It doesn’t seem like it, but buying a loft ladder can be hard especially when it comes to choosing the right one. Various factors determine the ladder you’ll choose, from the many varieties available.
Should you find the process of buying a loft ladder challenging, consider these tips as they will help you choose the perfect fit for your uses.
1. Main Types
Three main types of loft ladders are available made from aluminium, steel or timber. It is important to learn about the different types. Take a look at the breakdown of several loft ladders. This way, you can pick the ladder that best suits your preferences and purpose, such as the ones that can be found over at Lakeside-hire.co.uk.
Sliding loft ladders
Considered an easy fit, the sliding type allows easy use. Usually these are attached to the joists in your loft and are available in 2 or 3 section ladders. Most modern UK homes allow the use of sliding loft ladders. The homes have big enough lofts to meet the minimum size required. The bigger lofts also allow easy extending to fit the sliding loft ladders. Even when a loft hatch is not available, a kit is supplied to help you transform your hatch into a hinged hatch, to permit the use of sliding loft ladders.
If you are looking for lightweight, minimal light usage ladders, you can buy the budget aluminium sliding ladders. This type offers a straightforward service for a decent price but is noisier than others.
Examples of sliding loft ladders include the Concertina loft ladder. While expensive, these are great at saving space and need few landing space requirements. Most specialists advise you not to buy budget Concertina ladders, since they pose many challenges when it comes to installation and usage.
You could also consider the heavy-duty concertina loft ladders made in the UK, which, although expensive, offer heavy-duty, industrial quality.
Other concertina loft ladders you can buy include:
• Electrical concertina loft ladders
• Concertina loft ladders with hatch included
• Manually operated standalone concertina loft ladders without hatch
• Spring-assisted standalone concertina loft ladders without hatch
Telescopic Loft Ladders
Similar to Concertina ladders, these ladders are great at saving space. Telescopic ladders are ideal for function and have a fantastic form that fits in considerably tight spaces.
Folding loft ladders
These are pretty easy to use with a simple folding of the unit, which is available in 2 or 3 sections. When the loft hatch is fully closed, the sections stack on top of each other.
Electric loft ladders
Electric loft ladders operate like folding ladders but the folding is powered by electricity, with the push of a button or remote control. You could choose to buy either the semi-automatic or the fully electric loft ladder.
Knowing the characteristics of different types of loft ladders is very important for you as you plan on buying loft ladders. Ensure you get a perfect fit for your loft ladder choice.
2. What are they made of?
Timber
Timber loft ladders are preferred by most people, especially for the folding loft ladders options. When compared to aluminium ladders, timbers ones are significantly quieter, smoother, and blend naturally into most environments. Some users are often concerned however with the flexing and bending of timber when stepped on.
You could choose one of the high-quality timber loft ladders that have a loft hatch attached for quick installation to your loft opening. These come in varying sizes from which you can select the option that fits your specific dimensions. You will need to measure your loft hatch to ensure it’s an ideal fit for your ladder if you choose to buy it.
Aluminium
Aluminium loft ladders are stronger and are free from insect damage that can occur with timber. Aluminium offers a lightweight but stronger option. There are however a few drawbacks of using aluminium loft ladders such as the noise and the fact they don’t offer a smooth operation like the timber ladders. In addition, they are not as strong as steel.
Steel
Steel loft ladders allow high weight load and long life. They are, however, heavier and more expensive than timber and aluminium.
3. Product important information
Loft ladders usually don’t have specific classifications but looking at the information discussed below can help you to buy the best loft ladder.
Weight load
Listed under a loft ladder’s specifications is the maximum load figure. This will help you identify the type of ladder to buy, depending on the weight of materials you intend to carry up to your loft.
Warranty
The manufacturer’s guarantee of quality, is one way of showing the quality of loft ladders. Usually, with correct fitting and usage, a loft ladder can offer around 5 to 10 years of great service. Depending on the type of ladder, you can obtain between 1 to 10 years of warranty. Check this when buying a loft ladder to increase your chances of buying the right product.
4. Seller
Just like many products, you’d want to buy your loft ladder from a trustworthy seller. Research the leading stores offering loft ladders and have a read through customer reviews. Most have homepages where you can browse different types of loft ladders before buying them. Here you can learn about quality and prices to see if the loft ladder you are interested in, fits your preferences and budget.
Take away
Buying a loft ladder should never pose a problem. Take into consideration the factors above. Chances of ending up with an excellent option of a loft ladder are quite high if you use these tips.
