Garage Attic Ladder Question
- Thread starter Code Red
- Start date
- Nov 18, 2011
- 1,444
You are making your own?
Or buying a setup from the store?
The ones from the stores fit between the rafters, at least all the ones I have seen. They are pre-framed, you slide them in place and attach to the rafters. Really simple to put in, but its good to have a few people to do the work.
Or buying a setup from the store?
The ones from the stores fit between the rafters, at least all the ones I have seen. They are pre-framed, you slide them in place and attach to the rafters. Really simple to put in, but its good to have a few people to do the work.
- Dec 11, 2011
- 377
Ghoster said:You are making your own?
Or buying a setup from the store?
The ones from the stores fit between the rafters, at least all the ones I have seen. They are pre-framed, you slide them in place and attach to the rafters. Really simple to put in, but its good to have a few people to do the work.
store bought, reason I was thinking of going length wise was so the ladder can sit between cars when down.
- Nov 18, 2011
- 1,444
Code Red said:
That would be an awful lot of rafters to cut and re-frame. Not sure that is such a good idea. Its still possible to run it with the rafters and have it come down just right between the cars. It may take good planning and testing, but I think you can pull it off.
- Dec 11, 2011
- 377
jham said:
well none at the moment I have a lot crap and trying to organize and insulate and finish off the garage so I can organize it. but the garage is a 2 and a 1/2 car garage and the garage door is not centered. so there is a entry door off to the left of the garage door. so then again i may have to move a car if I use the exact center of the garage.
jham
Member
- Nov 20, 2011
- 1,334
I have mine centered between where the 2 cars can go in mine its 28ft wide and I have to move a car out to use it unless I had a Smartcar lol
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- Nov 18, 2011
- 1,444
jham said:
Good example pic!
If yours had been positioned more to one side, so the feet of the ladder hit right about at the crack on the floor, you may be able to open it with 2 cars there. It would be tight, but possible. I had one once that I could do that with, but the ladder was at the very front of the garage by the wall. So it came down over the hood of the car we had, but when unfolded hit perfect. I didn't install it, but someone had put a lot of thought in to the positioning of it.
fletch09
Member
- Nov 20, 2011
- 1,982
jham said:Or if its an option for the op mark how far the cars pull in so it would open in front of them. which is what i should have done
this is the way mine is. bought my house from a builder, he was wise enough to put it out of the way, so it would open in front of the cars.
depending on what i'm putting up there, i still back the TB out just in case i accidently drop something.
navigator
Member
- Dec 3, 2011
- 504
those things are shaky enough as it is, I don't want to be coming down from the attic with the Christmas tree and the ladder on a stool.
You could put a straight ladder type in the center near the back wall and then more toward the center you could get one of these from Harbor Freight and built almost like a little elevator and use one of these
My dad did that in an old barn, makes it easier to get heavy stuff up and down. He build almost like a basket for hauling things up and down.
You could put a straight ladder type in the center near the back wall and then more toward the center you could get one of these from Harbor Freight and built almost like a little elevator and use one of these
My dad did that in an old barn, makes it easier to get heavy stuff up and down. He build almost like a basket for hauling things up and down.
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HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
If our house does not sell by spring I will be putting one of these in as well. I like the idea of the front of the garage, but already have a little hole cut in center of garage. Sucks because I cant use it with the garage door up.
The first thing i had installed in the house when we moved in was an attic ladder in the garage. It is a full room up there with a window completely going to waste with 12 foot ceilings as the roof pitch is 14/12. Anyway, the positioning of it pretty much required one of the cars has to be backed up at least a couple feet so not the most convenient. Regardless, my suggestion is to get the more expensive, much stronger, aluminum version and skip the wood. I'm only 175lbs and when I bring something really heavy up there, I am coming close to the weight restriction on the wood ladder that we have. Also, as handy as the attic ladder is, the opening is pretty small so is a pain to get many akward sized things up there.
In our house, our entire attic is big enough to have added a 4th floor again with really tall ceilings. I'm thinking about having a stair type ladder custom built for more storage but having learned the lesson of the semi-impractical standard attic latter I presume there will need to be some customization done in the ceiling. It's more of a wish list thing but if we ever finish the basement, the storage stuff needs to be moved somewhere.
In our house, our entire attic is big enough to have added a 4th floor again with really tall ceilings. I'm thinking about having a stair type ladder custom built for more storage but having learned the lesson of the semi-impractical standard attic latter I presume there will need to be some customization done in the ceiling. It's more of a wish list thing but if we ever finish the basement, the storage stuff needs to be moved somewhere.
RedEnvoyDenali
Member
- Dec 4, 2011
- 520
DucatiSS said:You have pre-enginereed trusses. DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT CUTTING THEM
install the ladder in between the existing rafters.
DucatiSS is correct "DO NOT CUT THESES TRUSSES". In addition they are not designed for loading on the bottom chord. Not that you can't put stuff up there just keep it light, no engine blocks or such things. Be Careful light stuff adds up when you have a lot of it.
fletch09
Member
- Nov 20, 2011
- 1,982
Regulator said:I am pretty sure I would be cutting some 2x4 to add to that ladder and extending it down a bit more solid. There is no way you would see me relying on that ladder perched on a step stool like that.
why didn't i think of that. will check to see if it will work.
not sure if the added extension will allow it fold up properly.
it has worked fine that way for the last 26 years.
thanks for the insight.
djthumper
Administrator