The wrong ladder is the most common ladder accident. A step ladder that is too short makes you stand on the top rung; an extension ladder that is too short makes you reach; a ladder rated for less than you weigh makes you the test. Choosing right takes five minutes and prevents the fall that sends people to the emergency room.
Step ladder: self-supporting, for low indoor work — changing bulbs, painting a wall, reaching a shelf. Extension ladder: leans against the house, for reaching the roof and the gutters. Multi-position: folds into a step ladder, an extension ladder, or a scaffold, for stairs and uneven ground. One ladder does not do all three jobs — and the ladder that tries is the one that fails.
Measure the reach. Measure the highest point you need to reach. An extension ladder must extend 3 feet above the roof edge or the gutter — that is the rule, not a suggestion. A step ladder must be tall enough that you work from the second rung down, never the top.
Check the duty rating. Check the duty rating: Type III holds 200 pounds, Type II 225, Type I 250, Type IA 300. The rating counts you plus your tools plus the paint can — not just you. Buy one rating above what you think you need.
Pick the material. Fiberglass for electrical work — it does not conduct electricity. Aluminum for everything else — it is light and it does not rust. Wood is heavy, rots, and hides cracks; do not buy a wood ladder.
Check the height rule. Never stand on the top two rungs of a step ladder or the top three rungs of an extension ladder. If the job needs you higher than that, the ladder is too short — buy the next size. Using the ladder right matters as much as choosing it — the extension ladder safety guide covers setup, climb, and the mistakes that cause falls.
Check the feet and the rungs. Check the feet: non-slip rubber feet that grip the floor, not worn smooth. Check the rungs: clean, dry, and locked. Check the locks on an extension ladder: both sides engaged, both sides clicked. The ladder safety checklist covers the 12 rules to check before you climb.
Store it right. Store the ladder indoors, off the floor, and out of the weather — a ladder left outside warps, rusts, and weakens. The ladder storage guide covers two hooks and ten minutes.
Extension ladder length is the reach plus 3 feet above the edge. A one-story house needs a 20–24 foot extension ladder; a two-story house needs 28–32 feet. Step ladder height is the work height minus 4 feet: a 6-foot step ladder puts your hands at about 10 feet. When in doubt, buy the longer one — a ladder that is too long is awkward, a ladder that is too short is dangerous.
Do not buy a ladder with no duty rating printed on it. Do not buy a used ladder with bent rails, cracked rungs, or missing feet. And do not buy the cheapest ladder in the store — the rating is the price, and the price is the safety.
Extension ladder: the reach plus 3 feet above the edge — 20–24 feet for one story, 28–32 feet for two. Step ladder: the work height minus 4 feet. When in doubt, buy the longer one.
Fiberglass for electrical work — it does not conduct electricity. Aluminum for everything else — light and rust-proof. Never use an aluminum ladder near power lines.
It depends on the duty rating: Type III 200 pounds, Type II 225, Type I 250, Type IA 300. The rating counts you plus your tools plus what you are carrying.
Not a regular one — the legs are the same length and the stairs are not. Use a multi-position ladder, which adjusts one side longer than the other, or level the stairs first.