If you have an attic in your house, a folding ladder will save free space on the first floor. You can make it yourself or buy it in a store. However, the first option is the most preferable, as you can make a design that is suitable for the room in which it will be located.
Dimensions of folding stairs
If you will be making a folding ladder, then you need to be guided by standard sizes. They are considered the most acceptable, since it will be most comfortable to use the device taking them into account. The optimal width of the flight of stairs is 65 cm. If we talk about the height of the stairs, then experts do not recommend making this parameter more than 3.5 meters. Otherwise, it may result in injury. Among other things, such a design will be inconvenient to lower and raise. The number of steps should be limited to 14 or 15. Folding ladder will be the most convenient,if the distance between the steps is 19.3 centimeters. The thickness of the step should vary from 18 to 22 millimeters. If the upper part of the stairs will be fixed to the ceiling or an opening in it, then it is important to choose the correct angle of inclination of the structure. The standard value is a value ranging from 60 to 75 degrees. If you use a more impressive slope, then the design will be dangerous to use, while if the slope is less, then the staircase will take up an excessive amount of free space. When you will make a folding ladder, you should take into account that it must withstand a mass of 150 kg. The best option is a ladder that is built into the hatch. The width of the structure should be equal to 70 centimeters, while the length is 120 cm, these parameters are considered the most convenient for use.
Production of a folding ladder from two sections
Folding stairs to the attic can only be made with a certain set of tools. To carry out the work you will need a hacksaw, which is intended for working with wood. For measurements, prepare a tape measure. The master will also need a card loop in the amount of 4 pieces. Prepare two bars, the length of which is equivalent to the width of the hatch. The same number of bars should be prepared with a more impressive length compared to the first. The difference between these parameters should be 20 centimeters. The thickness of the bars can vary from 2 to 3 centimeters. Asfasteners should use self-tapping screws, anchors, and hooks.
Features of the work
If you decide to make folding stairs to the attic, you first need to fix one of the shorter bars at the upper end of the structure, using loops for this. The other end is rigidly fixed to the bottom. Two slats should be mounted on a flight of stairs, installing them in such a way that they are located obliquely and do not interfere with movement. They will act as stiffeners for the structure. The next step will be to cut with a retreat of 2/3 of the length of the stairs. After that, both parts must be paired with each other using loops. It is important to ensure that the fastening is done correctly. This will ensure the correct folding of the structure. The upper bar is fixed to the wall surface under the hatch. If a folding ladder is made with your own hands, it must be attached to the wall surface using a hook. The loop is screwed into the stringer directly next to the place where the cut was made, while the hook should be fixed to the wall. The disadvantage of this design is that it will remain in sight. This can be avoided if a product of a more complex design is used, its sections will have to be fixed on the hatch cover.
Making a ladder in a manhole
Folding stairs to the second floor can be made in such a way that they are not visible at the moment whenthey are not used. To do this, the structure should be made in such a way that it consists of three separate sections. To do this, you have to make a hatch that will lead to the attic. You can use improvised materials. It is important to determine the location of the opening. As the dimensions of the stairway, you can use dimensions limited by parameters of 125x70 centimeters. In order to cut the hatch, it is necessary to add about 8 millimeters on each side to the indicated dimensions. These gaps should ensure easy closing of the lid, but at the same time, the thermal insulation will not be broken.
Material preparation
If folding stairs to the attic are made by hand, then it will be necessary to prepare square bars with a side of 50 millimeters. There should be 4 of these blanks. Two of them should be less long. You will also need a sheet of 10 mm plywood, you can use two panels of a whole sheet. This can help the master, who did not have a single canvas.
