Ladder Types

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 ladder was most probably made of tree trunks. From there the ladders progressed to a steadier wooden ladder and then to a rope ladder and now of course we have ladders made of aluminum and fiberglass.

Aluminum ladders are quite popular in the market place. There are number of reasons for its popularity. Aluminum ladders 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 ladders 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
Aluminum ladders are durable.
Aluminum ladders are flame resistant
Aluminum also isn't affected by moisture
Aluminum ladders don’t require protective finish that needs periodic maintenance.

There are different types of ladders, such as:

Fixed Ladder: A ladder that is attached permanently to a structure is called a ‘Fixed Ladder’ – the structure can be a building or a piece of equipment. Usually a fixed ladder (when the length exceeds certain height) will be equipped with cages or rest platforms or ladder landings for safety.

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

Step Ladder: These ladders are suitable for jobs in and around your house. Step Ladders are shorter and when opened they have a ‘A-shaped’ design. Step Ladders can be easily folded for storage. The steps of these ladders 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. A step ladder with a platform at the top is called a ‘Platform Step Ladder’.

Telescopic Ladder: Each level of a telescopic ladder slides down to stack on the level below. This ladder basically collapses on itself and hence is quite compact and portable. Since the ladder collapses on itself like a telescope, it gets the name ‘telescopic ladder’. Most of these telescopic ladders can be extended to different heights thus making it quite versatile. Telescopic ladders 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 a Roofing Ladder has to extend a few feet past the roof. For additional security, roofing ladders usually have hand grips or special hooks on their top ends.