Although wooden loft ladders are particularly sturdy and safe to climb, not everyone is confident in using them if they don’t come with a handrail. Take into account the attics that are fed by a loft ladder that are used primarily for storage. In these cases the usual situation will be that the arms are going to be loaded with heavy or bulky bags and crates. It is always a good idea, if there is a choice, to add an optional handrail to the loft ladder installation.

An example of a good quality wooden loft ladder that comes with the option of adding a handrail is a Top Flyte Solid Spruce Loft Ladder. This loft ladder is a three section ladder that folds up easily with a powerful dual spring that is counterbalanced for ease of use. The unit is available with a tubular handrail that comes at no extra cost.

A type of loft ladder that just about always comes with handrails is the sliding loft ladder. The reason that a sliding loft ladder is usually fitted with a handrail is because the assembly doesn’t rely on the entire unit collapsing down to a compact size. Handrails aren’t really conducive to folding into a compact package.

Sometimes the handrail may get in the way when trying to take larger items up into the attic. In most cases this shouldn’t be too much of a problem because the handrail may be removed and reattached later when needed again. Look for a wooden loft ladder that caters for the changing needs of those who will be using it.

Loft ladder handrails can be bought as part of the ladder package when you initially have it installed, but it can also be bought at a later date. Loft ladder handrails are an optional extra which will mean that you can buy them independent of the ladder to install as needed. You will just have to make sure that the hardrail that you buy matches the loft ladder that you already own.

Find more information about the various accessories and options available when buying a wooden loft ladder.