JPG40504
05-06-2009, 01:15 PM
JPG40504
I don't know how Mike's stairs were but mine had a metal frame that more or less acted like the cleat you mention. But like Mike I recommend a buddy.
It was all I could do to hoist the rest of the assembly up and lock it place.
The metal stair assembly must have weighted close to 80 lbs and being about 5 foot long is fairly difficult to swing up overhead and have it lock onto the support hooks that hold it until you can permenately fasten it in place.
With mine you have to hold the whole thing at one particular angle before all locked into place.
To anyone planning to install pull down stairs, GO METAL!!! I have had both and the metal is so far superior to the wood that there is no contest. Price difference for me was about $30. Now that I have metal I would have paid twice that for the benefit of it over wood.
Don't even consider a wood pull down!
Mine(Both) is all wood. They are sturdy IF the bottom section is cut correctly. All joints MUST be tight with NO play. This only occurs with the bottom section ends FLAT on the floor and the correct length and at the correct angle.
To determine the cut, I lowered the middle section and positioned the top and middle in the desired(open) position. I then measured the distance from both the top and bottom edge of the side rails to the floor along a straight line along the rails. I then detached the bottom section rails and marked them to the dimensions measured(measure both rails). I measured the angle and set mitre gauge to it and cut them.
Not the simplest method, but results in very sturdy collapseable ladder when extended(not common).
There were NO hooks etc. supplied.
I don't know how Mike's stairs were but mine had a metal frame that more or less acted like the cleat you mention. But like Mike I recommend a buddy.
It was all I could do to hoist the rest of the assembly up and lock it place.
The metal stair assembly must have weighted close to 80 lbs and being about 5 foot long is fairly difficult to swing up overhead and have it lock onto the support hooks that hold it until you can permenately fasten it in place.
With mine you have to hold the whole thing at one particular angle before all locked into place.
To anyone planning to install pull down stairs, GO METAL!!! I have had both and the metal is so far superior to the wood that there is no contest. Price difference for me was about $30. Now that I have metal I would have paid twice that for the benefit of it over wood.
Don't even consider a wood pull down!
Mine(Both) is all wood. They are sturdy IF the bottom section is cut correctly. All joints MUST be tight with NO play. This only occurs with the bottom section ends FLAT on the floor and the correct length and at the correct angle.
To determine the cut, I lowered the middle section and positioned the top and middle in the desired(open) position. I then measured the distance from both the top and bottom edge of the side rails to the floor along a straight line along the rails. I then detached the bottom section rails and marked them to the dimensions measured(measure both rails). I measured the angle and set mitre gauge to it and cut them.
Not the simplest method, but results in very sturdy collapseable ladder when extended(not common).
There were NO hooks etc. supplied.