Buying a Concertina Loft Ladder is one of the smartest things that you can do to make Loft Access easy. I still know people who will take a huge, heavy steel ladder from out the back and lug it into the house. After setting it up, you have to climb up something that was never intended to get into holes, and it can be a bit dodgy. These ladders are heavy and a real pain when you dent your wall. Today, you can get a Concertina Loft Ladder which folds up into itself, and up through the hatch. These are great as they perform the one function that they are designed for with ease.

A Concertina Loft Ladder is either designed to fold out vertically, or to fold out horizontally. The vertically folding ladders look almost like multiple scissors joined together, as they stretch and open up. The horizontal opening ladders tend to be made of three or four pieces which open out sideways. These are not as easy to open up, and they are usually heavier due to the materials that they are made of. Most of these ladders are either made of steel, or timber. Even if they are made of aluminum, the amount of aluminum that you need to ensure that it is strong makes it weigh a bit more.

If you are still using a ladder that you have laying around in the house then it truly is time that you upgraded. These don’t cost that much, and with a little bit of hands on experience you can fit them yourself. One thing to be very mindful of is the height of your ceiling. If you don’t match this with the right sized ladder, then you will find that it won’t work properly. These ladders are strong because the weight is supported by the floor, and the ceiling mount just keeps the ladder vertical. If the ladder doesn’t touch the floor then you are hanging the entire weight off the ceiling, which is not a good idea! Alternatively, a Telestep Ladder is a great idea. These function like a telescope, and are very portable.

I really like the Aluminum Attic Ladder because of the way they look, how light they are and how easy they are to pull down. Most of these just have a small stick, which you hook over the lever and pull the hatch down. The ladder follows down, and then you can easily climb up it. Some of these ladders are designed more like stairs which tend to be easier to climb. The only disadvantage is that you generally need a stronger set up, which is usually heavier and takes longer to set up. What I mean by ‘stair like’ is that instead of climbing up vertically, you are walking forwards and up at the same time, like stairs!

At the end of the day though there are more than just one Concertina Loft Ladder on the market, and buying something which is going to suit you is a good idea. If you are good with timber, by all means make your own up; they aren’t that hard. Remember though, keep it simple and you won’t have any issues.