Some old houses have attics the size of a small barn, complete with dormers for light and air.
You want a few extra bedrooms or maybe a bowling alley, no problem. But in most houses these days the attic is a jungle of trusses. Those triangular frames support the roof, the ceiling below, and are crisscrossed with braces that make access difficult — even for storing a few boxes.
Many houses have an access panel, but no means of getting up there, other than a ladder. To use the space one way or another, the first step, then, is planning efficient access, and there are several possibilities with different types of attic stairs.
Some require alterations in the attic floor framing — a straightforward job with 2-by-8 joists that borders on impossible with trusses. Some ladders have large, slanting footprints and require a sizable patch of the ceiling and the floor below, while others telescope and pull nearly straight down.
Framing options
Trusses are used on most houses because they’re less expensive than one-piece rafters and joists.
The drawback is that you can’t remove a section here and there because the maze of timbers requires the support of every member. It’s possible technically, but would require an architect’s or engineer’s drawings, temporary bracing and a really good carpenter.
If trusses are set 16 inches on center, you’re cooked. If they’re 24 inches on center, several companies make access hatches and stairs to fit between them — just barely. That’s if the trusses run in the right direction, parallel to the space needed for a ladder and sure footing on the landing below.
If the trusses run perpendicular to the landing, you may still have room from a nearly straight-down model, but not for an extended, more angled stairway.
With solid joists like 2-by-8s on the attic floor there are several solutions, no matter which direction they run.
You might need a carpenter to handle some of the options plus a little cosmetic work on the ceiling drywall and trim to finish. But it’s basic framing.
In a nutshell, timbers around the new opening are doubled to carry structural loads that used to be carried by the one that’s removed to make room for the stairs. With this setup, you’re not limited to a narrow or nearly vertical stairway.
Stair options
Attic stairs come preassembled and screw into a prepared opening. The traditional model has wood rails and steps that pull down from a spring-loaded access hatch, plus a few final feet of fold-down steps. Prices start at about $150 and increase along with the weight capacity.
Check the Web for major manufacturers including Bessler, Werner, and Louisville Ladder to see the range — up to full-length sliding stairways rated at 800 pounds for more than $1,200. These units have single-piece stringers (the boards on each side of the steps) and no hinged section at the bottom. They’re sturdy and easy to use, but require a roomy attic for storage, even when the pulley system slides them flat and into the eaves.
One of the smallest footprints comes with Werner’s Televator, a spring-assist, telescoping attic ladder that fits between solid joists or trusses installed 24 inches on center. Available in 8- and 10-foot models (about $220), the aluminum construction is rated to 250-pound capacity but weighs only 36 pounds. That makes the installation easier. The telescoping parts slant only slightly, so the unit doesn’t need a big pull-down footprint in a hallway, and will provide attic access through most closets. Check the installation video at wernerladder.com/televator.
Most manufacturers say that installation is an easy, one-person project. But the spring-assist on heavy wooden ladders, at least, can be difficult to control until the unit is secured. After a close look at the instructions, doing the project with two people is a good idea.