ladder: double or triple?

[Fred]

Hi,

As you may know from my recent posts, I have flat roof troubles. I
need a ladder to get up there. It's about 2.5 metres high and I
understand that if you are climbing off a ladder onto a roof, you
should have an extra metre sticking up beyond the roof, so I would
need a 3.5 metre ladder, roughly speaking. (I realise that once the
ladder is at the correct angle, this would reduce the height
slightly).

I have looked on the ladders999 web site, which has been recommended
here before. They suggest you buy a triple ladder as their smaller
length makes them easier to store and carry, but I thought I had read
elsewhere that double ladders were better. I think the counter
argument was that because the sections fit inside one another, the
third section is narrower. Is this an issue in practice?

Do you recommend a double or a triple ladder?

You may be wondering why I am asking when a single ladder would get me
3.4 metres high. Well, I could not see any single ladders on Screwfix
or ladders999 and I thought I would be lazy and let them deliver to
me, rather than drive to a store!

I am not intending going any higher than 2.5 m but I figure if I do
have a ladder that extends to 6 m, it may be useful if a friend ever
volunteers to clean my gutters for me. I'm not sure I would have a
head for gutter-height myself. I've plucked 6 m out of the air. What
is a good size for a general purpose about-the-home ladder? Would that
be about right?

Finally for occasional DIY use are these Lyte trade ladders ok? Is
there any benefit to spending more on the industrial class ones? For
the cost, I think I may as well go for the trade rather than DIY
ladder? I think that I read somewhere the DIY ladders were not as
rigid and obviously have a lower weight capacity?

Thanks in advance.

[NT]

Last time I did exactly that I used a single section ladder. Reason is
simply that its easier and lighter to use. I didnt worry about the
extra metre. There's a big difference between what you'd need to do in
a commercial situation and what you can do purely for yourself.

You can put together a wooden ladder to do that for about £6
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Studwork-Timber/invt/107177
If you want something decent and multi-useful, maybe check out those 4
way folding ladders, they can do various jobs a trad ladder cant, and
can be packed into small spaces.

NT

[george [dicegeorge]]

heavy laddrs are heavier than light ladders!

Where are you going to store it?
that will give you the maximum length.

[g]

[Harry Bloomfield]

Fred pretended :

> As you may know from my recent posts, I have flat roof troubles. I
> need a ladder to get up there.

Unless you have a good reason for a short triple, I generally find a
long double more useful. I have one 4m double and a 4m single. The
double can be split to allow two people to use each section. The double
is also long enough to gain access to the roof and gutters.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

[The Medway Handyman]

Fred wrote:
> Hi,
>
> As you may know from my recent posts, I have flat roof troubles. I
> need a ladder to get up there. It's about 2.5 metres high and I
> understand that if you are climbing off a ladder onto a roof, you
> should have an extra metre sticking up beyond the roof, so I would
> need a 3.5 metre ladder, roughly speaking. (I realise that once the
> ladder is at the correct angle, this would reduce the height
> slightly).
>
> I have looked on the ladders999 web site, which has been recommended
> here before. They suggest you buy a triple ladder as their smaller
> length makes them easier to store and carry, but I thought I had read
> elsewhere that double ladders were better. I think the counter
> argument was that because the sections fit inside one another, the
> third section is narrower. Is this an issue in practice?

Have a look at one of these
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Professional-Multi-Purpose-Ladder/invt/530198

Safe working height of 3.72m but folds up to down to under 1m. Also doubles
as a step ladder/platform etc. Very sturdy.

Also available with a platform from SF
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/27581/Access-Storage/Folding-Ladders/Multipurpose-Ladder-with-Platform?cm_re=SEARCHPROMO-_-LADDERS-_-27581

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

[george [dicegeorge]]

There's an attachemnt for the top of ladders
i think called a stand off,
which holds it a few feet away from the wall
and means you can get past the gutters easier.

[g]

[The Medway Handyman]

Ladder Stay http://www.wickes.co.uk/Ladder-Stay/invt/530039

Worth every penny. Not only does it enable you to 'stand off' from the
gutters, it makes the ladder much more stable.

Something else I rarely use a ladder without is one of these
http://www.laddermat.co.uk/

[John Rumm]

Fred wrote:

> Do you recommend a double or a triple ladder?

If you are going for a long one, then I would go with the triple for a
few reasons:

Easier to store, more versatile in that it breaks down into smaller bits
(giving options of one long, one short, three short etc). Its also
easier to get it up to full length IME, since you can get a bigger
proportion of each section fully extended when standing on the ground.

The down side is slightly more weight for the same overall length (since
you have an extra bit of overlap to carry about)

> I am not intending going any higher than 2.5 m but I figure if I do
> have a ladder that extends to 6 m, it may be useful if a friend ever
> volunteers to clean my gutters for me. I'm not sure I would have a
> head for gutter-height myself. I've plucked 6 m out of the air. What
> is a good size for a general purpose about-the-home ladder? Would that
> be about right?

