(I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.)
I’m back today to share an easy update to an annoying problem. Do you have attic stairs that have a standard pull cord dangling down? They are just not attractive! Here’s a great and easy tutorial to update those attic stairs and get rid of the dangling cord.
Here are our attic stairs “before” the quick update.
The first thing I did was give all the woodwork a fresh coat of white trim paint using a small roller.
Now, to get rid of that cord. You will first need to collect a few supplies. For this project you will need a screw hook, an eye bolt, and a wooden dowel (no smaller than 3/4″ x 3′).
First step, remove the cord. Figure out how your cord is attached and cut it off. Be careful not to let your attic stairs close or it will be very difficult to open them at this point!
Using the new eye bolt, push it through the same hole the cord was in, and tighten the bolt firmly on the inside of the stairs. You may have to use a drill to make your hole slightly bigger if your eye bolt won’t fit.
Now it’s time to make a handle to access your new eye hook. Grab your dowel and your screw hook.
Drill a pilot hole into one end of the dowel.
Screw the hook into your pilot hole. You have now created your handle!
Use the handle to hook the eye bolt and pull down your stairs.
Obviously it would be super ugly to leave the handle just hanging there all the time, so you will need somewhere to store your handle when you aren’t using it.
I used a simple hook inside our hall closet to store our pull handle. Now any time I need to access the attic, I grab my handle out of the closet, attach it to the eye bolt in the attic stairs, and I’m ready to go!
Now when we look or walk down our hallway, we aren’t greeted with an unsightly cord hanging down. The attic stairs are hardly noticeable anymore.
Genius, right?! Head on over to True Value to pick up your supplies today. This little project shouldn’t take you more than about 30 minutes tops. Check out True Value Hardware for all your DIY needs.
I’ve been missing your posts…you always have simple, easy to follow postings with ideas that are a definite “A-Ha” moment. This is a great one.
This is a brilliant idea! The pull string on our attic stairs is just in my reach if I stand on tiptoes and practically dislocate my shoulder! My 6’2″ husband is the only one in the house that can reach it. I WILL be do this. Thank you!
Good grief. So simple and intelligent it makes me wish I had attic stairs! : )
Excellent Methodology! Definitely something to guide the DIY-authorities in the household… (chuckle) Thanks for sharing.. ^_^
Allison,
Hey!?! Where did you go? Everything all right?
Maureen
Simple, and great results, especially hanging the hook out of sight. Love this! And another idea to help the hatch blend in even more would be to paint the woodwork all the same color as the ceiling.
Shame on you! Taking credit for a tutorial that clearly wasn’t your idea to begin with!
My father worked hard to implement and market his idea for well over a year – in the same State you live in!
His product is trade-marked and patented ( sold in most Home Improvement stores, if not all) but no matter how many times I go over YOUR tutorial, word by word – do I see any credit given to the original maker of said product.
You most likely saw it at one of the stores, thought you could slide it onto your blog as a tutorial and no one would be the wiser.
Since when does filtching someone else’s idea and then claiming to be the brain behind the idea constitute a success?
Awfully gutsy of you, not to mention just a bit stupid.
My father’s product – http://www.attic-ease.com/index.html
At least give credit where it is due!
I have never before in my entire life seen this product. Ever. My last house came with the attic done the exact way my tutorial shows, and I pretty much copied that, which my builder did. He used basic parts from a hardware store. It’s a simple solution. Just because your dad assembled it all into a neat little kit does not mean he invented it.
Thank you for the information Allison! What a ridiculous and uninformed comment from Jennifer. Even on their website, it clearly states that her father was not the originator of the idea: “But Nathan had devised a make shift system where he got an eye-bolt and replaced the cord and built a reach hook by screwing a hook into the end of a broom.”
That sounds exactly what is in this tutorial – using standard hardware available from the store to make a functional system. How is one to know of all products available on the market? Kudos to Jennifer’s father for putting everything together into a neat package, but shame on Jennifer for making rude comments.
You have no idea whether this blogger ever saw your dad’s prouct. This is not word for word the same and just because your dad thought of it does not mean someone else didn’t think of it also. Don’t be a jerk!
I swear I literally never saw his product. I thought of this idea on my own. Honestly, it seems like an obvious solution so I’m sure there are thousands of people who independently came up with this idea all by themselves. Thank you for having my back! <3
My parents had this exact same thing in our house 40 years ago. I think my grandfather put it in. I can’t believe your father didn’t give credit to my grandfather!
shame on you for not knowing that your own father did not invent his concept
cool idea, but in my country can not be applied
I saw this post when you first posted it and was inspired to do it in my home. I could barely reach the pull cord before, so having the longer dowel with a hook makes it MUCH easier.
I finally found some ways to get rid of the chord in our attic! Thank you very much for the tips. I am pretty confident to do this myself now.
Our string had broken. This idea was much better than replacing it! Thanks
Thank you for being there and your help with the string on attic doors.
Phil
Of course!
The pull down robe on my attic drop down latter broke off. What is the best way to open it up so I can replace the rope?
Very helpful thank you
This was so easy I was stunned. I just re textured the ceiling and repainted the whole hallway, and was racking my brain over the gross cord hanging down. I feel silly I didn’t think of your idea myself but it was fate that I did a search one day and happened on your sight. Brilliant and so easy. Took only minutes to accomplish. Thank you!
Very late to the party, but I appreciate this post. I’m looking to do the same. One easy suggestion to further de-emphasize an attic door, or access doors in general, is to paint the door and trim to match the adjacent ceiling color… seems like a little thing, but it’s highly effective in not drawing the eye to the door.