A door and retractable ladder
assembly for providing access to and from an upper story of a building includes a frame that is configured to be mounted within an opening defined by a ceiling structure, a retractable ladder
assembly, and a door. To facilitate improved sealing of the opening, the frame preferably includes a recess that is coextensive with and is configured to receive the perimeter of the door and an outer cavity that is configured to receive a weatherstripping material. The frame includes a plurality of frame members. The frame members can be
cut at predetermined angles so that the frame includes a plurality of miter joints through which connectors configured to connect adjacently positioned frame members can extend. A section of the retractable ladder can be mounted directly to an inner surface of the door to eliminate the need for intermediate connection means.