Loft Ladders with LoftLeg Boarded Loft

[J Holland]

I've used Loft Legs (http://www.loftleg.com) to board my loft, to preserve the existing insulation which comes a few inches above the rafters. I now want to install loft ladders, as I currently use a separate set of step ladders with a push up board in the loft hatch.

I'm looking at sliding ladders (something like this: http://www.ladderstore.com/loft-ladder-range/werner-2-section-timber-sliding-loft-ladder.html), but can I mount these safely on top of the Loft Leg raised boarding? If not, I guess I need to cut out a section of the raised boarding and placed non-raised boarding down to make space for the stowed ladders, but then I'll either be packing down the insulation, risking bowing the ceiling underneath, or simply removing some of the insulation until it is level with the rafters.

Any thoughts on best practice here?

Thanks,
JH

 

[Doggit]

You need to raise the collar around the loft hatch so that it goes up to the level of the boarding. How high do the loft legs raise the boards.

 

[J Holland]

You need to raise the collar around the loft hatch so that it goes up to the level of the boarding. How high do the loft legs raise the boards.

The legs make the boarding 7" above the top of the loft hatch. The hatch itself is 4.5" tall, so the total drop from the mounting point on top of the boarding to the ceiling is pretty much 12".

How would the loft collar being raised help, and how would you go about doing that?

 

[Doggit]

You essentially need to support the new loft floor in order for it to take the weight of the ladder. You need some 7x2 joists to fill the gap. This might end up as a bit of a bodge job as the floor already down. Cut and set up the collar, then put the side pieces in place first, and screw them in from the top, then put in the end pieces, screw them down , and then put some corner brackets in to tie everything together. If you screw a couple of pieces 2x1 say 10" long on to each piece, that'll stop them falling backwards as you fix them in place.