Tiny Timber Studio | Folding Loft Ladders, Made in Vermont

Built for a guest house too small for stairs.

The Tiny Timber guest house, a tall A-frame with charred black siding and a timber-framed gable, in the Vermont woods — The Tiny Timber, the guest house that started it all.

While writing my dissertation, I designed and built a timber-frame guest house from one enormous white pine that grew on our property. It was my brain break from hours at a screen.

It was so small that I couldn't use stairs or a traditional ladder to reach the loft bedroom. I wanted a ladder that folded away without being removed from the space. I looked for one to buy, and nobody made it.

So I designed my own for the guest house we call the Tiny Timber. Now I build them for other small spaces. Gabriel McGann, Vermont.

Steel pin and black handle on a cherry rail — Hardened steel pivot pins

Cherry rails and cross rungs nested together when folded — Rails and rungs, folded

Black iron hook on a cherry rail — Black iron hardware

Rungs rotate on 3/8 in. hardened steel pins. Sanded and finished with two coats of tung oil, assembled, with all hardware included.

Brackets and handrails

Mounting brackets

Every ladder includes a standard 18 in. mounting bracket at no extra cost. Add more brackets in other sizes if you want a wider bracket or plan to use the ladder in more than one place. The 5 in. stub is for storing the ladder in a second spot. If the ladder might swing sideways in storage, add a second storage bracket for the bottom.

Width	Price

Handrails

For extra security when climbing. Handrails are sold individually, so order two for a pair. The 6.5 ft handrail rises 18 in. above the ladder in a candy-cane shape and attaches in three places.

Length	Price each

Handrails in use

Black iron pipe handrails, shown on a cherry ladder and in the shop.

Lockout bracket, $400

A custom forged locking bracket for your folding ladder. Add it to your order below.

Measure in three steps

Watch the 70-second walkthrough, then enter your numbers below.

1. Floor to loft. Measure straight up from the finished floor to the loft surface, to the nearest 1/4 inch. This sets the ladder length.

2. Rail extension. Decide how far you want the rails to rise above the loft floor for a handhold. We add this to the usable length and round up to the next foot to get your order length.

3. Ceiling and storage side. Measure the first-floor ceiling height. A folded ladder is 15 inches longer than the floor-to-loft distance, so it has to clear the ceiling. Then choose which side of the mounting bracket it folds to.

Not sure? Email gabriel@tinytimberstudio.com and I will help you measure.

Floor to loft (inches)

Floor to ceiling (inches)

Rail extension (inches)

Folds to the

Enter both numbers to check the fit.

Order your ladder

Wood Ladder heightSet from your measurements above. You can change it. Ship to Mounting bracketsA standard 18 in. bracket is included. Choose extras here.

HandrailsSold individually. Choose 2 for a pair.

Lockout bracket ($400) NotesMounting side, accent color, anything we should know Subscriber code5% off the ladder and add-ons. Join the list below to get yours. Your name Email

Your estimate

Total

Gabriel confirms your measurements by email, then sends a secure payment link. Nothing is charged today.

Ships to the continental 48 states only. Allow 2 to 4 weeks to build plus about 2 weeks in transit.

From people who own one

An ingenious design and carefully crafted.Connie, February 2026. Uses it between two lofts in her art studio.

Everything arrived beautifully!Alan, September 2026. Had a ladder customized for his space.

A beautiful piece of crafted furniture.Etsy buyer, October 2026. Cherry ladder.

My boss is thrilled with his purchase.Meredith, April 2026. Ordered as a gift for her employer.

Read all 19 reviews on Etsy

Folding Ladders and Fine Woodworking

Unfolded

Folded

Watch it fold away.