The staircase to the attic is a simple design that you can easily create yourself. It can be solid - made of wood or metal, or it can have a light and convenient folding shape. What options are suitable for your attic and how to make and install an attic ladder with a hatch with your own hands, read our material.
The exit to the attic is almost always located in one of living rooms top floor of the house. Therefore, you have to either sacrifice space and spoil the interior, or use a portable stepladder. The last option is not only troublesome, but also quite risky, since unstable steps can break off, and in order to hold the stepladder itself, you often need to invite family members to help.
We suggest you make a choice in favor of a more reliable option - designing and implementing a new modern attic staircase. Types and recommendations for creating a good-quality staircase to the attic with your own hands, which we give below, will help you make your choice.
The main elements of the staircase are the bowstring and the stringer (side parts); tread (steps) and riser (for stationary stairs).
If there is enough space in your house, then we recommend building a stationary staircase to access the attic or attic. This option is reliable, practical and durable. Capital steps can be performed on the basis metal frame or quality wood.
Monolithic stairs can be marching, with one or more bends, or spiral (spiral). Marching options have steps in the form of rectangular plates (boards), which evenly move upward at the same distance. Spiral staircase folded around a central base, has steps narrowed towards the inner edge and is arranged in a spiral. The latter option is more compact and can be built even in small spaces, without sacrificing space.
The “advantages” of the capital option include durability, reliability and ease of use.
A capital staircase, in most cases, does not provide a hatch for access to the attic, therefore it is more suitable for houses with warm roof. For cold roof The exit to the attic must be closed with a sealed hatch. The standard dimensions of the hatch are 120x70 cm. It makes no sense to make the passage smaller, as this will complicate both getting into the attic and installing steps.
The material for the hatch is wood, metal or plastic. You can order a blank for the hatch at the metal-plastic structures factory with installation or self-installation. The hatch can be automatic or manual opening. At latest version a special pole is used to open the latch (lock) and lower the ladder door.
Portable steps are the closest analogue of the “good old” stepladders. Such a ladder will only be reliable if you make a folding version with a platform. However, it is difficult to call such a design convenient. You will have to make extra efforts to get into the attic hole, and the issue of storing such a ladder will cause a lot of trouble.
A very convenient and easy-to-implement type of attic ladder is folding steps connected to a hatch. Thanks to its convenient design, this type of steps has become the most popular among professional craftsmen.
Today there are many types of folding stairs, from which you can choose the most suitable option(telescopic, scissor, folding, etc.).
The folding mechanism is suitable for any attic spaces with a hatch onto which the staircase structure can be attached.
In general, most stairs schematically look like this:
Before we begin designing an attic staircase, let's consider some standard design characteristics:
Selection of material for flight of stairs should be determined by the frequency of operation of the structure. Wood wears out faster than metal. So, if you go up to the attic every day, it is better to design the steps from metal. In other cases, the tree is like light material, environmentally friendly and easy to install, is very popular.
So, let's get started and create a modern attic staircase with a hatch with your own hands according to the drawings that our specialists have prepared for you.
Any work must begin with a project. Determine the height of your future staircase, taking into account the height of the ceiling and a slope of 60-70 degrees. It is also worth accurately measuring the attic passage and drawing a corresponding diagram. The drawing must contain the following information: length of the staircase, angle of inclination, height of the ceiling of the room, dimensions of the passage and attic hatch, width of the flight, number and dimensions of sections, number, distance and dimensions of steps.
At this stage, the design is calculated. The length of the stairs is easy to calculate. We use a simple mathematical formula: D = B/, where α is the selected angle of inclination, B is the height of the ceiling. So, with a ceiling height of 3 m and an inclination angle of 60 degrees, the length of the staircase will be 3/0.867 = 3.46 m. Craftsmen advise adding a few centimeters to the resulting figure in order to then more accurately measure and cut the required length:
The dimensions of the hatch should be slightly smaller than the opening itself. For the calculation, 6-7 mm is left on each side of the door.
