British Attic Stair Fits Small Opening

Question: On a recent trip to England, I found the only attic (loft) stairway that would fit in my house without major work relocating the heating/cooling ductwork. Is something similar available in the United States or will I have to pay big shipping costs from England?

Answer: You sent along a photocopy of a unit called the Gravity Randall Easiway, a folding stairway designed to fit in a truly tiny 27-by-19-inch opening. The British Consulate General didn’t have a listing of any manufacturer’s representatives in California or the rest of the United States for the unit, but did supply the address of the manufacturer: Gravity Randall Ltd., Slinfold, Horsham, U.K. RH13 7RD. The telephone number is 0114 403 790 456.

You should be able to find out from the manufacturer if they will sell you one and ship it to Northridge. The price of just under 50 translates to about $92, but shipping costs, custom duty, etc. will undoubtedly add to the cost.

This unit features aluminum construction, much like the attic ladders from Roto Frank of America Inc., Chester, Conn. that were on display at the recent convention/exposition of the National Assn. of Home Builders in Atlanta. Roto Frank ladders require a substantially larger opening--at least 23-by-55 inches--and sell for about $300 at National Lumber, Anawalt Lumber, Barr Lumber and Ganahl Lumber outlets in the Southland.

Good luck on your search for the British ladder!

Q: Our brick fireplace is an ugly orange color. Is there a special paint we can use to cover it? We use the fireplace a lot and I’m afraid the heat and smoke would blacken the paint.

A: Any high-quality paint should do the job; a certain amount of smoke blackening is to be expected with any fireplace that’s used a lot. If the orange is really bright, a couple of primer coats might be necessary. There are heat-resistant paints, for auto engines and similar applications, but they shouldn’t be necessary for bricks; if the bricks get hot, something is seriously wrong with your fireplace.