Hello AT,
We're looking for a loft ladder...maybe someone can come up with a great solution.
Not sure if the picture is clear, but the door on the left is for the bathroom, the sliding door on the right goes into the living room, and storage area we want to access is above the bathroom.
A "traditional" library ladder may not work because it would block the doorway on the right.
Mounting a ladder flush with the wall won't work well because it's difficult to carry something straight up to the storage area, and we have a young child who will climb.
Is there a "telescopic" ladder that attaches to the wall and extends downward at an angle? Thanks! Michael
Ok, this is a little crazy but what about a rope or cable ladder? You could attach it to the floor while you use it and roll it up when you're not.
view debtex's profile
i would think that you could have a ladder that hooks onto a rail at the top and angles out into the room. when not in use it could be unhooked and pushed against the wall. you would probably want a way to attach it in this upright position so it didn't fall.
view mrs yow's profile
I am thinking about fire-escape ladders that extended down when needed, but are stored in the up-position when not in use.
http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/102065_fire-escape-ladder.htm
http://www.fireescapesystems.com/products.asp
http://www.bestqualitysafety.com/Fire_Escape_Ladders_s/4.htm
This one seems to be the most "designy"
http://www.amazon.com/Extend-Climb-12-5-Telescoping-Ladder-EXC-12/dp/B00094CWNU
view kimg924's profile
OMG - I have exactly the same problem. Our storage area
is high above the bathroom and it can only be reached with a ladder - we bought one at Home Depot - this hugh thing that weighs a ton & just to move it into place to use it makes it a production just to put a suitcase up there.
I know this is not helpful but I wanted share my experience.
view Dianedvg's profile
I was just looking for solutions to have access to our roof hatch. I found the following, though my concern was that it was only weight-rated for 250 lbs and I weigh about that much myself...
http://www.wernerladder.com/televator/
Definitely eager to hear about other possible solutions.
view noahnoah's profile
i think mrs yow's suggestion would be good. some brackets on the wall to hold it when in the upright unused state, and it would extend up of the edge a bit, and then just pull it down and angle it when it's needed. If you ddo it with a wood one, you could paint it you same wall color that might look kind of cool, or paint it bright and make it stand out.
a rope ladder would be even harder to climb then a mounted against the wall one when carrying stuff.
they sell the telescoping kind at any type of home store, and they can be stored in a lot of places. they just don't really look that attractive at all and i think i've read reviews of them being not so great.
view jmorey's profile
You might want to look for a DIY kit at www.rockler.com for a rolling library latter.
Classic Library Rolling Ladder System
Classic Library Rolling Ladder System
view MCGINNHOLD's profile
Ladder, oops :)
view MCGINNHOLD's profile
I can't tell from the wall if you have space to do this, but what about attaching the top of the ladder on a hinge just below your loft door? You can attach a rope/pulley system to the other end to raise the bottom end of the ladder when it's not in use. It looks like the loft door faces a hallway that would give you space to do this. A few pulleys keeps it light & you can DIY. Roomie & I did this with our freshman dorm loft so the ladder was out of the way.
view DearAbby's profile
Here's another idea. How about a ladder attached to the wall along with a pulley system to raise whatever you're storing in a basket after you've gotten to the loft? (See "Rear Window" when a neighbor raises her little dog to her apartment.) Suitcases can be raised with just a rope and a hook. This is also the cheapest solution as well and the most portable when you move.
view LauraE's profile