We calculate the length of the sections according to the following scheme: the first section is the length of the hatch minus 10%; second section – length of the first section minus 10%; third section – the sum of the lengths of the first two sections is subtracted from total length stairs.
Now you need to transfer the calculations to paper and begin preparing the necessary materials and tools.
To implement the project, you need to prepare carpentry tools: tape measure, chisel, hacksaw, screwdriver, welding machine(or capital connections for a metal frame), square, hacksaw, clamps, wood glue, masking tape, electrodes, wood glue.
The main materials that we will need: 50x50 mm bars for finishing the hatch (about 4-5 pieces); two boards for the bowstring 100x25 mm long, equal to the selected length of the ladder; board for steps 100x20 or 100x25 mm; plywood or material with similar characteristics (for the hatch door one is enough standard sheet); plates and angles for opening and hinges; nuts, bolts, screws, washers, etc.
Step I. Prepare the bars for the hatch. At the ends of the beams, make cuts-grooves to tightly connect the structure into a regular triangle using mounting adhesive and fastenings. Protect the corners of the frame with temporary plywood plates to prevent the rectangle from moving.
Step II. Attach a sheet of plywood of the appropriate size to the base of the bars. Now you need to try on the hatch to the passage to the attic. It should be 6-7 mm smaller on all sides.
Step III. Provide a lock for the attic door. This can be an automatic mechanism, or a very ordinary latch, which can be opened with a pole with a tip.
Step IV. We install hatch opening/closing mechanisms. If you don’t want to buy ready-made mechanisms, you can make them yourself. There should be two fastenings - left and right. For work, purchase a 4x20 mm steel plate and a corner. The photo shows a drawing of the left fastening part. The right one is performed in a mirror image. Dimensions are given arbitrarily. For more accurate calculations, consider your parameters. Before fastening, be sure to check the mechanisms in operation:
You can always order a ready-made sectional staircase from the craftsmen, which can be secured according to ready-made diagram on one's own. But if you decide to complete the work yourself, you can assemble the stairs from prepared materials.
Step 1. Mark on the strings the places where the steps will be installed. To do this, mark each part with a pencil, according to the selected angle of inclination of the stairs and the previously made calculations. Now press the ends of the boards tightly together and fasten them together masking tape. This is necessary to drill through holes at the junctions of the sections. Drill a hole for the hinge with a diameter of about 25 mm at the junction of the first and second sections. Next, you need to remove the tape and turn the boards over, fastening them again. Now we drill a similar hole at the junction of the second and third sections:
Step 2. Cut the bowstrings along the marked lines. Next, grooves are made for the steps with inside bowstrings using a chisel. The depth of the grooves must be at least 5 mm (this should also be taken into account at the first design stage). The lower section of the bowstrings should be beveled according to the angle of inclination of the stairs.
Step 3. We cut the steps according to the markings and attach them to the left bowstring. We put the steps on glue and secure them with self-tapping screws. We attach the right bowstring and also fasten it with self-tapping screws.
Step 4. Attach the loops for sliding mechanism stairs. Hinges, like hinge mechanisms, can be bought in a store, or made independently from metal tape. We need eight strips of metal (you can use leftovers from the door mechanisms). Weld small pieces of the same strip to the four strips. We drill two holes in each part (for fastening and hinge). We connect the hinge with the hinges. Now we join the cut sections and attach the hinges so that each hinge fits into the groove (25 mm holes drilled before cutting the sections). We fasten the loops on the bowstrings:
Now it's up finished stairs need to be secured to the hatch, having first checked the operation of the hinge mechanisms. The staircase should also be checked after installation. After making sure that all parts are in good working order and functional, open the steps with varnish:
One more thing step by step guide for installation:
You can insulate and seal the hatch using foam rubber or construction wool. The edges of the hatch should be covered with rubber sealant tape.
