How could you buy the best ladder for yourself？
There's a number of ladders designed for use around the home, from small stepladders for changing a lightbulb, to regular stepladders for general handywork, to system and multipurpose ladders for more specialised work. We'll take you through the types, point out the features to consider, and present a few safety tips on using them.
In this Article:
Ladder types
What things to look for
Safety tips
Ladder types
Basic ladders
Small two- or three-step stepladders are usually compact enough to keep in your laundry or kitchen and are extremely useful for changing a lightbulb or achieving a top shelf. They often times have a more substantial top step or system which is safe to stand on.
Regular 1.8m A-frame stepladders are quite similar, just a little larger. The primary difference is that the majority of these don't have a large top step or platform, and that means you shouldn't use the topmost rung to stand on. Instead, use it to brace your legs as you stand on the second-highest rung. Check the caution labels on the ladder.
Regardless of the stepladder size, it should have strong cross-bracing that locks securely set up so that the two halves can't shift away from one another and collapse.
Regular straight ladders are still common, though generally not as popular as stepladders for domestic use as they don't have that convenient built-in stability. They have to be braced against a wall. However they usually have better reach than a basic stepladder.
Expansion ladders and stepladders
If you'd like more versatility in your ladder, but don't require it to be contorted into twelve different shapes, a step extension ladder might be the perfect home solution.
The step extension ladder can be utilized as a standard A-frame ladder, but also for more reach you can fold the ladder out and also have a longer directly ladder, which effectively doubles your reach when positioned against the side of the home. They must have a locking mechanism to carry this configuration safely in place.
Directly extension ladders are a good option if you sometimes need a very long ladder, to attain your roof for example. They can be used as a regular straight ladder but can also be extended to a a lot longer size: some can go to eight metres or more.
Platform stepladders
Platform stepladders are like regular stepladders, however they have a broad, non-slip platform close to the top to provide a working area where you can stand fairly comfortably, or rest your projects tools, can of paint etc.
