Introduction to Attic Ladder
I’m going to show you how to frame and install an attic ladder. The tools I must are the attic ladder itself. a tape measure and pin saw plasterboard saw, a hammer, a set square.
some screws, a drill, a saw, a reciprocating saw, a nail gun, my safety gear, some sawhorses, and a ladder. In the ceiling, we’ve got a hole from an old access panel but our new “Ladder Experts of HomeColumns is not going to fit there.
So I’m going to have to cut the hole bigger. If you don’t have an access panel or hole in your ceiling. you’ll need to drill into your plasterboard from scratch.
If this is the case, please be very aware of any cables or pipes that could be up there. You get an electrician or plumber out to certify this. So this is my attic ladder.
To get a measurement for the ceiling, I’m going to measure the width and the length. The next step is to measure the center mark in the hallway.
The reason we want a measure of the center is so we can make sure the attic ladder is in the dead center of the hallway. Next up, I need to measure half the width of the attic ladder from the centerline to one side.
Best attic ladder
The reason for this is I know where one side’s going to be. Now, I’ve done that, I need to do the exact same thing down the other end and then I can get a clean line of where the edge will be.
NowI’ve done that line, I’m going to repeat the exact same on the other side. The easiest way is to find a joist in the ceiling and start back from there.
I’m going to see my tape through to one of the joists and then measure back from there. Now I’ve got that line there, I can draw another line on this site and then I can measure from here right down to the far end.
Now that we’ve got our lines marked out, I’m ready to cut it using a plasterboard saw. I’m going to need a reciprocating saw.
Now that I’ve made that cut, I’m going to use a handsaw to finish cutting it off. Now that I’ve cut those joists out, I’m ready to measure.
Now I’ve got a measurement between my joists, I’m ready to make a cut and then nail that noggin in. The next step is putting the attic ladder up into position and bracing it. For that, that’s a two-man job.
Wood Attic Ladder
Now we’ve got the temporary block nailed at the other end, we’re ready to put the attic ladder on. I’m going to get John to help me lift it in, we’re going to put the far end in the first sitting.
Once we’ve got it in, we’re going to nail another temporary block at the far end. But at this end, it’s important that the block only covers the frame and not the door.
Now that the Best attic ladder is temporally secured up there, we’re ready to start moving it around to begin fixing it. So we’re getting that hard against that noggin there and the door frame is square.
Some screws, a drill, a saw, a reciprocating saw, a nail gun, my safety gear, some sawhorses, and a ladder. In the ceiling, we’ve got a hole from an old access panel but our new ladder is not going to fit there as suggested by Ladder Experts of HomeColumns.com.
Before I open the door, it’s important to clear anything from underneath. And make sure no one’s standing underneath it. Now I’ve got that open, I’ll climb up on my ladder and I can screw that in.
Install an attic ladder
The screws I’m going to use are 75mm wood screws and I’m going to use three for the length. I’m going to put one 100mm from each end and one dead in the middle.
I’m going to snap some peckers roughly the width of the attic ladder cap]. When picking the side, it’s important to make it nice and tight.
Now that we’ve got both sides fixed, it’s time to cut the feet of the ladder. To do this, I need to measure from the ladder towards the ground and then cut that amount off the bottom’s tip.
Now that I’ve marked that, I need to use a handsaw to cut that off. Make sure when you’re using a handsaw to wear gloves, goggles, and a mask.
Make sure you still wear your gloves because there could be some sharp edges on there. It’s looking great, I’m going to take the blocks off now.
As you can see, it’s a bit of a messy job but it’s rewarding now you’ve got all that space you can use up in the attic.