That's it, your staircase with hatch is ready! This is exactly the option that is completely feasible “with one helmet.” We wish you fast and easy work.
Having a private house with an attic, there is often a need to install an additional structure with which you can easily climb up to work on the second floor of the house. Making an attic ladder will be the easiest and most successful way to do this. Using a hatch will allow you to hide the structure when it is not needed, and making the staircase itself with your own hands will not allow you to doubt the quality and reliability of the structure.
In a good private house, an attic is most often installed during design. This non-residential premises, where most often all unnecessary things are stored for which there is not enough space in the house. If desired, you can make a full second floor out of it. In any case, no matter how this room is used, you need to be able to get into it. The simplest and most reliable option is a ladder.
Initially, private houses were built with external iron structures from the side, along which it was possible to get to the attic quite comfortably in good weather. If the ladder was not originally made, then the household used a simple extension wooden structure, which was placed only at the necessary moment. The disadvantage of any of the above methods is seasonality - only in the summer, in good weather and daylight hours, you can safely get into the attic and do all the necessary manipulations in it.
In view of these features, many owners of dachas and their own houses build attic stairs indoors. In order for it to take up little space and not disturb residents, most often the design is foldable. Attic staircase It can be either metal or wood; you can buy it or make it yourself. Each owner decides this moment for himself. To prevent a draft from blowing from the attic, dust not getting in, and simply not having a hole in the ceiling, it is closed using a hatch.
If the attic is equipped for living space, then most often a stationary staircase is erected so that you can quickly go up and down. For a non-residential area, the most logical thing would be a folding structure, which is hidden behind a hatch under the ceiling and can be accessed at any moment. With the option of going upstairs inside the house, there is no need to worry about weather conditions or in the dark, if there is a need to take something from the attic or take something unnecessary away.
If you are concerned about buying or making a staircase to the attic, then first of all you need to understand what type of structure is right for you. Having determined the place where you will install the ladder, you can understand how large it can be, how much space it will take up, what type it will be, and only after that you can take some more serious steps.
The main options for attic stairs are:
Folding stairs are most often made of metal, because this material allows you to create a small-sized and easily folding structure. The main material for this is aluminum, due to its lightness and good strength characteristics. The advantage of this type is the versatility of the device, which is suitable for almost any type of house structure with a wide range of ceiling heights.
If this option is folded, the structure turns out to be small, and does not go beyond the box made for it. The only downside that can be highlighted is the difficulty of folding and unfolding the mechanism, because these actions require a certain physical strength. In addition, it is very difficult to make such a staircase at home. Here, each part must have a certain length and be fixed using the necessary hinge mechanisms, so it will be easier to purchase it in a store.
You can make a folding ladder from wood, but it will have a completely different appearance. You can do it yourself without much difficulty. It will consist of two parts. During folding, it will be attached to the longer part, and the entire ladder is not hidden anywhere, but is placed or attached to the wall. In the case of mounting, you need to make fasteners on the wall.
If there is a need to have a portable ladder, then you can make a very simple but reliable mechanism using beams and a cable. Two bars are selected based on the height of the ceiling, steps are prepared - there should be no more than four of them, between two wooden ones there will be one step made of cable, which tightens the entire structure during operation. By loosening the cable, you can completely disassemble everything and place it in a closet or other storage location.
The folding type of attic ladder differs in the type of device. All parts of the structure are folded into one another and removed upstairs. The same principle is used when laying out - each section is opened one by one and the staircase is ready for use. This option is achieved using hinge mechanism, which is installed on both sides in each span. The uppermost part is attached to the hatch; when opened, additional handrails appear, which make the staircase structure more reliable and facilitate easy and quick climbing to the top.
The convenience of this option is that when folded, the ladder has the same dimensions as the box in which it is placed, which means it does not take up more space than necessary. If you wish, having gone upstairs, you can remove it so as not to disturb other inhabitants of the house if the position of the hatch is in a passageway.
