How to make a folding attic ladder yourself: the technology
The owner of a private house has the opportunity to equip the attic for personal needs. To climb into the room, you can use different types of stairs: monolithic - marching or spiral, folding or added. Folding attic stairs are installed indoors or outside the building. To get to the attic from the outside of the house, you have to go out into the yard in any weather, and this is very inconvenient. Therefore, the installation of such a device indoors will provide a comfortable lift.
It is convenient and safe to use stationary gangways, but to install them you need free space. With rare visits to the attic enough to put a ladder and clean up as useless. The disadvantage of this method is the unreliability of portable devices. Combining safety requirements and a limited area will allow the use of a folding ladder, which can be done independently. This is an affordable and economical way.
Types of designs
Folding attic stairs must meet certain requirements of strength, therefore, metal and wood are used for their manufacture. There are several types of folding structures:
- Scissor - compact model, folding like an accordion. For the manufacture of used lightweight and durable metal, for example, aluminum. This is a difficult option for installation, it requires the skills of working with metal and numerous fasteners.
- Telescopic - the model is made on the principle of folding segments in the side tubes. In the manufacture will need to bore the metal.
- Sectional - compactly placed on the attic hatch. Separate sections are connected by a hinged fastener, they are securely fixed when extended.
We are determined with the size
Prior to manufacturing, they are determined with the dimensions of the future product. It is necessary to consider the size of the structure in the folded state and its full length, which is allowed up to three meters. Longer ladders do not have sufficient rigidity and using them is unsafe. The width of the span should provide convenient operation, for this it should be not less than 65 cm. The optimum distance between the steps is 19 cm, the greater or smaller the value would entail difficulties during the ascent. The thickness of the bars should be 2–3 cm. The installation angle of the structure is in the range of 60–75 degrees. Steps are located strictly parallel to the floor. When using wood for the manufacture of structures, you can count on operation with a load of up to 150 kg, the metal structure can withstand up to 260 kg.
The opening of the hatch is made in the size of 120? 70 cm, so that an adult can use it without any problems. The larger hole size will become a place of significant heat loss.
Instruments
The work will require the following tools:
- Spanners.
- Hacksaw for wood.
- Screwdrivers.
- Roulette.
- Pencil.
Manufacturing process
The simplest version of the folding structure will be a device consisting of two sections. For its manufacture will require wooden bars, hinges and metal strips for mounting, screws.
A finished wooden staircase is taken, to the top of which a 2 cm thick bar is attached. A similar plank is screwed on the wall under the hatch. Bars are fastened with the help of loops.
Measuring 1/3 of the length from the bottom of the side planks, cut is performed - it must be performed between the steps. The two parts are connected by loops. It is important to correctly position the fasteners so that the ladder folds in the right direction.
To hold the structure in the folded state, a loop is used, screwed in at the junction of the sections, and a hook installed at the desired height. The disadvantage of this simple design will be open placement.
Hidden folding ladder
To have a lot of free space and do not spoil the interior, the device can be mounted on the hatch cover. Two 10-cm-wide planks will be required for its production. The design will consist of three sections: the first is equal to the length of the hatch, the second is slightly shorter, the third is equal to the remaining distance to the floor. The tilt angle of the hatch is measured by clumps and transferred to the boards.
On the boards marked the place of cutting and fastening the loop. Boards are sawn into three sections. For fixing the steps, they are cut 5 mm deep. Steps are fixed with glue and screws.
The elements are laid out on a flat surface and are joined; loops are screwed at the joints. Having assembled the structure, check its ability to bend, after checking the ladder is installed on the hatch. It is possible to fix the first section with the help of metal strips screwed to the hatch and the edges of the bowstring. A folded ladder is lowered over the bottom section.
It is not difficult to make an attic ladder, it is important that it be solid, comfortable and compact.
Video: process of making a folding staircase to the attic
A photo
