Timber loft ladders

Quieter to climb, warmer underfoot and the one people choose when the loft ladder is going to be visible from the landing. Usually supplied with an insulated hatch, which matters more than it sounds.

Book a free survey How it compares

When this is the right one

We fit all four types, so this is not a nudge towards timber. It is simply the one people choose once they have climbed both, and these are the reasons they give.

All four types

You want it to look like part of the house
A white timber hatch set into the ceiling reads as joinery rather than kit. On a period house in Ely or a village cottage it is usually the only type that does not look bolted on.
Fit
You notice cold feet and cold draughts
Timber is warm to touch, and these ladders normally come with an insulated hatch and a seal, so the hole in your ceiling stops being a chimney.
Feel
The loft is used by everyone
Wider treads and a handrail make a timber ladder the easiest of the four to climb in socks with a box under one arm.
Who

What it means for your hatch

Timber ladders need a real opening: the common Fakro LWK Komfort wants 1110 x 550mm and suits a floor to ceiling height up to 2.80m. If your hatch is smaller than that, enlarging it is part of the quote and priced on the price list, and on a timber job it is usually worth doing because you get an insulated, draught sealed lid out of it rather than the thin sheet of ply most lofts have.

Hatches and enlarging an opening

What it is like to live with

Everything people tell us afterwards about a timber ladder, before you buy one.

Quiet underfoot
No ring, no rattle. The single most common reason people pick timber after climbing both.
An insulated lid as standard
The hatch is the hole in the middle of your insulation. A sealed, insulated one stops the landing feeling cold under the hatch.
Rated at 160kg per step
Plenty for a person and what they are carrying, and we will tell you the figure for the exact ladder we quote.
Heavier to pull down
It is wood. Not a problem for most people, but if that matters, an aluminium or an electric ladder is lighter work.

How the four compare

Timber against the other three, on the makers' own published numbers. Note the opening: it asks for more ceiling than the rest.

Type	Smallest opening published	Reaches	Rated load	Landing needed
Aluminium	Varies by model, measured at the survey	Up to 3.58m on the tallest models	200kg maximum loading	About 128cm of landing for a folding ladder
Telescopic	From 520 x 600mm	Up to 2.6m	150kg, the standard minimum	Least of the four, it collapses into itself
Timber	From 1110 x 550mm	Up to 2.80m	160kg per step	About 128cm of landing
Electric	From 750 x 530mm made to measure	Up to 4.6m	200kg per step	About 150cm, it drops almost straight down

Published manufacturer figures, read September 2026: the timber and metal ranges via Fakro and Premier Loft Ladders, the concertina figures from the Supreme and Piccolo, the telescopic minimum opening from Loftshop, and the landing figures from Fakro's own guide. The exact ladder we fit depends on what your supplier stocks, and we measure your loft before we quote.

Questions about timber loft ladders

What size opening does a timber ladder need?

A common one, the Fakro LWK Komfort, needs 1110 x 550mm and suits a drop up to 2.80m. If yours is smaller we enlarge it and you get a properly lined, insulated hatch as part of the work.

Does timber last as long as metal in a cold loft?

Yes, when it is a purpose made loft ladder rather than a converted stepladder. They are built for the damp and the temperature swings of a roof space.

Is the insulated hatch worth it?

It is the part people notice. An uninsulated hatch leaks heat straight out of the landing ceiling, and it is a cold spot you can feel standing underneath it.

Can I paint it to match?

The hatch, yes, and most are supplied white already. We leave it ready for you to decorate if you want it to disappear into the ceiling.

The other three

If your hatch is small or your landing is tight, one of these will fit where timber will not, and we fit all of them. A boarded floor is the usual next question.