I have a customer who has destroyed 3 folding attic stairs, brackets collapse and springs come loose, they use the stairs a lot, plus the 300# air conditioning tech doesn,t help either. I have tried wood and aluminum, nothing holds up.
I want to know is anyone knows if the full stairs that is counterweighted is still made, I have seen it in 50+ year old homes and they still work great, also has anyone seen the “rainbow stair” it is pricey ($800) but looks like a new wrinkle in attic stairs Thanks
Replies
Google Bessler.
Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
With folding stairs, a lot of stress is put on the joints. If the stairs have not been cut perfectly to length, this can add extra stress. Stira makes wrap around steel hinges, Modular stairs are steel and Bessler makes a non-folding slide style. There are others as well.
http://www.stira.com/
http://www.modularstairs.com/attic-4p.html
http://www.bessler.com/mod100.htm
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Consider installing a permanent stairs.
Probably more labor and overall cost, but much mor convienient if used a lot.
Installed a permanent stairs in son's house with fire door, etc. Only bad part - access is still poor to attic as the stairs are 90% full being used as shelves <G>
Have installed Bessler's for a client. Coil spring and cable rewind mechanism. Comes down as one solid set of stairs. Big opening required and a lot of overhead room, especially if you attach the handrail. Very solid.
Installed a set of Rainbow stairs in my own shop. One of the few 'fold-up' stsyles that could got to a 10'-6" ceiling. Perhaps because of the height they are a steep climb. Very colourful to say the least. Have since moved to CT, though still have the house in Raleigh, but they are quite heavy duty. Don't recall as the actual load limit was that much higher, but all metal construction.
Let's not confuse the issue with facts!