as well as get the things you’re going to be storing in there easily, you will have to install an attic ladder. Pull down attic ladders are possibly the simplest and most convenient of the types of attic ladders available.

A pull down attic ladder disappears into the ceiling of the house when it’s not in use, leaving you with what looks like a standard manhole into the ceiling. By pulling down the trapdoor a complete set of stairs forms to make it a simple matter of gaining access to the attic. These stairs can be as simple or as robust as you are prepared to pay for and they can be made in wood, steel or aluminum depending on your preference.

Take a look at the selection of attic ladders displayed below.

	Werner AA8 Televator Telescoping Attic Ladder, 8-Foot List Price: $384.75 Sale Price: $198.00

	Louisville Ladder S224P 250-Pound Duty Rating Wooden Attic Ladder Fits 7-Foot to 8-Foot 9-Inch Ceiling Height, 22-1/2-by-54-Inch Rough Opening List Price: $174.99 Sale Price: $106.66

	Louisville Ladder AA229GS Elite Aluminum Attic Ladder 350 Pound Capacity 22-1/2-Inch by 54-Inch Opening Ceiling Height 7-Foot-9-Inches to 10-Foot List Price: $275.00 Sale Price: $167.54

	Louisville Ladder S305P Big Boy Wood Attic Ladder 30-Inch by 60-Inch 350-pound Capacity Upto 8-Foot-9-Inch Ceiling Height List Price: $316.00 Sale Price: $184.87 Used From: $224.99

	Louisville Ladder L224P 250-Pound Duty Rating Wooden Attic Ladder Fits 8-Foot 9-Inch to 10-Foot Ceiling Height, 22-1/2-by-54-Inch Ceiling Rough Opening List Price: $180.00 Sale Price: $114.46

To pull the attic ladder down you may either employ a rope or you may use a long handled hook that catches a latch and swings effortlessly down. A more expensive, but more impressive, variation is an electronic pull down attic ladder that operates at the press of a button.

When you buy your pull down attic ladder you will have to decide on the weight capacity that you need. You may notice when you browse through the various options available to you that the attic ladders are displayed in different load capacities. Naturally the more use your ladder is going to get the more robust it is going to have to be. If you are planning on carrying heavy objects up into the attic you will have to be mindful of the load capacity of the attic ladder you buy.

A good pull down attic ladder will operate quietly when it is lowered into place. The steps should be ridged to ensure the footing, the ladder itself should be relatively light and the ladder itself should be big enough to allow you to climb without fear of falling.

There are some fine attic ladder companies in the market today and each of them carries a strong range of products. Werner is an extremely reliable company, just to give you an example of one of the big names in the industry. They will all give you a choice of the kinds of materials the ladders are made in, choosing size and load capacity will be up to you and, possibly, your attic.

A constant problem that many people have in their homes is a lack of storage space but there are options available that you can use to give yourself a lot of new space. One of these options is to make use of the attic by converting the unused area into a space that can provide usable storage that is clean, enclosed and easy to reach.

The last qualifier, the easy to reach part, can be achieved with the installation of an attic ladder. Although at first glance attic ladders may appear to be a very large operation, they are actually quite simple to install and reasonably priced. By getting the help of a qualified attic ladder installation professional, all of the more problematic parts such as cutting through attic beams and dust and dirt can be handled properly.

There are a number of different options when looking at attic ladders and the one you go for will depend on factors such as the size of the ceiling hole you wish to create, the steepness of the ladder ascent and how elaborate the system you want to put in will be. You will also be facing the choice of material with which your attic ladder will be made from. The options are wood, aluminum and steel and, again, the choice may well come down to a matter of personal taste, although the price changes depending on the material used.

A simple type of attic ladder is an aluminum telescopic attic ladder that pulls down and looks exactly like a ladder with the climb at the same angle as how you would set up a stand alone ladder. Something a little more elaborate is a pull down attic ladder with the ladder assembly hidden inside the ceiling and when it is pulled down it comes down and resembles a staircase with a rudimentary handrail and perhaps wooden steps. This type of attic ladder will be set at an angle that is not as steep as the aluminum ladder so it will be easier to get into the ladder.

The pull down ladder should be easy to lower with the use of either a cord or a stick with a hook attached to it. Either way, when shopping around for your preferred option you should consider the size of the treads. How well they are reinforced, the operation of the lowering mechanism and the hardware used such as the hinges and springs are all important considerations to take into hand.

Cost may also be an important consideration and you should be able to buy a reasonable aluminum attic ladder for around $200. The more elaborate you get the more it is going to cost, but your options may be limited by the space you have to work with. Not only are we talking about space in the ceiling but also the space available in the room below that will be capable of taking a large or small set of folding stairs.

Once you have decided to install an attic ladder and you have done the necessary preparation, you should talk to an attic professional. They will have to look at your attic to confirm that it is appropriate for a ladder to be installed. Be warned that it may not be possible to install the ladder in the exact spot you believe is perfect.