Pull Down Ceiling Ladder

[yankee john]

I'm building a new 26x26' heated garage. I plan to use the attic for storage, but want to keep the heat in the garage. The garage is too small for a permanent stairs with a door. The off the shelf attic pull downs don't seem to be insulated and don't have any seals or weather stripping.

I planning to build a hinged plywood box on top of the opening for a manufactured attic pull down, put weather stripping on the edges, and line it with 2" foam. I'll flip it over when I go up the stairs.

Any other ideas?

 

[Rockcam]

Actually there are a bunch of insulated pull down stairs available. No doubt that R values will not be what you'll likely have in the rest of the garage, but same as or better than your average window or door.

 

[LB-1911]

I'm building a new 26x26' heated garage. I plan to use the attic for storage, but want to keep the heat in the garage. The garage is too small for a permanent stairs with a door. The off the shelf attic pull downs don't seem to be insulated and don't have any seals or weather stripping.

I planning to build a hinged plywood box on top of the opening for a manufactured attic pull down, put weather stripping on the edges, and line it with 2" foam. I'll flip it over when I go up the stairs.

Any other ideas?

A previous discussion on the same topic with a few photos.

Insulated Attic Ladders
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=264023

 

[yankee john]

Thank you for the link to the thread. I searched for 'ladders' but did not get any hits. Must not have done the search correctly.

 

[Falcon67]

The ladder I used will go in as small as a 24" hole. It comes straight down with a small landing zone. Door can be insulated if you like, or not, as the ladder folds up away from the door. I didn't and it makes no difference in this building. You make the door to suit your chosen opening. Mine is a piece of OSB with some 1/2" weather strip foam around the edges.

I made the opening 4' long do I could get decent sized stuff up in the attic.

 

[Banjorear]

I had a similar situation and made a door that open into the attic. This allowed me to make a stop that also acts as a weather strip/seal. Works well. I'll snap a pict. later tonight.