For safety, grooves are made on the steps that prevent the foot from moving and the person stands confidently when going up or down to the first floor of the house. In purchased designs this is provided for initially, but when planning own production, you must not forget about this nuance. The type of fastening of steps in finished structures is called “dovetail”.
A retractable staircase can consist of two or three parts, which is regulated by the height of the ceilings in the house. The principle of operation of such a device is simple - each section extends one after another, as if on rails. The top section must be attached to the main beam in the attic to ensure the structure is strong. When planning the installation of such a lifting device, you need to make a special box on the ceiling into which the ladder will be mounted. It is important to have a strong and reliable design, otherwise there is a risk of the ceiling collapsing with anyone climbing into the attic.
A manhole cover is attached to the upper section, which should be shorter than the rest in length., and while the entire structure is folding, the window to the attic is automatically closed. It is not necessary to secure the hatch; you can close it yourself after the ladder is sent up.
Another version of the retractable design has two sections. The small one is attached to the hatch, and when it is opened, you can freely access it. By removing the special fasteners, you can release the second part and lower it to the floor level, resting it firmly and securely on it. Most often, wood is used for this option rather than metal. The hatch is raised and lowered on special metal folding guides, which are located on both sides.
If such a staircase is purchased, then the hatch is already included, and it is additionally equipped with thermal insulation so as not to let in warm air into the attic, but the cold one did not enter the room. If this structure is built with your own hands, then these nuances should also not be forgotten.
Spring stairs have special spring mechanisms, with the help of which each section of the structure is fixed, which does not allow them to fold spontaneously. Thanks to them, the reliability and safety of the device for climbing into the attic is achieved.
The telescopic ladder is made of metal and has the form of round guides that fold into each other according to the principle of a telescope. The steps move tightly together, and the entire structure takes up minimal space. It is very convenient and simple to use; any household member can handle it.
Lifting systems for attic stairs are more convenient than options for products that remain in the room. The sliding design allows you to quickly remove and fold the product, which is important for those who are used to working quickly. Automatic system slamming the hatch avoids the inconvenient procedure of climbing to a height up to the ceiling level in order to further secure it when the ladder has been removed. If you want to have a stationary staircase, but so that it takes up a minimum of space, then the best option would be screw design, which will allow you to climb into the attic, making circular movements during ascent and descent.
In a house with an attic, sooner or later the question arises of purchasing a staircase through which one can easily access it. The construction of such a structure for the street will not cause any special problems, although there will be little comfort from using such a device. In order to make access to the attic quick, you need to place lifting mechanism right in the house.
The first thing to take care of is right choice places for this. If the house is large, then finding an impassable corner in it will not be difficult, but in a small country house You will need to get out of the situation where one space serves as a kitchen, a bedroom and a living room. In this case, the farthest corner from the entrance to the house is selected. If there is a corridor, then you can also think of a hatch in it, where the ladder will hide.
Having a spacious kitchen, you can provide access to the attic from it, especially if something useful for cooking is stored there. If you need to hide a stationary staircase, you can fence it off from the general space of the room by making a small corridor that will have a door, creating the illusion of a room.
The staircase can also be used as a decorative item, but it is best to do this in the case when the attic is a living space and is used quite often. A folding design will only make it difficult to use, while a stationary one will allow people of any age and physical ability to climb up and down comfortably.
When planning to make a staircase to the attic on your own, it is important to purchase everything necessary materials. The first thing it all starts with is installing the hatch. This wooden frame, where the structure will be hidden. To make it, you need to have a 50 by 50 beam in cross section and ten millimeters of plywood. When making a staircase from wood, you need to prepare boards 20-25 millimeters thick and 120-150 millimeters wide.
To determine the length of the boards, you need to already know what kind of structure it will be - sliding, folding, how many sections it will have. The material for the steps is calculated, the distance between them and the thickness of the material are thought out. As for the hatch, an important component of its good operation are the components that are responsible for the shock-absorbing properties at the time of opening and closing. To secure the hatch to the box, you will need hinges. They must be powerful in order to cope with their task many times.
