The attic is without a doubt one of the most dreaded places in the home. This is especially true during the summertime. It gets extremely hot and humid and affects the rest of the house. However, the attic does make for one of the best storage places. You can place a variety of items completely out of sight and never worry about them again.

The attic also makes the perfect storage area for seasonal items like Christmas decorations. Whatever the situation is, if you want quick and easy access, you are going to need an attic ladder. With the wide range of choices on the market choosing one is not the easiest task. This guide will help you choose the best ladder for your specific application.

More info: Looking for a telescoping ladder? Check out our buying guide here.

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Best Selling Loft Ladders Compared and Reviewed

Last update on 2020-08-26 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Youngman 313340 is an aluminium loft ladder that is extremely light in weight, but sturdy enough to provide the support that you need to easily access your attic. The aluminium construction not only makes the ladder much easier to handle and operate, but the material is extremely resilient. Aluminium is a rust-resistant material, so you don’t have to worry about the ladder warping, expanding, or malfunctioning over the years due to heat and humidity exposure.

Climbing into the attic on a ladder is never that safe, regardless of how many precautions you take, so you want to be looking at loft ladders with handrails. That is why the Youngman 313340 Ladder comes equipped with an extra handrail. The handrail is installed in the middle of the ladder, so you can easily grip it on your way up and down the ladder. It provides the extra leverage that you need to hang on at all times. This in combination with the three sliding sections ensures the utmost safety and durability.

Overall Assessment

The Youngman 313340 was designed for openings with dimensions of 508mm x 432mm and the aluminium construction makes handling the ladder much easier than those heavy wood or steel ladders. Factor this in with the added safety rail and the three-section design and you are truly looking at one convenient ladder.

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If you are in the market for a compact loft ladder that will provide you with the durability and strength that you need to access your attic easily and quickly, you have to consider the Abru 37000 3 Section Compact Aluminum Loft Ladder. The aluminium construction ensures that the ladder is lightweight and won’t warp over time when exposed to humidity and temperature change.

The Abru Company is so confident in their product that they are willing to offer consumers a five-year warranty. Within the first five years of owning the ladder, if you experience any problems or defects, you can contact the manufacturer and they will either replace or repair the ladder, free of charge. This should tell you that the company really believes in what they are selling, and they are willing to stand behind it.

Overall Assessment

No one wants to drop a hefty amount of money on a loft ladder and then have to pay for a professional installation. That is why this ladder was specifically designed for DIY installations. It not only includes everything you need with comprehensive instructions, but the installation was specifically designed for the DIY individual.

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Accessing the attic is never an easy task, but thankfully the TB Davies EnviroFold Wooden Loft Ladder makes the process a little easier. This sturdy and heavy-duty wooden ladder was designed for applications that require a floor to ceiling height of 2.82 meters (9.25feet). The heavy-duty construction of the ladder has been field tested to hold a maximum weight of 265kg, which should accommodate all your storage needs.

Getting into the attic can be difficult and unsafe, even with the right ladder. That is why the TB Davies EnviroFold Wooden Loft Ladder was specifically designed with safety in mind. The ladder not only holds 265 kg, but it comes with a handrail and slip-resistant feet. This ensures that you have all the stability and support that you need at all times. The feet are also perfectly angled, so that the ladder sits flush and level on the ground, providing even more stability and support.

Overall Assessment

Constructed of the highest quality timber and installed with tons of safety features, the TB Davies EnviroFold Wooden Loft Ladder is perfect for any home with standard UK 600mm joists. When you combine this with its capacity to a lot of weight, you are truly looking at one convenient ladder that will make accessing that attic so much easier. This is definitely one of the best deluxe wooden loft ladders available.

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The Youngman 302340 2-Section Loft Ladder is not only manufactured in accordance with the EN 14974 regulations, but it comes fitted with wide, flat, and slip-resistant treads. This ensures the utmost integrity and safety at all times. Whether you just going to the attic for maintenance purpose or you are hauling items into storage, you can rest assured that you will also have the stability and safety that you need.

Sure, three-section ladders are great, but the more section means the less stability and support that you are going to have. And, that is exactly why the Youngman 302340 2-Section Loft Ladder only comes with two sections. This not only gives you more support but also it gives you the stability that you need to haul extra large loads into the attic for storage. This in combination with the shoot bolt system ensures that you are safe and secure at all times while using the ladder.

Overall Assessment

Its lightweight aluminium design makes installing and using the ladder easier than you could ever imagine. Along with this, the aluminium won’t warp or expand when exposed to extreme amounts of humidity or heat. You really can rest assured that the Youngman 302340 2-Section Loft Ladder will be the last ladder that you ever need to purchase because it should stand up for a lifetime.

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The Finether 3.2M Portable Aluminum Telescoping Ladder is completely unique and diverse in its own right. Its portable and telescoping design gives homeowners the ability to use the ladder to access the attic and store it in the closet when they are done. Due to its unique design and construction, you don’t have to worry about any installation. Simply just pull the ladder out of storage whenever you want to access the attic.

This ladders extremely lightweight design makes transportation and storage easier than you could ever imagine. However, do not be fooled by the lightweight design, because this ladder is capable of supporting a maximum load of 330 pounds, which is quite the load. The EN131 certification should give you the peace of mind that you need to know the ladder is going to provide the utmost safety and stability.

Overall Assessment

With its ability to extend all the way out of 10.5 feet, and it ability to retract to 38.6 inches, you are truly looking at one versatile loft ladder that can handle a variety of situations. With no need to install the ladder you can save yourself a bundle of time or the extra cost of hiring a professional. This ladder has lots of competition but this is one of the best telescopic ladders you can choose.

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How to choose the right loft ladder

Choosing Your Dimensions Correctly

The first thing that you need to know about attic ladders is that they come in a fold out kit type setup. These kits are designed to fit between your existing framing in the ceiling (opening to the attic). The opening will probably already be framed out and modifying it will be extremely difficult and might not even be possible without compromising the stability and structure of the attic. This is why it is imperative to make sure you measure the opening (length by width by height) several times. Always ensure that you got the correct measurement, otherwise the kit will not properly fit in place.

You also want to measure from the ceiling to the floor. For most residential applications this measurement will probably come out to eight feet. However, it is still important to double check. This will let you know how long you need the ladder. If you are dealing with an odd measurement like nine or ten feet, you might have to purchase a wooden ladder, so that you can cut it. Cutting steel or aluminium ladders can be tricky and isn’t advised.

Choosing The Material Carefully

Throughout your quest, you will find that attic ladders come available in a variety of different materials. The most common are without a doubt aluminium, steel, or wood. If you are dealing with a scenario like the one described above, you might not have any choice, but to go with the wooden ladder. That being said, most experts would recommend the aluminium style as the best all around, because it is extremely lightweight but sturdy enough to provide the strength and support that you need. In addition to this, aluminium is rust-resistant, so the exposure to heat and humidity will not affect it over the years.

That being said, wood and steel ladders are extremely durable and could potentially last as long as the home. However, these materials are more prone to humidity and temperature change, which might cause them to expand, warp, or dysfunction.

Rungs Or Steps

You will also find that these ladders come available with either steps or rungs. These steps are not exactly like the steps that you would find located on a traditional staircase, but they do make climbing the ladder a little easier. When dealing with the rung style ladder it is likely that you will have to keep one hand on the ladder at all times, which can make the transportation of heavy items more difficult. Just consider your needs and what you are going to be storing in the attic. Of course, the step styles will probably be heavier and more expensive, which might be the installation a little tougher, but they could be just what you need.