I've been asked to fit a loft ladder for someone who has a hatch 65cm square and limited height in the loft of 65cm to store the ladder.
Looks like we need a concertina one or a telescopic one.
Anyone any experience of telescopic ones? They seem to be about £200. I reckon concertina ones aren't as good as they tend to bounce up and down as you use them which can be unnerving!
In article snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com, Murmansk snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com writes
Seems reasonable sort of space. Ours is telescopic It pivots flat as you push it up into the loft so no great height needed.
I've climbed hundreds of loft ladders. With no prior knowledge of their safety I always bounce up and down and sway about violently whilst still on a low rung.
Bill
I have a concertina one, had it for over 20 years. Still OK but at first I was a bit distrustful since it does feel squishy even with the catches engaged. I would say though that you need quite a bit of effort to concertina it and hook it back in the right place or it can come and hit you on the head. However I guess if its only going to be used by fit tradesmen or whatever its fine. Lofts are filthy places, so no matter what you do just opening the hatch filed the landing with grit dead spiders and almost anything else it seems. Brian
I generally feel all ladders should have a warning appended to them, no disco or break dancing on higher rungs. Bit like peanut butter containers having may contain nut products on the side. Brian
Which part of your anatomy is doing that though ?.
Mine is a sliding 3-section aluminium, it pivots flat as it raises through the hatch, don't suppose it exceeds 65cm height (don't think I've ever been in loft with the ladder "up" though), provided you have the room for it to lay more or less flat
Is 65 cm the maximum storage height or the maximum headroom? Many ladders need to extend vertically above the hatch by almost the length of one section as they are being pushed up, before then pivoting so they are horizontal.
All of it, in perfect and elegant synchronisation.
Bill
65cm is the space between the floor of the loft and the beam above, having looked at the spec of ordinary 3 part loft ladders they need 75cm of headroom but once fully parked they probably only take up about 30cm in height.
Ditto here.
Works well.
Not the one I have. the three sections drop down and then are extended. Ther headroom is just to allow them to be rotated up through the hatch
65cm is a bit optimistic. Id say 800mm
Even ones that seem fine when stood on can still turn out to be a total hazard.
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