Important components are also the mechanisms that help hold the hatch together with the ladder. These unique shock absorbers can be purchased or made by hand if available suitable tool. Another important element is the hinges, which help fold and unfold the ladder. This fittings are sold in any furniture store, therefore there should be no problems with their acquisition. Metal base everyone important elements allows you to have no doubt about the reliability and quality of the finished product and confidently use it for many years.
To make a ladder with a hatch yourself, you need to have the following tools:
The calculation of standards for the manufacture of stairs to the attic has long been established, so you just need to apply it to your premises. The width of the march should be kept at 650-1100 millimeters, and the height should be no more than 350 centimeters. If you make the structure taller, its reliability will be significantly lower.
When planning the number of steps, you should not make more than fifteen of them. If the situation requires it, you can increase the quantity, but first the entire structure is strengthened. Optimal distance between steps is fifteen or twenty centimeters. The step itself must be at least two centimeters thick.
Most right angle the installation of the attic structure will be sixty or eighty degrees. A larger angle will significantly reduce the safety of using the ladder. For small angle it requires very little space, which is a significant advantage.
When thinking through the design, it is important to consider the weight that will be on the ladder during use. These are not only kilograms of the owner of the house and his relatives, but also any items that need to be placed in the attic or taken downstairs. It is worth taking care that the steps do not slip, otherwise you can fall off them and injure yourself.
The opening in the ceiling is made according to the dimensions of the finished staircase and the hatch that is attached to it. It is important to calculate every millimeter as accurately as possible and insulate the entrance to the attic so that cold air does not enter the house from it.
If you decide to make a staircase to the attic with your own hands, then the first thing you should take care of is drawings and creating a project. A homemade design is not difficult if you approach the process of its implementation correctly.
The first thing you need to do is pick everything necessary tools and purchase materials that you will definitely need for your work. After this, a simple extension ladder will be installed, with the help of which you can work with the ceiling and make a niche in it for the hatch.
Once the location for climbing into the attic has been determined, you need to cut a rectangular window in the ceiling and start constructing the manhole cover. To do this, you need to use a 5 by 5 centimeter beam, which is cut based on the dimensions of the finished hole in the ceiling. When the structure is fastened, plywood ten millimeters thick is stuffed on top. When everything is ready, you need to try on the resulting lid, and if you like it, you need to secure it with hinges.
Once the installation of the hatch is completed, you can begin making the stairs. It’s easy to do this yourself, especially if you chose the folding design option. To do this you need to use ladder, to which beams are screwed on both sides. At the bottom you need to fasten them securely, and at the top the fixation goes to the hinges. Next, the entire staircase is sawn into two parts - the upper one is large, the lower one is half as large.
In order to prevent such a staircase from slipping, you need to make additional rigidity bars that are installed diagonally.
The two parts of the folding structure must be connected using hinges. Top part The entire ladder is attached to the hatch with anchors, and the lower folding part is attached with a hook, which prevents it from opening independently. The finished lifting mechanism is pressed against the wall and fixed.
You can make an attic ladder from three parts, which will fold and hide in the hatch. To do this, the ladder is divided into three parts, the first of which has the dimensions of a hatch, the second is smaller than the first, and the third has a length that is enough to place it on the floor. All parts must be secured with hinges, the operation of which must be carefully checked. The stairs need to be sanded well and varnished.
In order to make an attic ladder, it is not necessary to have unique skills and be a real master, you just need to approach the work correctly and do everything correctly and efficiently. Creating a lifting mechanism will not take much effort and time if you develop a clear action plan and enlist the support of family members.
For cottages outside the city, private houses and ordinary dachas equipped with any attic, the presence of a reliable and comfortable stairs is an important element.
Attic stairs can be located either outside or inside the building. Portable ladders are usually used as a temporary option.
