Steps for building an attic staircase

Usually, house owners use their attics to store old or unnecessary things, furniture, cloths and the like. But, these spaces can also be renovated and used as an additional bedroom for one of your kids or for guests when they stay over night.

Attics can also serve as a personal and private room if decorated in a suitable style.

Before starting any renovation process, you need to install attic stairs.

 How to do it

Installing attic stairs is not as difficult as people tend to believe. All you need is some free time, patience and a few tools and materials such as: chalk, saw (drywall), header, nails, screws, cleats (1×3), frame (1×8), 16 d nails, two sets of spring drums, cable pulley, drill, three inch screws, wrench, 6 one inch long screws, cable holders, casing molding.

  1.  Use a piece of chalk and mark out an outline having the desired dimensions for your future opening. Cut out the opening using a drywall saw.
  2. Cut any wood or ceiling joints in your way, but leave the header from the hatchway untouched. You will use it to create one end of the respective open frame cut.
  3. Complete the framework by nailing the header in the central part of the joints at the extreme end of the frame opening. Put the drywall ceiling to the new framework using nails or screws.
  4.  Make a 1×8-circumference frame and keep it inside. Screw in a pair of the 1×3 cleats from one side to the other of the framework.
  5. Utilizing 16 d nails, keep the frame over the top cleats and insert them easily.
  6. Remove the 1×3 cleats.
  7. Put the door panel on one end of the framework using the hinge of the staircase.
  8. Take the two sets of spring drums and insert them into the 1×8 framework, facing the header.
  9. Do the same for the right hand drum springs. Fix the header in between the two spring drum sets that will sustain one incline of the staircase.
  10. Put each one on both sides of the framework with the help of the cable pulley and put it to about 20 inches away from the header that is situated face-to-face to the hinge of the door panel. Drive in pilot holes and fix the ends of the pulley with one inch long screw.
  11. Put the treads into the dadoes. Use screws to fix every tread in place and fasten them against the ladder rod using a wrench. You have to fit the treads right into the header guide frame so, let three pieces of the same from the top.
  12. Ask the help of a friend to watch you while you drive in the stringers; when it comes to the channel grooves, the slide bars that are on the header guide of the framework must drop into place. Now you can install the three treads that you have left before.
  13. Fix the door panel and the door guide frame with one inch long screw.
  14. Attach the cable holders to the stringer` s sides using the pilot holes next to the fourth tread. Pull the cable of the spring drum out across the pulley and to the cable holder, which is in opposition to the door. After you finish, you have to hook it on the holder. Repeat this step.
  15. Set the cables` tension and install casing molding around the opening of the attic in order to fit with the walls. Make sure that the door closes and opens easily; if not just adjust the cable until the door is easy to use.
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