Production of stairs
When a folding staircase is made by hand, the drawings must be prepared by the master in advance. At the initial stage, cuts should be made at the ends of the bars, which should have a depth of 1/2 thickness. After that, it is necessary to process with glue and fix everything with self-tapping screws. First, you must analyze whether the diagonals match each other. Forto avoid changing the diagonals, it is necessary to temporarily install scarves, which are made of 4 mm plywood. After that, you will need to get rid of them by reinforcing the canvas with 10 mm plywood, using self-tapping screws installed around the perimeter for this. At the next stage, you can start fitting the opening. In order to ensure a good closing of the hatch, a door latch must be cut into the cover.
Work on the mechanism of a folding ladder with a hatch
A drawing of a folding ladder will allow you to do the work correctly. At the next stage, you need to start manipulating the opening mechanism. Before starting the process, you can purchase components in the store, but you can also make them yourself. Initially, on cardboard, you need to depict a design diagram, in the manufacture of which corners will be used. Next, the cardboard parts are cut out, which allows you to try them on the design. This guarantees an accurate determination of the length of the hinges. You can find iron angles, pieces of metal, and tin strips in your garage. All this may be needed to make a ladder.
Material preparation
The process will require one corner, strips of different lengths in the amount of two pieces, as well as a piece of sheet steel.
Recommendations for work
The next step is to mark the location of the holes for the hinges. The distance between them must be determined empirically. Next, you need to make holes for installing the M100 bolt. When assembly is done,fasteners do not need to be tightened strongly. Now you can fix the required opening angle of the hatch and push the future mechanism to the desired angle. Then, on the metal, you should mark the area that, when opened, will overlap the corner. This will allow you to cut out the element with a jigsaw. Now the strips of metal should be brought into the proper form, for this it is necessary to cut off the excess length from them, and their ends should also be rounded. This will prevent touching the corner and will not interfere with the movement of the structure. The next step is to reassemble the entire mechanism. On this we can assume that one mechanism is ready, you can proceed to work on the second.
Making the second movement
It is important to make it according to the same principle so that it turns out to be exactly the same as the first one, only in a mirror version. To do this, you need to connect all the parts with the help of clamps and drill the necessary holes. After one hole is ready, you need to install a bolt into it and drill another. Then the parts are twisted together and equal in length. Using this technology, you need to make all the details. As a result, the master should get a pair of completely identical mechanisms.
Final works
If you decide to make metal folding stairs yourself, the next step is to install the manufactured mechanisms on the hatch and try everything on the opening. It is important to consider the fixation height on the floor beam. This indicates that the part should not extend beyond the overlap. If the error was nevertheless made, then you can installtemporary bars. The hatch will have to be adjusted in such a way that it opens well and does not touch the walls of the opening.
Making the supporting mechanism
If aluminum folding stairs are made, then they will also need a supporting mechanism. To do this, prepare two strips of metal, the width of which is 20 millimeters. A corner will also come in handy in this process. To do this, at the end of one of the strips, a piece of metal should be strengthened by welding, which will abut against 2 strips. From the corner to make a kind of support platform. In the end, you should have a hinge that will remain slightly bent when the hatch is opened, but it will reliably hold the load. Subsequently, this node must be installed so that it is completely decomposed when the mechanisms are opened to the maximum. This will ensure that the load is evenly distributed between the elements when the folding ladder is open.
Features of making stairs on bowstrings
You can make aluminum folding stairs, such designs are lightweight and do not take up much space. However, quite often stairs are made using wooden boards. In such a design, not only steps, but also a bowstring can be used. Both of these constituent elements must be prepared from an inch board, the width of which is 100 millimeters. The length of the first section should correspond to the dimensions of the hatch, while the second will be somewhat smaller, but it should not touch the ceiling when folded. The third section will be of a length that will allow it to remain on the floor surface. In order to provide a more aesthetic appearance of the structure, it is possible to grind the edges with a milling cutter. A small indentation should be made on the bowstrings for the installation of steps. Self-tapping screws and glue will allow you to connect all the parts into a single structure. The hinges will connect the sections of the march, and will also allow the ladder to unfold and fold. If you take into account these rules, then the work will be successful, and you will achieve the expected result.
