Loft-Ladder.com

Loft-Ladder.com

If you live in a house you should have some amount of loft space available to you. This is valuable space to waste, as it can be used for storage among other things.

Needless to say if you are going to start using your loft space frequently – or even if you just want to access it every now and again – you will need to have a loft ladder to help you.

Now you might think loft ladders are all pretty much the same. But as you start to look around you will see that they come in various different types and styles. This website is designed to take all the mystery out of buying a new loft ladder. So if you are at the beginning and you want to find out what to expect from your search, this is the best place to do it.

Let’s take a look at the different types of loft ladders you can expect to find during your search.

How many sections do they have?

One thing you will soon notice is that not all loft ladders have the same number of sections. They fall into two groups, having either two or three sections that slide down from the loft to form the ladder itself. These are commonly known as sliding ladders, for obvious reasons.

The ladder that is right for you could depend on the amount of space you have in your loft, as well as the requirements of each individual ladder. The best bet is always to read the instructions and dimensions, so you can see which loft ladder will meet your needs.

Aluminium loft ladders

These are very popular and can be bought quite cheaply as well. They are available within a wide price range though, depending on how well made they are.

You need to be careful because not all aluminium ladders are equal. Some are intended only for occasional use, whereas the heavy duty ones are obviously better for regular use. Either way, you will find them in both two and three section designs.

Timber loft ladders

Timber loft ladders are preferable for many people to aluminium ones – particularly if you want to keep it looking good.

They are usually more expensive, but if you are going to be using it a lot and it will be on show, it does make a good investment. They can be bought in both two and three section formats, so be sure you get the right one according to the space you have available.

Concertina loft ladders

These are so called because they operate in exactly the same way as a concertina. When you pull it down from the loft opening it expands until it touches the floor, giving you a set of steps to walk up. Pushing it back up into the loft for storage concertinas it back up again. Think of a zigzag which is squashed up as far as possible – that is what you get when it goes back up into the loft.

You need to be careful if you are thinking of buying one of these because the cheaper ones usually aren’t worth buying. The concertina design requires a higher payment, so do check you are getting something of good quality.

Telescopic loft ladders

Telescopic ladders are exceptionally good and can be among the easiest types of loft ladder to fit. Whereas the concertina model works as described above, the telescopic one minimises into itself, with each part of the ladder being held within the part above.

The model to watch out for here is the Telesteps brand, which you will find reviewed in our Brands section. We’ve also found some websites which sell these types of loft ladders, so make sure you read the whole of the Shop Now section too.

You will pay more for this type of loft ladder, but the advantage is that they will fit into most sizes of hatch. They also tend to be easy to fit for someone with only reasonably basic DIY skills, saving you the cost of getting someone else to do it for you!

Additional features

Many companies and websites also supply additional items to help you get the best result from your loft ladder. You don’t need to buy any of these items but it is good to know they are available in case you need them.

One of the best examples is a handrail to use with a loft ladder that doesn’t already have one. Make sure you buy the same brand to match your loft ladder here; if you go for a different brand it may well not fit.

Another good additional item is a guard which fits around the inside of the loft hatch, in the loft itself. This is good for safety reasons, as it helps you to get in and out of the loft more easily.

In conclusion

The type of loft ladder you opt for may not simply depend on personal taste. Other more important factors such as the size of the hatch and the height between the ceiling and the floor in the room it will go in are more important. As such you need to think of both the aesthetics as well as the practical needs you have when it is time to buy a new loft ladder.

You can see too that there are more types of loft ladder available than you might have thought. You might have a preference for one particular type, or the room and size of hatch you have might make that decision more easily for you. Always consider all the possibilities before you buy – and remember that you have the biggest choice of loft ladders available by looking through the links on this website.

Be sure to read through our Buyer’s Guide to loft ladders as well. It will help you to gather all the information together that you need to make a good buying choice. Good luck in choosing the right loft ladder for you and your home.