How to build your own loft stairs or loft staircase

Having a loft apartment can offer a lot of space for an individual. Building a sleeping area that is designed as a loft area can make a living environment feel open and free. Getting to that area would require loft stairs, something that can easily be built in less than a day for a limited amount of dollars. Following are the basic steps:

1. Purchase materials
2. Dedicate an area in your home to work on construction
3. Assemble the loft stairs

The simplest way to create a loft staircase is to use plastic milk carton containers as your base. If you're on a budget, go to your local supermarket and ask them if they're giving away any. Make sure to wash them clean with bleach when you get home. If you can afford to spend a little money then stop by your local Ikea or Home Depot (www.Ikea.com or www.HomeDepot.com and buy some containers. They range in price from two to five dollars each. Nine foot high loft stairs will require twenty-one containers. Nine feet is the average height of a sleeping loft. In addition to the milk containers you will need industrial strength fasteners, which you can also pick up at Home Depot or your local hardware store. The last items you will need are six wooden boards cut to the size of the top of the container. Your hardware store will do this for you. Bring a container and have them size it accurately.

Now the fun, building your loft staircase. You will be stacking the stairs against a wall for support. The first step is one container, the second two containers, and so on until you reach the top step which will be six containers. Attach level one with the industrial fasteners to the bottom step of level two. Once these two levels are securely attached, stack the second box for level two on top of the original box on the ground. Do the same with level three, first attach the sides to level two, then add the containers on top to build upward. As the levels of each loft stair get higher, you can get on top of the lower steps to help you reach. You don't need a ladder. The loft stairs are self supporting.

Once you have completed all six levels you will be adding the wooden boards to make the walking surface of the steps flat and smooth. There are two ways you can attach the wood to the top of each step. For those of you who have a drill, you will drill holes on the four corners, then use the fasteners to attach the boards on top of the containers. The simpler way is to spend some money on industrial strength glue, something along the lines of Super Glue. It works amazingly well and gives you a smooth surface. Then secure the top of the stairs to your loft by drilling holes and bolting them.

There you have it, loft stairs at an affordable price.