There are a number of loft ladder types on the market and choosing one can be difficult, alongside the style of the loft ladder to consider you also need to think about the dimensions to ensure it fits your space. Our main styles of loft ladders include; folding, which are typically wooden with a hatch, sliding and telescopic, which come without a hatch and can therefore be used in conjunction with your current loft hatch and concertina which offer a little extra style. Electric loft ladders are also an option and are recommended for those with a slightly higher budget.
When you are measuring up for your new loft ladders you need to make a few 'key' measurements but bear in mind some of these are slightly different depending on which type of ladder you want to buy. We have set out to show you the main measurements in a bit more detail including how to measure them accurately. If you need any help please get in touch with our team or call us on 01204 590 232. Below you will find a diagram to help and brief explanations on what each measurement is:
FLOOR TO CEILING HEIGHT
This is the distance measured from the floor, where your ladders will rest, to the ceiling of the same room. This measurement is usually required if the ladders are of the 'Folding' style, or come with an integrated frame and hatch. When you look at the specifications for a loft ladder they will usually indicate the minimum and the maximum floor to ceiling height that the ladders can be made to fit.
FLOOR TO FLOOR HEIGHT
This is the distance measured from the floor, where your ladders will rest, to the floor of the room above, usually your loft/attic. This measurement is usually required for 'Sliding', 'Concertina' and 'Telescopic' style loft ladders as they require that the ladders be fixed to the floor using a (supplied) bracket. When you look at the specifications for a loft ladder they will usually indicate the minimum and the maximum floor to floor height that the ladders can be adjusted to fit.
LOFT OPENING DIMENSIONS
This is the maximum size of the 'hole' that could be made in your loft floor to accommodate your loft ladders, this may be bigger than the size of your existing loft opening if you have one. Consideration must be given to the position of joists and other obstructions such as cabling that put a natural limit on how big the opening can be made.
This measurement is usually required for 'Sliding', 'Concertina' and 'Telescopic' style loft ladders. When you look at the specifications for a loft ladder they will usually indicate the minimum size of loft opening that you will need for the ladders to fit.
LOFT OPENING DIMENSIONS FOR LADDERS WITH A FRAME/ HATCH SUPPLIED
Loft ladders that come with a hatch and frame attached need a specific size of loft opening to be made for them to fit into. When you measure the maximum loft opening size that you can make you will know whether you can install a ladder with a hatch of a certain size.
For example, if you measure that you can make a loft opening with maximum dimensions of 1100 mm x 600 mm then you will know that a loft ladder with a supplied hatch size of 1000 mm x 500 mm will fit. Whereas one with a hatch size of 1000 mm x 650 mm will not.
VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL CLEARANCE
This is a measure of the distance in your loft space from the hinge end of your loft hatch vertically and horizontally to the nearest obstruction. This may be the eaves of the roof, a boiler or other structural obstruction that you will not be able to move.
When you look at the specifications for a loft ladder they will indicate the maximum clearance required, this takes into account the movement of the loft ladders into the loft space and the 'arc' through which they may pass to reach their resting position.
SWING CLEARANCE
This measures the 'arc' through which folding ladders will move as they are retracted into the loft. You might find that you have enough room once the ladders are fully extended and ready for use but the swing clearance can actually mean that the ladders would not fold away correctly. You need to measure the distance from the hinge end of your loft hatch to the nearest obstruction, usually a wall.
LANDING SPACE
The same measurement, from the hinge of the hatch to the nearest obstruction, will also tell you if you have enough landing space. This is the distance from the hinge of the hatch to the resting place of the feet on the floor once the ladders are fully extended. The distance is measured horizontally along the floor.