Stira and Pull Down Attic Stairs
Accessing a Loft Without a Folding Pull-Down Attic Stairs
We are very conscious of the fact that Stira and Pull Down Attic Stairs are one and the same thing in the minds of most people in Ireland. This is why when people ask us here in Attic Stairs Solutions about having a Stira fitted, we are obliged to let them know that we don’t supply Stira Stairs, but that we do supply and fit pull down attic stairs.
Occasionally, this raises the following questions ‘What is the difference between a Stira and the attic stairs supplied by Attic Stairs Solutions?’ and sometimes there is a worry on the part of the prospective client that the attic stairs that we provide might be of inferior quality.
The issue of Sira Attic Stairs and other attic stairs is one that does need to be addressed for the simple reason that there ARE pull down/folding attic stairs available that ARE low quality and that some installers are providing and installing.
Be assured – Attic Stairs Solutions is NOT one of them
Note: There is a reference to identifying lower quality attic stairs in Questions About Folding Attic Stairs
Stira ‘Copies’
Let’s first deal with the notion that alternatives to the Stira are ‘copies’ of the ‘original’ Stira.
Stira was the brainchild of Galway man Michael Burke (get the full history here) who was largely responsible for introducing the folding attic stairs – the Stira – to Ireland. He started the company and it quickly became hugely successful, which is exactly why the name Stira is now synonymous with pull-down folding attic stairs.
However, while not a lot is known about when the folding attic stair was invented, apparently its history goes back to well before the introduction of Stira to Ireland in 1982. Did Michael Burke make unique innovations to the folding attic stairs design and concept? That I can’t answer though he did win a patent battle with a UK based Irishman who allegedly copied his design (Stira Entrepreneur Celebrates Victory in Copycat Legal Battle).
However, the bottom line here is that Stira was not the original folding attic stairs and other folding attic stairs cannot, therefore, be called Stira ‘copies’.
Stira Quality Compared With Other Folding Attic Stairs
Stira is a tried and trusted quality product and though it is considerably more expensive than most other attic stairs, if you choose a Stira you can be reasonably certain that you won’t be going too far wrong.
But What About Other Folding Attic Stairs?
As already mentioned – there are some stairs out that are undoubtedly inferior to the Stira. However, Attic Stairs Solutions does not engage in slating and knocking other products or product installers other than to point out that cheap does not mean value for money any more than does expensive.
So, How Does Fakro Compare With Stira?
In terms of Quality, it would be foolish to claim that Fakro Stairs are of equal or better quality than Stira for one simple reason – Attic Stairs Solutions are not qualified to make such claims – after all – providing and installing is our business – not assessing and evaluating quality.
What we can say is that Fakro Loft Ladders as supplied and fitted by Attic Stairs Solutions are a premium quality product that you can trust. That is exactly why we guarantee our stairs for 10 years. It’s not difficult for us to offer this guarantee because we have been installing Fakro Stairs for so long that we are expert installers and we know that the product is pretty much trouble free. We know that when we install a Fakro Attic Stairs the chances that we will have to return to resolve an issue with it are extremely slim – but if there is an issue – rest assured – we will return immediately and deal with it.
Fakro are an internationally renowned company for good reason and their products are extremely well regarded.
The Fakro Attic Stairs Comes With a Safety Handle
Aside From Quality Are there Differences Between Stira and Fakro?
The Fakro Stairs comes with a safety rail fitted and the hatch door comes in a white finish. There is also a price difference, but other than that – there’s not too many major obvious differences.
The White Finish on a Fakro Attic Hatch
Does Attic Stairs Solutions Fit Stira Folding Attic Stairs?
A new Stira pull-down attic stairs can only be purchased with installation included and Stira has its own installers. Attic Stairs Solutions is not a Stira installer.
That said, Stira stairs are often available second hand and if we are asked to fit one – no problem – we will fit it – but we can only guarantee our work – not the product. The same goes for any other brand of folding attic stairs that we do not provide ourselves.
I Hope This Article Helps Clarify Some Of the Issues and Concerns Raised in Relation to Stira and Pull Down Attic Stairs
Also See These Frequently Asked Questions About Folding Attic Stairs
