High ceiling attic stairs ??

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

I'm building a garage with 12' walls. I had teh trusses designed for a 30" wide attic opening. But I have not had much luck finding attic stairs for 12'ceilings. Anyone know of a good source for attic stairs?? Or should I build regular stairs instead??

 

[1320stang]

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,1042797-5,00.html

 

[NickPrime]

Build your own. They are very easy to do, hing them at the landing and they can be drawn up out of the way. If needed a counterbalance and cable makes it easy to lift up.

 

[Junkman]

The price isn't for the faint of heart, but the quality is very good.... http://www.rainbowatticstair.com/

 

[1320stang]

I started out with Rainbow, but their longest model only went to 11'-10". I found the TOH article and ran with that as it had most of the mfg's.

 

[Junkman]

The Rainbow can be made to work by adding a double 2" x 12" that will sit under the bottom of the legs. Just put the wood to the side when it isn't needed. They seem to be the best as far as weigh carrying capacity that I have found. I have a friend that needed an extra 8" for the longest one to work, and he just made a 2' x 3' rectangular box with a plywood top that the stairs landed on. Sometimes you just have to become a little creative. I believe that you can also purchase an extra step to add to the stock length... Junk....

 

[1320stang]

The Bessler Model 100 sliding stair will go up to 12'-10" and is 30" wide, but it's also $1800. Werner has a folding aluminum one that will go to 12' that has a 300# capacity.

This is a neat product:
http://www.calvertusa.com/id35.html

 

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

WOW!!! Some great ideas. Especially those that make up the extra cpl of feet that I will need that most companies don't make. Or they cost an arm and a leg to make work with a 12' ceiling. I like making a plywood box to make up the extra space.

 

[Franz©]

Folding attic stairs ain't exactly hard to make. I copied the one in somebody's house 20 years ago for the one in my barn. The hardware with the exception of the main hinges is all made from ¼ x 1 flatstock, and can be made with a vise and a hammer along with a drill.

If you don't have a router you can install the treads with blocks under them.

 

[logical]

I am close to 13 feet high with 24 inch oc trusses ...and Werner makes a reasonable priced 12 foot pull down that fits in I believe is a 25 inch opening. I used 2x12's bolted to the outside of two trusses to hang down and form a box to mount the stairs in. I made the "box" long enough to build in a fixed final step to get you up to attic floor level. I don't have any pics that I took to show the guts of this but here's one I have that happens to show the results. I did this framing before the drywall guys showed up so it came out pretty clean I think. One of these days I'll trim it out and paint it.

 

[kbs2244]

I guess it depends a lot on what you are going to putting up there.
I grew up climbing a ladder built into the outside wall and useing a hoist to bring things up and down through a hole in the floor/celing.
I have no idea what the inspector types would think of the idea now days.
But a HF hoist on a 16 foot piece of track centered over a 24x48 hole would do a lot of work.
And do it easier than climbing th stairs with it.

 

[michael Mccoy]

Check out the Werner attic metal ladders and make sure you get the latest models which have the steel casing at the top and not the wood casing. I installed mine in the back of the garage and it keeps me from treking accross the whole house to store things above the garage. I love it

 

[mshedb]

Try Werner - their 300lb model has a max ceiling height of 12' (model A2512)

http://www.wernerladder.com/catalog/details.php?series_id=207

or Louisville Ladder - their 350 lb model has a max ceiling height of 12' (Everest model)

http://www.louisvilleladder.com/Escaleras.asp?IdP=72

 

[logical]

Try Werner - their 300lb model has a max ceiling height of 12' (model A2512)

http://www.wernerladder.com/catalog/details.php?series_id=207

or Louisville Ladder - their 350 lb model has a max ceiling height of 12' (Everest model)

http://www.louisvilleladder.com/Escaleras.asp?IdP=72

The 12' Werner unit is what I used....the only caution is that it takes a 25.5" opening. Since I came down off the outside of two 24 oc rafters to build my "access", my box was just right....but it would not have fit directly between 2 trusses at the original ceiling height because they are just 22.5 between. In addition of courese, I needed the drop it gave me to get down to 12 ft.

 

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

My opening is 30". I looked at these as well as the Louisville BigBoy. Nice wide ladder but only 10'. But using a box per a previous post it would work. Still looking. Also looking into possibly building my own. If I can find some decent plans online. Haven't really spent the time looking yet.

 

[GT350RC]

I've got nearly the same issue, only my walls are 9'3" high. I've determined that I'm going build my own "fold-away" staircase.

My opening is 3' x 9', and my stringer is just over 16'. My plan is to have the upper 9' of the stringer (solid 2x12) fit into the opening, and the remaining 7' of the stringer fold under. The hinge between the two stringers will be on the bottom, leaving it under tension when unfolded and loaded.

As mentioned earlier, either a counterweight system, or a garage spring system will help in raising the stairs.

 

[RWD]

Looks like Louisville Ladder makes one too. http://www.industrialladder.com/productDetails.do?productID=3457&categoryID=15

 

[haulna]

logical

I have the same situation with my shop which has 12'-4" ceiliung height and pre-enginnered trusses at 24-inch spacing.