Folding stairs can be made of wood and metal (aluminum). The combination of these materials gives best results. For wooden models you need to use solid wood. The thickness should be at least 2 cm. Wood should not be used when the folding ladder is used too often, because it will cause rapid wear. In this case, the best option is a metal product.
Plastic accessories are also used to prevent friction between components during transformation and sealing when the fixture is folded. The hatch cover is filled with polystyrene foam and provides good thermal insulation.
Folding models can be opened manually or automatically using an electric drive. Often with manual drive a weight is attached to the mechanism, which greatly facilitates the process of assembling the product; it, as it were, pulls the ladder into a special niche and, conversely, smoothly lowers it, compensating for the weight.
The main requirements for such devices are their compact size and high strength. In addition, the aesthetics of the model are important - a good staircase transformer should blend into the ceiling.
Standard sizes of stairs:
When purchasing folding devices, please note that the product parameters must match the dimensions of the manhole cover, otherwise the folding parts will touch the hole. The optimal hatch is one that has a built-in sliding model 70 cm wide and 120 cm long. With a smaller hole size, it will be inconvenient to climb. If the hatch size is large, large heat losses are possible. Since the attic is an unheated room, it is necessary to provide a good heat and vapor barrier.
When choosing the angle of the device, it is important to consider that the smaller it is, the larger the attic dimensions need to be made and the larger the staircase should be when unfolded.
The folding model must be durable and reliable. That's why best choice there may be a combination of materials. For example, when the steps and railings are made of wood, and the parts responsible for the transformation are made of metal. Such designs will not cost much, but they can serve effectively for many years. Only those parts on which there is practically no pressure can be made of plastic or composite, since due to constant load they can very quickly fail and the device becomes unsafe to use. There are often plastic or rubber pads on the step that prevent slipping.
Sliding sliding models consist of two sections, one of which is fixed directly to the hatch cover, and the second is extended vertically using special guides.
When you add this ladder, one section will slide into the other, which is quite convenient. The only drawback is the bulky design, which requires a wide opening in the attic floor.
When thinking about a folding staircase system, it is worth remembering that attic sliding stairs may vary in design. In particular, it is customary to distinguish the following types systems:
The main types of products are:
The main criterion for choosing the type of device is compliance required height installations. The size and height of the staircase are determined from the floor of the room to the ceiling. To install the attic model, the hole dimensions are determined. These will be the dimensions of the hole directly in the ceiling. The attic model can be installed in concrete and wooden openings.
Manufacturers of stairs offer wide range attic models. In any case, installation and assembly of the product will depend on the material of production and design features, suggested by the manufacturer.
You can make a ladder with my own hands. To get the job done will be required special tools and materials:
The modern staircase leading to the attic is no longer a bulky stationary structure, but a completely new mobile and practical model. For the manufacture of attic models, the simplest and most affordable design is chosen, for example, you can make a two-section folding ladder.
Making a folding ladder to the attic with your own hands begins with measurements. To do this, measure the height of the room, as well as the expected angle of the fixture. Recall that the angle of inclination is achieved empirically. As practice shows, this angle is 30 degrees.
The height to the ceiling should be 2.5 m and the length of the staircase should be 3.0 m. Carefully draw a drawing of the staircase. For manufacturing, it is recommended to use logs for an inclined seam along the width, fastenings, upper door hinges, as well as boards for steps.
In addition, you need to purchase folding hangers that secure the hatch cover. Having prepared the necessary materials, we begin to create the device. When working, you should take into account the height and width of the staircase itself, as well as the number of steps. The stages are fixed in the traditional way on both sides. This could be using the peak and groove fastening method or using screws and glue. In this step, it is recommended to apply or stick anti-slip pad. Installation of the device begins with mounting it under the ceiling. Two rods, equal in width to the ladder, are connected to each other by contours.
The main disadvantage of this folding stairs is hers appearance, since all fasteners and rods are visible.
Making a folding model for the attic with your own hands is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.
