Loft door help needed

Smeggy

My loft is a mess and it is a pain to get up there. I have a big heavy push up loft door and no pull-down ladder at the moment, so I use a step ladder, push the loft door up and hoist myself into the loft. It is quite awkward and not the safest way to do it.

What I want to do is convert the door to a drop down and install a pull down ladder so I can organise and use my loft space properly, but I am useless at DIY and don't really know where to start.

I have Googled and seen the plastic drop-down doors you can buy, but they all seem to be too small for my loft opening, which is about 850mm square. Therefore, I think the best option would be to cut the current door down and add some hinges and a latch to hold it up. Can someone point me in the right kind of hinges and catch and give me a quick idiots guide on how to do it please? I have B&Q and Screwfix nearby.

Can I also have some recommendations for reasonably priced, pull-down ladders that are easy to fit?

Thanks in advance.

wallbash

http://www.screwfix.com/p/touch-latch-zinc-plated-20mm-pack-of-10/50530

But thats 10 and you only one!

Hinges, depends on the weight of the hatch, keep weight down , small hinges .Change heavy door to a piece of ply .

reasonably priced, pull-down ladders that are easy to fit?

Would have thought all came with easy instructions.


Keep the hatch as big as possible nothing worse than getting stuff down thru a small opening.

Reece_

These ladders http://www.screwfix.com/p/abru-38003-abru-loft-ladder-aluminium-3-section-12-tread/67076 are okay for the money, they also come with a set of hinges and a latch for converting the hatch.

Smeggy

Thanks both. Is converting the hatch really easy? Is sounds simple in theory, measure, cut the current hatch down to fit the smaller gap, attach the hinges and latch. Is there anything I need to be aware of / look out for?

Smeggy

I'm a little concerned about fitting the latch too. I have tried to attach a picture but as a new user I'm not allowed to post links yet so here is the non-hyperlinked address to my picture if people wouldn't mind looking at it please:

tinypic.com/view.php?pic=1zc38lj&s=8#.VSlntFze5Ec

Will the two parts of the latch need to be very close? The surround of the entry is slightly curved and it may be awkward to get that part fitted so it is flush with the actual door if you see what I mean. Also, won't it look a little unsightly? Are there any strong magnets that won't lead to the drop dropping down on people at random?

EDIT: I've just taken a second look at the catch at Screwfix that wallbash linked to. Sorry for being so naive, told you I was useless, but that is a hidden catch that I then fit inside the loft entry, right?

SailorSam

You'll probaaby find some useful videos if you searched for loft convertions/doors/ladders on YouTube

Ectophile

In theory, converting the loft hatch to hinge down is really easy. In my case, it was an absolute pig, and took me many hours to get right.

It wasn't until I had made the adjustments to the hatch and tried to fit it that I realised that my loft opening isn't actually rectangular - it's a paralellogram, and the corners aren't square.

It took many hours of sawing and filing, and building a completely new frame to support the flimsy hardboard of the loft hatch before I actually got something that worked.

tanith

We had these people put in our loft ladder a few years ago they were very efficient and we thought reasonably priced.. if you look at the different loft ladders on their site they have installation videos you can watch..

http://www.loftshop.co.uk/products/loft-ladders

Smeggy

SailorSam wrote: »

You'll probaaby find some useful videos if you searched for loft convertions/doors/ladders on YouTube

Thanks for the suggestion. I had already looked at a few, but none that were really comparable to mine. I'll keep looking though.

Ectophile wrote: »

In theory, converting the loft hatch to hinge down is really easy. In my case, it was an absolute pig, and took me many hours to get right.

It wasn't until I had made the adjustments to the hatch and tried to fit it that I realised that my loft opening isn't actually rectangular - it's a paralellogram, and the corners aren't square.

It took many hours of sawing and filing, and building a completely new frame to support the flimsy hardboard of the loft hatch before I actually got something that worked.

Crap! Now that has scared me.

PheoUK

I would suggest that was just that persons experience. This kind of thing is always different! Most roof joists are 600mm enters, hence the sizes.

My Abus loft ladder came with hinges etc to convert an existing door.

Easy to get a made to measure hatch:

http://www.jupiterblue.co.uk/loft-hatch-range-c2/made-to-measure-loft-hatches-c10

Why not have a go at converting, and then if that doesn't work get a custom one? Only thing I will say is fitting a manrose efficient one did make a noticeable difference temperature wise to our hallway.

searchlight123

a few years ago these guys fitted me a basic loft ladder and converted my hatch door for around £100 supply and fit.

not worth the hassle of doing it yourself for that money. in and out within the hour.

http://www.loftladderfitter.com/aluminium-loft-ladders/