How to Make a Basement Egress Ladder

Making a do-it-yourself basement egress ladder attached to the window simply requires basic carpentry know-how, appropriate tools and needed materials. Take note that basement egress windows are adding worth to your home along with the fact that it increases the flow of natural light as well as providing peace of mind if there will be emergency escape needed. Which is why, making a ladder connected to your basement egress window is a must for you and your family’s safety. Typically, installing basement egress window involves some soil excavation as well as requires cutting of some concrete foundations, which needs some efforts. Nevertheless, making basement egress ladder is surely manageable for you.

Step 1 – Select the Basement Egress Window

Choose the right location in the basement where you want the ladder to be attached. Consider the exterior part of the window and always ensure that it can be a good escape for fire or earthquake incidents. Another important consideration in making the ladder attached to a basement egress window is to avoid any plumbing, utility pipes, electrical boxes as well as other electrical connections or obstructions which cannot be moved or if moveable, it will incur too much cost in order to relocate, which will be very impractical for you. Mark out the size of the window along with the rough opening needed on both the exterior and interior walls using masking tape to utilize as the cutting guide.

Step 2 – Prepare the Egress Window

Prior attaching the ladder to the window, you need to excavate first the soil surrounding the exterior window position using shovels. Allow a slanting clearance of around 10 inches on every side of the window, five feet of sloping entry at the window’s front and six inches underneath the window.

Cut off interior opening down the masking tape line using a circular saw. Shift to the exterior then finish cutting off the foundation wall surrounding the guide masking tape. Take precautionary measures when making the concluding exterior cuts since the leftover concrete will be unwieldy and heavy.

Set up the window in the uneven frame nailing down the window flange as well as into the coarse wood frame; ensure smooth and level window operation. Spray insulation foam along the entire fiberglass and crevices insulation along the larger gaps among the foundation and uneven frame as well as among the basement egress window and the coarse frame. Patch out then finish both the exterior and interior trim to go along the materials of every elevation.

Step 3 – Make and Attach the Ladder

Measure the distance of the window top to the landing outside of it. Make use of good lumber to ensure the durability of your ladder for longer service time. Remember to just make around six ladder steps for efficient stepping from inside going out. Making the ladder simply requires basic carpentry knowledge then after, you just need to attach it on the exterior part of the basement egress window. You should not connect it right at the tip of the window because the glass window will not be closed anymore. Instead, just connect it outside of the window near enough to be reached by somebody going out from the basement egress window.