How do loft ladders work? Let’s check it out!

Loft ladders work in a similar way to your ordinary step ladder or extension ladder – the only difference is rather than manually extending upwards, they use gravity to extend downwards. Loft ladders, otherwise known as loft stairs, are so simple to use and are neatly tucked away so there is no need to drag your step ladders up the stairs in order to access your loft space.

Choosing a loft ladder

When opened, loft ladders reaches from the floor to the ceiling but when closed, the compact ladders neatly folds, or slides, into the attic. The loft ladder hatch is securely fitted to the ceiling joists meaning it will last for years to come. It is important that you measure the distance between the joists and choose the most appropriate ladder to fit your measurement – this will make loft ladder installation lots easier as you will not need to make any structural changes.

Made from wood, steel or aluminium, FAKRO ladders are either available in folding, sliding or scissor/concertina. All of these types are invaluable if you wish to access your loft or attic regularly – whether that is for a home office, a walk-in wardrobe, or simply to store the Christmas decorations and suitcases.

How do folding loft ladders work?

Folding loft ladders either come in three or four sections which fold in on themselves. When opening, a key pole is used to unlock the hatch and the spring-loaded ladder gently opens – there’s no need to worry about the ladder falling down and hitting you as the spring prevents this from happening! It is not until you pull the ladder down yourself, that it touches the floor. To close, the ladder folds intuitively due to its hinges and you can push the ladder back up into the hatch – again the springs absorb a lot of the weight so it is not an exhaustive job. The key pole is again used to fasten the ladder shut.

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How do sliding loft ladders work?

Sliding loft ladders have only two sections with the bottom section sliding up and down and the top section is permanently fixed to the hatch. Similarly, to the folding ladders, a sliding ladder is opened with a key pole then you can use that pole to pull and slide the bottom section down in order to use. To close, simply slide the bottom section up and use the key pole to fasten the hatch shut. The bottom, sliding section of the ladder lies flat on the loft floor so there will need to be some clearance room in the attic to accommodate this.

How do scissor loft ladders work?

Perfect for homes with minimal loft or landing clearance, the metal scissor ladder is designed to expand and retract meaning it takes up very little space in the loft and with non-slip treads makes it one of the most safe and easiest to climb ladders on the market. In the same way as folding and sliding loft ladders, a key pole is used to open the hatch to gently release the concertina ladder. Then to stow away ladder, the bottom of the ladder is pushed upwards as each section collapses (concertina-style), and the key pole is used to fasten the hatch shut.

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All loft ladders work in similar ways so the choice is depending on the space in your loft but it is apparent that a FAKRO loft ladder can make all the difference when it comes to accessing your attic space – making it easier and safer.