With many of us going all out with the Christmas decorations this year our loft ladders have seen a lot of use and we may be thinking of replacing the one we have for something more user-friendly, or installing a proper loft ladder if we have been using a leaning ladder or stepladder to access the space.  We may also have had some desperate times over the last year, stuck in the house with our household members for what has seemed like endless stretches of time, and we might be glad of a bolt hole where we can go for some peace and quiet, such as the attic.

Whether you're looking to improve the access to your loft space to maximise the storage potential or to create a space you can use for reading, meditation or yoga, a new loft ladder will get you on the right track straight away.  If you're looking to make an extra bedroom from your loft space then there are building regulations you'll have to abide by in terms of fire safety and access – you can't use a normal loft ladder as bedroom access and instead you'll need to install a space saving staircase.  If your attic space is used solely as an extra space for leisure time, and is not a permanent bedroom, then you can use a loft ladder as access.  It is worth considering using a space saving staircase if you'll be using your new leisure space regularly, as they are more user friendly and it means you don't have to stow and deploy the loft ladder every time you want to use the space.

A happy compromise between a space saving staircase and a loft ladder is an electric loft ladder.  These require no effort to deploy or stow (and even have a remote control to make life even easier) so they're not a burden to use for regular access.  If you don't have the space to have a permanent space saving staircase, or it won't work with the layout of your home, then an electric loft ladder is your best bet.

Most electric loft ladders are constructed using a concertina style of build, which means they take up minimal space inside the loft.  If you want to use the space as a yoga studio, or somewhere to stretch out and read, then you won't want to use up any space inside the loft if there's a way round it; an electric or manual concertina style loft ladder is ideal for just this purpose.

If you want to make accessing the roof space for storage easier, then you should look for a loft ladder with handrails.  Our Youngman loft ladders with three sections and the deluxe version both come with a handrail as standard, and you can add an extra one for the other side for a safer and easier climbing experience.  Having dual handrails is ideal for frequently used storage spaces because you have the option of carrying a load on the side which is more comfortable for you.  Our Abru Easy Stow spring assisted loft ladder has a handrail that extends into the roof space, making transferring from the ladder to the attic much safer.  The spring assisted mechanism on this ladder makes light work of deploying and stowing it – you couldn't get much easier than this ladder without going for a fully electric one.

No matter the reason for wanting a new loft ladder, we have a variety of tried and tested models which address the most pressing concerns of the average consumer.  We also have a range of easy to install space saving staircases, if you want to make your loft space easy to access for regular use by multiple members of the family.