I like the idea with attaching 2x12's along the outside of the trusses to creat the 25.5" opening.

Did you run into any clearance issues with the ladder and the 24" spaced trusses that the 2x12's are attached to.
Did you have to trim or remove any of the truss bottom cord to be able to fold the ladder up and avoid the truss?

Thanks for your help.

 

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

Well I'm still looking. Most of my trusses are 24" spaceing. But I had my entire roof system designed so I would have a 30" spaceing in the middle of my attic. So finding a 30" ladder for a 12' ceiling has been a task. I've kind of narrowed my options to these:

Make my own from plans I found on ebay for $5.

Modify a cheap existing ladder package and mount a folding ladder like the "Little Giant" to work in place of the original one.

Buy a Louisville Ladder "Big Boy" and build a portable landing to make up the extra two feet.

Or keep looking .... LOL

 

[haulna]

If you spacing is oversized at 30", you could frame in a smaller opening and use the Werner 12' ladder.

This ladder uses a 25.5" x 64" opening. I found the best price for the Werner 12' ladder was a Lowes special order. Cost is $345 and no shipping cost if you pick up at the store. I also got a 10% discount on Vererians day holiday for having a family member in the service.

At 30" center to center truss spacing, you should have 28.8" opening between the existing trusses. You need to make up 3" total. You could nail or bolt a 2x framing member onto each truss to make the 25.5" opening and frame in headers on each end to make the 60" length.

 

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

If you spacing is oversized at 30", you could frame in a smaller opening and use the Werner 12' ladder.

This ladder uses a 25.5" x 64" opening. I found the best price for the Werner 12' ladder was a Lowes special order. Cost is $345 and no shipping cost if you pick up at the store. I also got a 10% discount on Vererians day holiday for having a family member in the service.

At 30" center to center truss spacing, you should have 28.8" opening between the existing trusses. You need to make up 3" total. You could nail or bolt a 2x framing member onto each truss to make the 25.5" opening and frame in headers on each end to make the 60" length.

I actually have 30" between these two trusses. I have thought about what you suggested but kind of defeats the purpose of having a 30" opening. I'm still looking at options and have really appreciated the discussion on this topic. I never realized the diversity in an area like attic stairs.

 

[NSXSOON]

I am close to 13 feet high with 24 inch oc trusses ...and Werner makes a reasonable priced 12 foot pull down that fits in I believe is a 25 inch opening. I used 2x12's bolted to the outside of two trusses to hang down and form a box to mount the stairs in. I made the "box" long enough to build in a fixed final step to get you up to attic floor level. I don't have any pics that I took to show the guts of this but here's one I have that happens to show the results. I did this framing before the drywall guys showed up so it came out pretty clean I think. One of these days I'll trim it out and paint it.

I need to do something like this because of my 24" truss spacing. Do the 2x12's "sister" next to the trusses with the remaining 9 or so inches hanging below or did you bolt the whole 2x12 box below the trusses and if so how did you make the atachment?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Toolmaker51]

Some clever workarounds here, considering over-height ceiings & attic stairs. Dropping a 'box' for the attachment akin to a somewhat larger solution I'm going to use.
First off don't waste floor space with a staircase. Build a small mezzanine as a landing for a shorter less expensive folding attic stair. Then find a used material lift [Vestil, Vermette, etc] to use as an elevator. They'll lift 500 pounds 15' or more. Used, found mine for $375.00 and it will do the drywall paneling on ceiling beforehand. I don't like renting equipment, pressures you to complete work being just as well longer term.
So, I doubt I'll use it daily loading the upstairs area, so I'll offer it to rent on craigslist!

Not to sound obtuse; but the age of a thread relates more to the OP than participants later on. One's space may be complete beyond any original concept; but the durable nature of a post helps those who've just found it. The value increases as additional opinions, schemes and products come to light.

 

[Notgrownup]

The price isn't for the faint of heart, but the quality is very good.... http://www.rainbowatticstair.com/

This is what I have, they work great. This is a 12 year old thread, you know that right?

 

[Toolmaker51]

WOW!!! Some great ideas. Especially those that make up the extra cpl of feet that I will need that most companies don't make. Or they cost an arm and a leg to make work with a 12' ceiling. I like making a plywood box to make up the extra space.

That'd be my solution of choice. Make it sturdy, fishplate to OUTSIDE joists and save the 30" rough opening, That allows a two riser/ tread 'landing' and accommodates folding stair.
My ceiling is 15'8", W trussed on 2' centers. The W configuration may as well be walking through a jungle. Only either side of centerline is worth a little ducking. I'm putting an air pistol & rifle range up there, 10m.
On that vein, everyone spends money on per square foot calculations, and hangs stuff on walls. Consider utilizing cubic space. Those taller walls were paid for too! A mezzanine can occupy X amount of space with minimal support from floor or hung above. Just depends if you need to walk on it or just stack boxes.