Depends on how tall your house is. I started with a 6.8m triple:

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/11517/Access-Storage/Triple-Extension-Ladder/Trade-Triple-Extension-Ladder-ELT330

and that was fine in our previous 1950's semi. It would get safely to
gutter level. However once I built the third storey on it, it was too
small! So I sold that and got the 10.2m:

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/19279/Access-Storage/Triple-Extension-Ladder/Trade-Triple-Extension-Ladder-ELT340

It not as easy to move about, but copes with most places including
taller Victorian properties.

> Finally for occasional DIY use are these Lyte trade ladders ok? Is

Yup, very good IME. They are BS EN 131 "trade" rated (or however they
refer to to the middle spec these days), and even if you are fairly
heavy they remain stable and solid.

IIRC there are several different categories or sub classes, where
"Industrial" had a duty rating 130kg and a max vertical static load of
175kg. Trade is 115/150, and domestic is 95/125. Those loads also take
into account the anticipated level of use.

> there any benefit to spending more on the industrial class ones? For
> the cost, I think I may as well go for the trade rather than DIY
> ladder? I think that I read somewhere the DIY ladders were not as
> rigid and obviously have a lower weight capacity?

Yup, the DIY class are only good for something like 125kg max. I have
claimed one once, but never again! Very flimsy in comparison, and the
lateral stability is also very poor under load. Note that is also before
you try carrying a 20kg bucket of mortar up one!

(if you are only 10st soaking wet, then you can probably ignore these
comments, but they are relevant for TFB's such as I)

--
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\=================================================================/

[dent]

> Something else I rarely use a ladder without is one of thesehttp://www.laddermat.co.uk/

A BaseMate is even easier: http://www.ladders-999.co.uk/ladder_accsr_anka.htm

dan.

[Fred]

On Sun, 21 Feb 2010 01:09:34 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
<davi...@no-spam-blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

>Have a look at one of these
>http://www.wickes.co.uk/Professional-Multi-Purpose-Ladder/invt/530198
>
>Safe working height of 3.72m but folds up to down to under 1m. Also doubles
>as a step ladder/platform etc. Very sturdy.
>
>Also available with a platform from SF
>http://www.screwfix.com/prods/27581/Access-Storage/Folding-Ladders/Multipurpose-Ladder-with-Platform?cm_re=SEARCHPROMO-_-LADDERS-_-27581
>

I've got one recommendation for a double, one for a triple, and one
for a platform; I'm even more unsure what to buy now ;)

I only really need a single but I can't find anyone selling any. I
guess a single in a shed will cost as much as a double mail order, so
I may as well get a double and get two for the price of one.

These folding ladders looking interesting. It's a shame neither web
site showed more photos of the different configurations. Can you have
one "leg" of the platform longer than the other, so that you can use
it on the stairs?

How safe are these stair platforms? What stops them falling down the
stairs? Do you just make sure there's no sudden movement? The
decorator that did our stairs leaned two ladders against opposite
walls and put a plank between them, which looked pretty sturdy.

[The Medway Handyman]

Fred wrote:
> On Sun, 21 Feb 2010 01:09:34 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
> <davi...@no-spam-blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Have a look at one of these
>> http://www.wickes.co.uk/Professional-Multi-Purpose-Ladder/invt/530198
>>
>> Safe working height of 3.72m but folds up to down to under 1m. Also
>> doubles as a step ladder/platform etc. Very sturdy.
>>
>> Also available with a platform from SF
>> http://www.screwfix.com/prods/27581/Access-Storage/Folding-Ladders/Multipurpose-Ladder-with-Platform?cm_re=SEARCHPROMO-_-LADDERS-_-27581
>>
>
> I've got one recommendation for a double, one for a triple, and one
> for a platform; I'm even more unsure what to buy now ;)
>
> I only really need a single but I can't find anyone selling any. I
> guess a single in a shed will cost as much as a double mail order, so
> I may as well get a double and get two for the price of one.
>
> These folding ladders looking interesting. It's a shame neither web
> site showed more photos of the different configurations. Can you have
> one "leg" of the platform longer than the other, so that you can use
> it on the stairs?

Good pickies & video here
http://www.laddersandscaffoldtowers.co.uk/acatalog/multi_purpose_ladders.html?gclid=CPaksN2zhqACFRyY2Aod5l1fmw

[The Medway Handyman]

Not seen those before, looks good. Three times the price mind.

[PeterC]

On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:58:50 GMT, The Medway Handyman wrote:

> dent wrote:
>>> Something else I rarely use a ladder without is one of
>>> thesehttp://www.laddermat.co.uk/
>>
>> A BaseMate is even easier:
>> http://www.ladders-999.co.uk/ladder_accsr_anka.htm
>
> Not seen those before, looks good. Three times the price mind.

Also a little more effect upon failure! If that gives way...

Rubber mats probably don't break or collapse. I can't see the mats clearly
in plan view, but they look similar to those that I liberated from the West
Coast Main Line - if they can stand up to a train they'd be OK for a
ladder.
--
Peter.
2x4 - thick plank; 4x4 - two of 'em.