Installing attic steps is not a complicated project but it does take two or three people and a couple of tools. You have to locate where you want the attic steps, and make sure that there is a space where there are no ceiling joist, or rafters are in the way. You also have to think about the path you have to travel in order to carry you item to the stairs. These stair openings are not huge, so if you tuck them in a corner, or in a closet, chances are you won’t be able to maneuver your storage items to fit up the small stair opening.
What to Consider
Other things that you have to consider when picking out a set of attic steps is the width of your opening, the height of your ceiling, and the strength of the attic step latter. Typically, the width of the attic steps will be a size that will fit between rafters, or ceiling joists, that are 24” on center. If the steps you pick out are wider than 22 ½ inches, get ready to have to do some ceiling joist retrofitting. The height is an easy one to figure out. Get out your trusty tape measure and see how high the ceiling is in the area where you want put the steps. Typical ceiling heights in a home are near 8 feet high but be careful if you are installing them in a garage, those ceiling heights can vary
The last consideration is the strength of you latter. They usually range anywhere from 250 and 300 pounds so the amount of weight they hold is not that different. The other think to consider is that ceiling and attic spaces are not usually created to hold a lot of weight. So light storage, and a typical set of attic steps, should do the trick.