Werner 8 Foot Televator Telescoping Attic Ladder AA8

Customer Reviews

Seres its purpose well!

2008-07-23
Finally--a pull-down attic ladder for homes with small attic openings!!! I've been searching for soemthing like this for years, and I'm so glad that Werner has finally developed a product to meet the attic access needs of the rest of us! It's exactly what I've been looking for!

The ladder arrived well-packaged with all the necessary parts logically organized into separate bags for each step of the process--including the parts for the attic door (which is not included). The instructions left nothing to chance--they were were well-conceived, well-written, and easy to follow, ensuring a relatively simple installation process (at least for the ladder installation part; the attic door installation is another story).

The product description claims that the installation is a one-person job, but my dad and I did it together and I think it was a lot easier that way. He had read the instructions ahead of time, but when we actually got to the installation, having two people allowed us one person to organize the parts, read the instructions, and hand parts and tools up to the person standing on the ladder doing the work. We spent approximately 2-1/2 hours on the ladder installation, and another hour or so on the door installation.

The only drawback to such helpful instructions was that they are so detailed that you have to actually READ the instructions very carefully or you may miss an important detail. The instruction manual was not designed to be skimmed, and when I paged through it looking for answers to specific questions, those answers never popped out at me--even if I had already seen that information somewhere. I am usually pretty methodical and don't mind reading instructions, but having been raised by a father that is a DIY handyman, I know that DIY-ers are often tinkerers who toss the instructions aside and figure it out as they go along. With this product, that mindset might get you there eventually, but the engineers and technical writers seem to have thought of everything to create a manual that even the non-handy can follow, so you might as well slow down, read the instructions, follow every step in order, use every part (even if you think it's unnecessary), and save yourself the trouble of trying to figure it out or having to do rework because you jumped ahead.

Where the instructions fell short was when it came time to install the attic door. The first problem was that as many time as I read, skimmed, and paged through the manual prior to installation, I couldn't find anything to tell me what size the attic door should be. I could tell from the pictures on the box that the door would be bigger than the access hole, but I couldn't find the dimensions anywhere. Finally, when we got to the door installation and had all the holes drilled in the header boards, I found that the door would need to be 1-1/2 inches longer and wider than the hole (now you know!). This would have been helpful information to have prior to beginning the job so that we could have had the door ready to go. Instead, when we got to that point in the job, we had to leave to go to the hardware store to get a piece of wood, which we then had to bring home, cut to size, and finish--the whole time leaving my attic access gaping open on a hot summer day. I didn't want to leave the hole open any longer than I had to, so now I have to wait for a pleasant day to take the door down again to paint it. This information should have been on page one along with a list of what would be needed to complete the installation.

The other challenge with the door installation was that the instructions became a bit vague. The steps were clear and logical, and the templates were incredibly helpful for drilling all the holes for the hinges, dampers, door latch, etc. But the parts bag for the door installation included 3 different types of screws, and the instructions simply said each time to attach x (the hinges, dampers, etc.) "using the hardware provided" but never telling which screws to use for what. So we had to sit there, look at how many holes needed screws, figure out where they were all going, and sort out which screws should be used where.

All in all, for as complicated as the product and the installation seem, the instructions left little to chance (and where they did become vague, we were quickly able to figure it out). The ladder is perfect for my purposes, and the entire product seems to be well-conceived, well-engineered, and well-constructed. It pulls down easily and stows away easily, and not only does it not require a large attic opening, but it also does not require a large footprint on the floor. For any home with a small attic opening with tight access, this is the way to go!

OK ladder - easy install - sort of

2007-07-06
I bought a 8' televator ladder. The ladder installation was simple. The instruction were great (and I am not a handy person). They claim it's a one person job. I found that to be quite true. There is a well thought out installaiton procedure and well designed parts (assuming you read directions carefully). The only down side is that it does not come with a door. I assume this is because the opening sizes vary so much. They do provide all the necessary hardware and (excellent) templates for drilling holes. You have to measure, buy and finish is the plywood for the door. Unfortunatly this can be pricey. I had to buy a whole 4x8 sheet of birch plywood and only used a fraction of it. The directions for the door assembly are a little less clear than the ladder install but I managed with out too much hassle. The only other thing I can think of now that I didn't think about when I was installing was that the ladder reduces the overall size of the attic access hole. We now have to re-box some things in the attic so we can fit them through the smaller access. Some bigger things in the attic may require removal of the stairs but I think that won't be too bad to do if/when I need to do it. It is great not having to stash a step ladder upstairs any more. I knew I had to do something after my wife fell off the step ladder while climbing out of the attic one day. This is a great alternative when you don't have the space for a real set of stairs.