Shop attic access

[Bravo64]

I'm looking ahead to the interior phase. I have a 14ft ceiling with storage attic trusses. I haven't framed in the access point because I'm weighing my options. Is there any solution to a folding attic ladder for such a high ceiling? I can only find 10 & 12ft ones.

 

[srmofo]

Online special order. All the big names make them but they get expensive

 

[astroracer]

Any consideration to building a dedicated stairway? Build it at the end of the structure and enclose the lower half. Makes a great place to put a furnace or air compressor or to organize as "out of sight" storage.
Mark

 

[rburke65]

You have attic trusses and no stairway?

 

[LB-1911]

I'm looking ahead to the interior phase. I have a 14ft ceiling with storage attic trusses. I haven't framed in the access point because I'm weighing my options. Is there any solution to a folding attic ladder for such a high ceiling? I can only find 10 & 12ft ones.

Surprised your search didn't turn this up -

Models for 12, 13, 14 and 15 foot heights
http://www.rainbowatticstair.com/all-products/f-series/

 

[Streetbu]

Regular 20' ladder hinged at the ceiling. Use a pulley and rope to pull it up & tie it off to a cleat on the wall.

 

[Ross/Kzoo]

Regular 20' ladder hinged at the ceiling. Use a pulley and rope to pull it up & tie it off to a cleat on the wall.

That sounds like a pretty good idea.

I just bought a 12' attic Keller folding ladder @ Menards for $200. You could make a movable 2' platform and then use a 12' ladder.

 

[wnstwolf]

No detail on how big the space is but if at all possible try to get a dedicated stair built. You will tire of the ladder quickly or it will limit what you can get up there.

 

[Bravo64]

Surprised your search didn't turn this up -

Models for 12, 13, 14 and 15 foot heights
http://www.rainbowatticstair.com/all-products/f-series/

I called for a quote through a local building distributor and it's $2500 plus $300 shipping from Texas to Oregon. Ugh, outta my price range.

 

[Bravo64]

No detail on how big the space is but if at all possible try to get a dedicated stair built. You will tire of the ladder quickly or it will limit what you can get up there.

I ordered the trusses as storage because it wasn't that much more. I figured you can't have enough light storage space (10x40x6'). I slid the second truss over to the third from the end then added perlins between. I can frame in up to a 40" x 66". If I go with a staircase, it has to be engineered and permitted ($$). Not sure if I wanna give up the floor space.

 

[JonBoehman]

I think a dedicated stairway would be the way to go. I know it may take up some space in the lower portion of the building but, I wouldn't want to use a ladder for that type of incline or height. I am only 38 and in fairly decent condition but, I would consider aging issues with getting up and down a ladder vs. a stairway.

 

[Bravo64]

Regular 20' ladder hinged at the ceiling. Use a pulley and rope to pull it up & tie it off to a cleat on the wall.

I like this idea. Maybe have someone weld me up a hing system that will mount to the ladder. It would be nice if I can make it pull up flush with a plywood bottom.

 

[Trey T]

I would look into building a lift in conjunction with attic stairway. From safety POV, there's too much risk in carrying stuff up and down the attic stair.

I would build a traditional stairway

 

[Streetbu]

We used the ladder setup at my parents, but only an 8' ceiling height. We have a full set of stairs set up the same way at my work in a pole barn with 16' ceilings. Work fine, but a little heavier to lift. No reason you couldn't just double up on the pulley system though.

 

[wyattoil]

Just finished building these stairs to my 1\2 story storage space in a detached garage, 12' from garage floor to attic floor. I contemplated finding some type of ladder and maybe a winch to save space but figured the stairs would be better in the run and for resale.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Just finished building these stairs to my 1\2 story storage space in a detached garage, 12' from garage floor to attic floor. I contemplated finding some type of ladder and maybe a winch to save space but figured the stairs would be better in the run and for resale.

Nice stairway, you really need to have build thread on that place.



I use a ladder to get into my attic. If I were to build a new place with storage trusses, I'd try to incorporate some type of stairs into the build design.

 

[Bravo64]

wyattoil; that looks awesome. Nice to see one already constructed to get a better idea. Yes, I agree the loss of a corner is worth a sturdy staircase. Did you have someone engineer that or did you do it? If I construct this prior to final, I need to get permits etc.

 

[Streetbu]

I would always prefer regular stairs vs my previous suggestions. But they do eat up A LOT of floor space which always seems to be at a premium in our garages. Not only on the garage floor, but also in the attic too. If the items are too heavy or bulky to store in the attic, I find another place for them or ponder whether or not I really need to hang onto them. I usually do a twice a year haul out and cleanup of my garage. If I haven't used since the last clean up it gets tossed out.

 

[Bravo64]

I'm just concerned of the load placed on the double trusses bottom cord from the stair tread. The cord is a 2x6 (x2). The webs are 2x4's. Since the trusses are only storage & not attic trusses, I don't want to overload them.

 

[Ray916MN]

Carrying stuff up and down a 14' attic stair to store or retrieve it?

I'd consider building a lift cage with a switches at each end so it could be operated like an elevator instead.

 

[kingchevy]

Search YouTube, there are some really nice pull down staircases.

