Attic ladder for shop loft

1774 Views 11 Replies 8 Participants Last post by TractorEd, Mar 22, 2021

MeagerHair

Discussion Starter · Mar 21, 2021

I loft was in the shop when I purchased the property. I fixed the framing and support along the front edge last fall and had sketched out building stairs. They were going to eat up a ton of real estate somover the winter I decided to use an attic ladder. Got a low clearance 7’9” Century 375lb 25 1/2 by 54 inch model.

Install went well but working over your all day sure makes the arms sore. It is really solid, and takes up zero space on the main level which is awesome.

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keane

· #2 · Mar 22, 2021

When I was in high school I worked at a Dairy Queen with the old barn-style building. The "loft" in the building was only accessible by an attic ladder similar to the one you installed. We stored most stuff up in that loft area, and it was all carried up and down that attic ladder. I think ours had a hand rail that started about halfway up. I remember everything being heavy. Napkins don't seem heavy, but a case of them is. Strawberries don't seem heavy, but a case of 6 1-gallon cans is. Paper cups....

You may want to add a winch system to get the heavier stuff up there safely. You need at least one hand to hold on, and that means you'll be putting stuff on your shoulder to carry it up. That extra weight up high and on one side will be awkward. Remember, we always lower the bucket on our tractor while traveling with a load in it.

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ClydeLogan

· #3 · Mar 22, 2021

That is a good idea and a nice installation.

If I did something similar I would find that every time I wanted to use my access stairs that there would be some ongoing project on the floor underneath that I'd need to move out of the way.

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robwheeler

· #4 · Mar 22, 2021

I have those in my garages.

rob

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MeagerHair

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 22, 2021

keane said:
When I was in high school I worked at a Dairy Queen with the old barn-style building. The "loft" in the building was only accessible by an attic ladder similar to the one you installed. We stored most stuff up in that loft area, and it was all carried up and down that attic ladder. I think ours had a hand rail that started about halfway up. I remember everything being heavy. Napkins don't seem heavy, but a case of them is. Strawberries don't seem heavy, but a case of 6 1-gallon cans is. Paper cups....

You may want to add a winch system to get the heavier stuff up there safely. You need at least one hand to hold on, and that means you'll be putting stuff on your shoulder to carry it up. That extra weight up high and on one side will be awkward. Remember, we always lower the bucket on our tractor while traveling with a load in it.

I have not tried it yet but believe by utilizing the TTWT upside down fork method I will be able to set a pallet up there. If not the winch idea is a good one. It is a steel frame so I should be able to rig a winch system if required. I have not put railings up yet but will make one section removable

Picture below is before I had all the 4x4’s up. They just had the 2x8’s screwed to the gluelam with no hangers At that 2x4 wedged in the middle. I put a 2x4 across the bottom of the 18ft gluelam so the the 2x8”s had a sill to sit on and added a 4x4 at each corner and 2 in the center area breaking it into 3rds.

It is a good size area at 18x8.

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Mackford13

· #6 · Mar 22, 2021

Looks great. Nice job 👍

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Sergeant

· #7 · Mar 22, 2021

Well if any ever need taller Ones this is a good company for them F Series – Rainbow Attic Stair I Put them In My Barn because the wood one's are just a PIA when there so Long to fold Up.
They have shorter ones that fold Down and it's Like walking up stairs instead of a Ladder I finally built outside stairs for the 2nd story of the Barn.

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ClydeLogan

· #8 · Mar 22, 2021

I was looking for a replacement parts for my a Century attic stairs, which were installed in 1980. Century is a supplier for Lowes, but Lowes does not stock or sell replacement parts. Century was founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1978. They were bought by Louisville Ladders in 2014, and continue to manufacture attic stairs with the Century name. I contacted Louisville Ladders by phone and was easily able to order replacement parts for my 40 year old stairs. They have excellent customer service. A real person actually answered the phone, asked for my model number, found the parts right away, and took the order. No playing the "if you want this, push 3, and you will reach a call center in the Phillippines" game.

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ClydeLogan

· #9 · Mar 22, 2021

MeagerHair said:
I have not tried it yet but believe by utilizing the TTWT upside down fork method I will be able to set a pallet up there.

Has TTWT posted a video on this? I just googled and also did a youtube search but no luck. Maybe I’m using the wrong search terms.

If anyone has a link, would you please post it? Thanks.

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Tractor Tim

· #10 · Mar 22, 2021

ClydeLogan said:
Has TTWT posted a video on this? I just googled and also did a youtube search but no luck. Maybe I’m using the wrong search terms.

If anyone has a link, would you please post it? Thanks.

John Deere 2025R To the Rescue! Subscriber Helps Tractor Time with Tim!

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Tractor Tim

· #11 · Mar 22, 2021 (Edited)

MeagerHair said:
I have not tried it yet but believe by utilizing the TTWT upside down fork method I will be able to set a pallet up there.

Probably not the safest approach, but it works.

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TractorEd

· #12 · Mar 22, 2021

Not to be a nit picker, but you should probably have joist hangers (probably here means please buy the not expensive joist hangers and put em on there!) on either side of the opening (for the joists that were cut for the pull down door). I've looked into adding one of these in my house, because my only attic access is a small square hole. In the process, I found building code specified that a full length joist is required to be installed on either side of the ones that were cut (so you'd have double joists on both sides). In a barn? No one would probably look at it if you went to sell your house, but I just worry about your safety.

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