When making a wooden staircase, it is necessary to take hard wood (oak, beech, ash, larch) with a thickness of at least 2 centimeters. The hatch is the basis of any attic staircase.
You can make a hatch with your own hands using the following materials:
First, you need to know the parameters of the width and length of the hole for which the hatch is made, and then add 6-8 millimeters to the obtained values.
The operating procedure is as follows:
Folding stairs have gained wide popularity today, as they combine two important advantages: saving space in the room due to the prefabricated staircase system and the possibility of comfortable and safe access to the attic. Whatever the function of the attic in your home, it can only be accessed with the help of a ladder, which will become a link between the two floors.
This article provides step-by-step instruction on creating a folding attic ladder. You will learn how to correctly assemble the main hinge element, what to make sections of the stairs from and how to securely fasten the structure in installation position. The article contains diagrams and drawings.
An inventory factory staircase to the attic is a fairly common product that can be purchased at many hardware stores. However budget options They are not always reliable, but strong branded products cost accordingly. Making a necessary item or device with your own hands from scrap materials is very popular among home craftsmen. The attic staircase is no exception.
To assemble an analogue of a factory product, you will need high-quality materials that may be available, especially during construction:
Tool:
First of all, you need to choose a place for the stairs and make an opening. If necessary, trim and install intermediate beams in the ceiling - by 6-7 mm larger size proposed cover. Next, according to the size of the hatch, you need to assemble the cover itself - from a block and plywood. The design can be arbitrary, but it must be reliable (it is better to glue the connections). The block on one of the short sides should be rounded so as not to interfere with the lid opening.
This is the most critical element of the design. To make it you will need: a steel corner, a plate and strips with a thickness of at least 3 mm. The shape of the parts is clear from the diagram, but the dimensions of the drilling site should be determined individually, based on the local situation. Manufactured parts must be of high quality; they must be cleaned and edges processed.
1 - thrust plate; 2 - corner, top view; 3 - short slide; 4 - long drawstring
The key point is determining the opening angle. This angle is very important and figures into the production of the plate. In order to set it correctly, project the future march on the ground - stretch the thread and set the desired angle experimentally (by selecting the best position). Securely attach it to the protractor - it will be needed when making steps.
The resulting angle must be transferred to the part, namely to the plate. To do this, set the mechanism to its original position, attach the inclinometer and move until the corners of the corner flange and the inclinometer coincide. Then mark the plate along the resulting trajectory and cut out the area where the part moves.
Holes should be pre-drilled in the plate for mounting to the beam. We assemble the mechanism with bolts and washers.
After rough assembly, you need to try the unit in place, attach it and accurately reproduce the procedure for opening and closing the hatch. If any movement defects are found, correct them.
Then you need to make a response mechanism. It should completely repeat the first one, but in a mirror form. Use clamps and a workbench - by clamping the parts together, you will achieve complete identical dimensions.
Make adjustments experimentally and final installation. Cover in open position should exactly follow the angle projected by the cord.
Calculation of the length of each section:
Let's assume that the flight length is 2500 mm. Based on the opening length of 1200 mm:
We mark the entire boards according to the calculation and transfer the angle of the march to the bowstrings.
Attention! Bowstrings must be installed in a mirror manner! Take this into account when marking and drilling.
At the joints of the sections we drill holes Ø 25 - mirror through one.
All parts must be processed with high quality sanding belt, chamfers must be rounded in order to bring the quality as close as possible to the factory one.
Then we cut grooves for the steps according to the markings. We select wood with a chisel.
The design of individual sections is assembled using 65 mm self-tapping screws with a press washer using D-3 wood glue.
The hinges for the knees can be made from the same strip as the opening mechanism. To do this, cut 4 strips of 160 mm and 4 of 120 mm, rounding the ends. We weld legs to four of them to a length of 160 mm with a hole of 8 mm. You should end up with 8 pieces of equal length, but 4 of them with a step.
