Different Types Of Ladders

A ladder is simply a vertical or inclined set of rungs or steps. There are pictures of ladders on rock paintings which date back to over thousands of years. The original one was most probably made of tree trunks. From there it progressed to a steadier wooden one and then to a rope one and now of course these are made of aluminum and fiberglass.

Aluminum ladders are quite popular in the market place. There are number of reasons for its popularity. These come in different shapes and sizes. They can be as small as a step stool for around the house. Then you have the step ladders which come in handy for most of the jobs in and around your house and you have the extension ladders which can be raised to different heights. The cost of these varies and is based on its functionality.

Some of the key reasons for the popularity of an aluminum ladder are:

Aluminum is strong.

It's lightweight.

Its corrosion resistant

Aluminum Ladders are economical

They are durable.

They are flame resistant

Aluminum also isn't affected by moisture

They don't require protective finish that needs periodic maintenance.

There are different types of ladders, such as:

Fixed Ladder: If its attached permanently to a structure is called a 'Fixed Ladder' - the structure can be a building or a piece of equipment. Usually this one (when the length exceeds certain height) will be equipped with cages or rest platforms or ladder landings for safety.

Extension Ladder: These allow you to work at more than one height. These have at least two to three different extensions. Most of them have a sliding mechanism for the extensions. They are very versatile. The big advantage of this is that you can extend them and adjust the length according to the job you are doing.

Step Ladder: These are suitable for jobs in and around your house. These are shorter and when opened they have a 'A-shaped' design. Step Ladders can be easily folded for storage. The steps of these are wider and hence it is much safer and comfortable to use.

Step Platform Ladder: Most of the step ladders come with a platform at the top. This platform is quite handy to rest tools or other materials. If it has a platform at the top its called a 'Platform Step Ladder'.

Telescopic Ladder: Each level of a telescopic ladder slides down to stack on the level below. These ones basically collapse on itself and hence is quite compact and portable. Since it collapses on itself like a telescope, it gets the name 'telescopic ladder'. Most of these can be extended to different heights thus making it quite versatile. They are quite handy for work in and around the house.

Roof Ladder: This is basically an extension ladder with some added security built in to let you work on roof. A normal extension ladder might lean against a wall or a tree and hence its ends may be squared off a bit. On the other hand these extend a few feet past the roof. For additional security, these usually have hand grips or special hooks on their top ends.