 

[Moose02]

did or am doing like wyattoil did with a 14 ft ceiling you can see in the backround had a set of stairs made then cut them and made a platform to turn the stairs lit wyatt

work in process trying to figure how to do a lift up door rather than box the whole thing in

still on the drawing board for that till I get the garage heater hooked up its mounted but gas hook up is not my thing garage is only 33 x 44 x 14 ft ceiling should have gone a little bigger

 

[wyattoil]

wyattoil; that looks awesome. Nice to see one already constructed to get a better idea. Yes, I agree the loss of a corner is worth a sturdy staircase. Did you have someone engineer that or did you do it? If I construct this prior to final, I need to get permits etc.

The lumber for the whole garage came as part of a "kit" with zero instructions so I ended up working and reworking and reworking it in sketch up after the trusses were up. It did not come out perfect but really really close to my plans so I'm happy. I built it to code based on some handouts on stairways from the City building department. The real trick was getting a landing at the top in the direction of travel that was at least 36" x36" by 80" tall and a landing and treads in the corner that cleared 80" under the double truss that makes up the non-wall side of then stair opening. It is damn close....

 

[CNGsaves]

Have you considered outdoor stairs and small patio with sliding door?? Would make getting items up there so much easier, including sheetrock. Make the railing on patio removable so you could have straight shot into sliding glass door without even using the stairs.

 

[Bravo64]

I recently contacted the truss mfg. and asked what the load ratings are for my trusses. He said 30lbs per sq/ft. So I'm thinking if there is a 4x8 sheet of sub flooring at the top of the stair case where it attaches, it should be strong enough to support the weight of three risers and the weight of a 250lb person plus around 700 lbs. Any thoughts welcomed?

 

[Trey T]

what types of trusses are these? I'm asking be cause that 30psf load capacity matter where you construct your attic.

can you show how your attic look like?

 

[Bravo64]

what types of trusses are these? I'm asking be cause that 30psf load capacity matter where you construct your attic.

Can you show how your attic look like?

Here is a quick sketch I drew up. The trusses are 2x4 with 2x6 bottom cord. They are placed 2ft on center.

 

[Bravo64]

Have you considered outdoor stairs and small patio with sliding door?? Would make getting items up there so much easier, including sheetrock. Make the railing on patio removable so you could have straight shot into sliding glass door without even using the stairs.

No, that's not an option. Plus I'm on a tight budget and already over it. Working outta pocket. That's why it's not sided yet. Just planning ahead for finishing interior, once exterior is completed. And I have to finish framing, so I can get it signed off with the electrical.

 

[Ray916MN]

Are you going to have a 4 post lift in the shop? If the attic access is over where the 4 post lift is, you should be able to make a regular 8' attic pull down stair work to get you to the lift when the lift is raised. Deck between your runway lifts, and just use the lift to get up to the height for the attic access stairs to work.

 

[Bravo64]

Are you going to have a 4 post lift in the shop? If the attic access is over where the 4 post lift is, you should be able to make a regular 8' attic pull down stair work to get you to the lift when the lift is raised. Deck between your runway lifts, and just use the lift to get up to the height for the attic access stairs to work.

No lift planned. Just a building to park rv and wood work. But I get your meaning.

 

[astroracer]

Build a stairway... Build it as you can afford it. As far as wasted space, there really is none because, like I said in my original post, there will be plenty of things you can store under it. A 2 x 4 wall along side the well will support the head of the stairs with no weight on the rafters. Or just put in a king post to support the corner. Easy, cheap and usable.
My house garage has a stairwell to the office space above it. The furnace, storm door storage and yard ornaments are under it and out of the way.

 

[hh76]

Keep in mind that carrying anything up a 14' ladder or fold down attic stairway and squeezing between trusses will mean you are asking to take a nasty fall. Don't plan on it being all that useful without a real staircase, or at least some sort of lift system for getting materials up there.

I'd use a couple of 2x12s and build a staircase that could be winched up and out of the way. Would probably need additional bracing.

 

[JohnnieMo]

I am planning something like this.







These pictures aren't very good but I can create some more if you wish.

Basically, the stairs are thin enough to fit between the joists. There is a fulcrum point right in the rafter itself (a steel bar), and the stairs pivot on it. I'm going to hook up a small winch to raise and lower it (connected up in the attic on the top end of the stairs).

In my case I plan to make it a 36" wide rafter to gain that extra width, although the designs don't show that yet.

 

[Alan Douglas]

That could even have a handrail permanently attached to the stair.

 

[JohnnieMo]

Yes it could. Here are some better shots. I haven't modded the drawing yet to extend the stairs up higher.... as that lever would be where I'd attach the winch - if that makes sense.

 

[Bravo64]

JohnnieMo, a picture is worth a thousand words. Yours has said a lot. Great images. I think I'm sold on the fixed stairs with storage underneath. I'm drawing in Adobe Illustrator but dimensions are a real *****. The 14' ceiling lends to a steep angle to the corner platform. Probably 12 steps then another twelve steps. If my calcs are correct, the corner platform would be around 7ft off the floor. That's with a 7/12 pitch.