Assemble the individual plates into hinges using bolts.
Lay it out on a flat surface and install the finished sectional hinges so that the fastening bolts fit into the holes in the wood. Install the hinges with M8-10 bolts.
After assembling the first bend, check the system for functionality. If necessary, correct any distortions.
Then attach the lower short elbow and test the system.
Now all that remains is to mount the ladder in its designed position - on the manhole cover. For installation, use bolts (self-tapping screws are not reliable). If after installation and testing everything works without distortions, the structure can be dismantled for painting. Use varnishes and spray paint on metal.
Subsequently, the design can be complicated and made more convenient by adding to it:
Finished view of the staircase:
The issue of finishing and insulation is decided locally, based on needs. The lid can be finished with any material that fits into the ceiling. Basically it is plastic - lightweight, inexpensive and has an additional layer of air. The difference in price between the “home” and “store” versions of a folding ladder is about 90% (80-150 USD). The work required only a few new boards, covering them and hardware.
Almost all country houses have attics. To organize a comfortable and safe ascent there, it is necessary to equip a ladder.
It can be made from various materials, but the most common and convenient wooden stairs. Let's look at their types in detail, and tell you how you can make a staircase to the attic with your own hands from wood.
Finished building
Structures for climbing into the attic can be permanent or removable. Their type depends on the availability of installation space, ceiling height and frequency of use.
After all, the attic is often used as utility room, and there is no need to install a complex architectural structure. However, even among simple designs There are some that will fit harmoniously into the interior and will not take up much space.
When choosing a type, you don’t need to think about the possibility of moving large objects along it or having two people at the same time, since both of these situations are unlikely to arise.
All structures, according to the type of attachment to the supporting base, are divided into the following types:
Such structures consist of two load-bearing strings, straight or curved, between which steps are located in grooves.
On the bowstrings
They are a little reminiscent of bowstring systems, but the difference is that stringers serve as a support beam. The steps are attached to them from above, so that they seem to lie on supports. Usually one or two stringers are used.
On the stringers
IN in this case, the steps are pinned on one side to the wall, or to a wall mounted load-bearing beam. This system of steps looks very stylish.
Boltsevaya
This design has found application in screw type devices. One, narrowed end of the step is fixed on a vertical load-bearing support, and if positioned correctly, all steps form a spiral flight. The big advantage of such a system is that it does not take up much space.
Screw
Such structures can be made using all listed types fastenings.
On a vertical support and bowstring
Stationary types are the most visually attractive, convenient and safe to use. However, it is not always possible to find suitable free space for installing capital attic systems.
They are quite inconvenient to use for interfloor movements:
Pristavnaya
Most often, portable options are used when access to the attic is from the street.
This type is very convenient and functional for indoors small area, and “not suffering” from excessive luxury. They are compact, easy to fold and put away in the hatch. Despite the apparent primitiveness of the design, they can withstand decent loads (150-250 kg).
Manufacturers offer big choice. They consist of 3-4 spans and are easily adjusted to any ceiling height. However, the price of these structures is quite decent.
If the question arises about manufacturing, wood is the most suitable material for these purposes. No need to buy finished design, since it’s quite easy to make yourself.
The production process of an attic ladder can be seen in the video in this article:
Capital construction with your own hands: stages of work. When making a structure, you will need bars for making a bowstring, boards for steps, a set of screws and anchors for fastening, varnish or paint for finishing.
Tools required for work:
Manufacturing instructions:
The result is a simple, but reliable and safe system.
Variant on bowstrings
Requirements for folding structures:
Let's look at how to make it yourself:
Important! During the production of the structure, and especially during its installation, you will definitely need an assistant.
Important! Before attaching the system to the hatch, check that all components are functioning properly.
The result is a design that will provide safe access to the attic, and will not take up space in the house.
We looked at what types of wooden attic stairs there are, their types, and use cases. Gave advice on making comfortable and functional staircase with your own hands. Now it's up to you!
