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Loft ladders - max load not stated?

Does what it says on the tin
GarraGee
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Loft ladders - max load not stated?

#17184

Postby GarraGee » December 21st, 2016, 11:50 am

My loft ladder is marked with a max. load of 100kg. TBH, I've never been happy with it and I plan to replace it with something like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311378044352? ... EBIDX%3AIT

or

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01 ... NVEW7C7RKL

I'm puzzled that although the ads. state max. load as 150kg, this is not stated on the packaging or the paperwork or the ladder itself. Others have raised this and the sellers just confirm this is the case.

Any thoughts or personal experience appreciated, as ever.

GG

bungeejumper
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Re: Loft ladders - max load not stated?

#17197

Postby bungeejumper » December 21st, 2016, 12:15 pm

I've always liked the look of those telescopic extendables, but one thing that would put me off is that they're not physicaly attached to the edge of the loft hatch, which could presumably mean they could slip on the carpet and maybe fall away - either when you're halfway up them or (more embarrassingly) when you're already up in the loft and trying to come down again. :?

I'm also thinking of installing a loft ladder next year, so I would be interested to hear of any experiences with the first design. I'd guess that its rigidity would depend on every single one of those pivot points being solid?

At present I'm inclined to think of getting a conventional design, where the ladder slides up on runners into the loft hatch and then gravity ensures that it closes the loft hatch after itself. But my old dad had a positively lethal one which could come crashing down on you when you opened the loft hatch. I suspect that a good one would cost more than either of these two?

Thoughts also appreciated. Good brands?

BJ

GarraGee
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Re: Loft ladders - max load not stated?

#17202

Postby GarraGee » December 21st, 2016, 12:26 pm

Thanks for your comments, BJ.

I'm currently looking at these:

https://www.midlandladders.com/loft-lad ... oft-ladder

I recognise the makers name, so I would like to think they are OK. No personal experience, though.

My research continues!!!

GG

(good to see another familiar name move from TMF).

gryffron
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Re: Loft ladders - max load not stated?

#17213

Postby gryffron » December 21st, 2016, 12:52 pm

My first thought is that 100kg is not enough. That's not enough for a burly bloke, even before you add the weight of the stuff he's trying to cart up into the loft.

There must be standards for ladders. Aha! Here you go:

Your ladder says EN131, http://www.laddersalesdirect.co.uk/clas ... r-classing. Which specifies 150kg. Is that on the ladder itself or the packaging? It must have been tested to support that.

I've no personal experience but the telescopic ladders now seem very popular with tradesmen. Several have brought their own round to my house to do jobs. So I guess they must work ok.

gryff

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Re: Loft ladders - max load not stated?

#17215

Postby DrFfybes » December 21st, 2016, 12:59 pm

bungeejumper wrote:
At present I'm inclined to think of getting a conventional design, where the ladder slides up on runners into the loft hatch and then gravity ensures that it closes the loft hatch after itself. But my old dad had a positively lethal one which could come crashing down on you when you opened the loft hatch. I suspect that a good one would cost more than either of these two?

Thoughts also appreciated. Good brands?

BJ


You need to be careful with some of these. If you have one that is 3 or 4 short lengths that sits on top of the hatch then it drops very suddenly as all the weight is over the hatch.

You can swap it for on that uses 2 longer lengths of ladder which push about 50% of their length over the pivot point and are much more gentle and easy to handle. However these do require much more room in the loft in which to pivot, something that is mentioned in the instructions if you bother to read them, but isn't blatantly obvious until they're fitted.

Paul

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Re: Loft ladders - max load not stated?

#17297

Postby sg31 » December 21st, 2016, 6:03 pm

I had the concertina type loft ladders in a previous property. They were brilliant, easy to pull down/put up, safe and secure in use.

I can't remember what loading they carried but I would be tempted by the heaviest available if there isn't much price difference.

I would recommend downloading the fitting instructions prior to purchase and checking they will fit in your hatch. Because of the roof construction of my property I had to move the loft hatch to avoid a couple of beams that were in the way. I took the opportunity to enlarge the hatch which had previously been a little on the small size.

You can buy the ladders cheaply on ebay but I bought mine from a local company at a similar price, Local companies often have a cheap fitting service if you want it.

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Re: Loft ladders - max load not stated?

#17318

Postby Pheidippides » December 21st, 2016, 7:26 pm

I've had a concertina ladder from BPS Solutions. I saw it at the Ideal Hovel Exhibition at a "special exhibition price". A quick internet search discovered that it was available about 20 quid cheaper.

http://www.laddersandscaffoldtowers.co. ... dders.html

Their adverts indicate 150KG, but I have just looked at mine and cannot find a weight limit label of any kind.

Mine has red plastic treads and is very sturdy (I weigh about 100kg). I have no complaints and would happily recommend it, even though this thread is slightly concerning. All I can tell you is that I have it for several years and have had no other reason to doubt its safety or strength

Regards

Pheid

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Re: Loft ladders - max load not stated?

#17379

Postby bungeejumper » December 22nd, 2016, 9:26 am

Thanks, Pheid, that one looks like it might be worth a look - although we have ten foot six ceilings, so it might be a stretch. Can I ask how the concertina'd ladder hooks up onto the square metal carrier? Is it really nice and secure against coming down accidentally?

BJ

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Re: Loft ladders - max load not stated?

#17507

Postby GarraGee » December 22nd, 2016, 4:56 pm

Pheidippides wrote:I've had a concertina ladder from BPS Solutions. I saw it at the Ideal Hovel Exhibition at a "special exhibition price". A quick internet search discovered that it was available about 20 quid cheaper.

http://www.laddersandscaffoldtowers.co. ... dders.html

Their adverts indicate 150KG, but I have just looked at mine and cannot find a weight limit label of any kind.

Mine has red plastic treads and is very sturdy (I weigh about 100kg). I have no complaints and would happily recommend it, even though this thread is slightly concerning. All I can tell you is that I have it for several years and have had no other reason to doubt its safety or strength

Regards

Pheid


Thanks for all the feedback. I think I will go for this type of ladder:

http://www.ladderstore.com/loft-ladder- ... -2-6m.html

It remains a mystery why it's not mandatory for the max. capacity to be stated on the ladder itself, rather than in the accompanying literature - metric is surely pretty much standard everywhere!!!


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