Exterior painting will almost always require the use of an extension ladder. Whether you are painting a single story house or a two story house, you will need to get up and down a ladder.
Use the right ladder
Ladders are rated for the type of use and for the weight the ladder will bear. The rating is usually located on the rail in the form of a sticker with the rating printed on it.
Some ladder manufacturers also color code their ladders to identify the rating (I assume this is in the case of an older ladder where the label may have worn off or peeled off etc..)
Keep in mind that the heavier duty ladders are also more expensive and heavier to move around. I use Type 1 ladders for almost all my work. Type 1AA would be “stiffer” and hold more weight but would be far more fatiguing by the end of the working day, therefore I stay within the weight range and use duty for the type of work that I do.
Load Ratings:
Type 3 These ladders have a duty rating of 200 pounds. Type III ladders are rated for light-duty use.
Type 2 These ladders have a duty rating of 225 pounds. Type II ladders are approved for medium-duty use
Type 1 These ladders have a duty rating of 250 pounds. Type I ladders are manufactured for heavy-duty use
Type 1A These ladders have a duty rating of 300 pounds. Type IA ladders are recommended for extra-heavy-duty industrial use.
Type 1AA These ladders have a duty rating of 375 pounds. Type IAA ladders are recommended for extra-heavy-duty industrial use.
My preference: I do not like round rung ladders. I like “D” rung or flat (hard to find) rung ladders. All my extension ladders are “D” rung ladders. As the name implies, the rungs are shaped like a “D” with the flat side of the “D” on top (as the tread which you stand on). I think “D” rung ladders are easier on the feet and more slip resistant than a round rung ladder.
Inspect the ladder before using it.
Be sure that the ladder rungs are tight and secure. Wood ladders should not have any splits etc… Be sure the locking assembly is working. See Werner inspection check list;
Firm footing
Place ladder feet firmly and evenly on the ground or floor. Make sure the ladder is sitting straight and secure before climbing it.
Both feet of the ladder must be squarely and firmly on solid ground. This is easy to do on cement or other hard surfaces, but requires more care on “earthen” surfaces like lawns which typically surround the exterior of a house.
On hard surfaces use the rubber pads on the bottom of the ladder shoes. On soft surfaces use the spikes of the ladder shoes to embed the ladder firmly into the ground.
Ladder Levelers
Do not try to make a ladder reach farther by setting it on boxes, barrels, bricks, blocks or other unstable bases. (OSHA)
I am a firm believer in ladder levelers I have used them on all my extension ladders for the last 20+ years. I do not like to use and recommend against the use of “shims” or any artificial (man-made) build up of low spots to make for even footing. I do not trust such “rigging”.
All of my extension ladders are equipped with ladder levelers. I must be 100% confident when I am climbing the ladder that the feet are firmly set on the ground. Working your way around a house exterior, you will almost always encounter uneven ground. The ladder levelers allow each foot to firmly set on the ground -even if the ground is uneven (the ground must still be firm).
Slippery surfaces
Don’t take a chance on wet surfaces or flooring. Even rubber “slip resistant” feet will slip on wet surfaces. I have had a ladder slip out from under me while ascending the ladder on a wet hard wood floor - don’t be foolish (as I was). Use ladders on dry ground only.
Placement
- Don’t put a ladder in front of a door where it could be knocked over if the door were to be opened.
- Don’t place the ladder in a cluttered area where you could trip when stepping off the ladder.
Ladder Mitts
Ladder Mitts are attached to the rails at the top of the ladder. The purpose of ladder mitts are to protect the surface that the ladder is leaning against from marring or marking. The mitts are usually made of rubber and add some side to side slip stability to the ladder.
Working on the roof
If you are using a ladder to get onto the roof of the house in order to paint siding or trim above the roof, you will need to extend the ladder (and side rails) above the roof three feet. The purpose of this rule is to provide the worker a hold (the extended ladder rails) for mounting and dismounting from the roof.
From my own perspective and experience the mounting and dismounting of the ladder from the roof is one of the more dangerous aspects of ladder use. There are many other related issues to safe working on a roof (an article detailing some on the more important points will be published at some point in the future), one of which is the pitch of the roof can tilt your weight in such a manner that you may need a “toe hold” as well and the three feet of rail above the roof to safely mount and dismount the ladder from a roof.
When using portable ladders to access an upper landing surface, the ladder side rails must extend at least 3 feet (.9 m) above the landing surface where the ladder is being used…. (OSHA)
How to carry a ladder
Carry the ladder horizontally. Find the center of the mass (ladder) so that you will be able to balance the ladder with equal weight in front and behind. (If you can get a second person to help you carry - all the better. One takes the front of the ladder and one the rear). Do not carry the ladder upright (vertically). Most extension ladders are aluminum and workers have been killed when carrying a ladder vertically into a power line. Additionally an upright ladder is hard to control if it gets off balanced or the wind gusts, usually resulting in the ladder crashing down hard on something, or the ladder carrying individual injuring his back etc… trying to maintain control of the off balanced ladder.
The correct 4:1 slope or angle
Extension ladders need to be set against the house at the correct angle. Too much slope and the ladder may slip out from underneath you, too little slope and it could tip backwards.
Non-self-supporting ladders, which must lean against a wall or other support, are to be positioned at such an angle that the horizontal distance from the top support to the foot of the ladder is about 1/4 the working length of the ladder. (OSHA)
Setting up an extension ladder
Before you can use the ladder you must first bring it to the location and set it up.
Set the ladder feet against an immoveable surface (base of the house for example), then walk the ladder up, rung by rung until it is upright.
Climbing (ascending and descending)
Face the ladder when climbing and descending. Maintain three points of contact with the ladder at all times (two feet and one hand)
Always maintain a 3-point (two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand) contact on the ladder when climbing. Keep your body near the middle of the step and always face the ladder while climbing (OSHA)
 | ||||
The
Concourse eStore
Our "terms of use" governs your use of our website; by using our website, you accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of our "terms of use", do not use our website.
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
Search This Site
| ||||
Custom Search
| ||||
SM
Painting Tips and Advice
| ||||
Painting and Decorating Concourse
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
Addendum: Miscellaneous Cautions and Rules
- Metal ladders (aluminum) and electrical wires: always know if there are overhead power lines and where they are. Repositioning the ladder or carrying the ladder near power lines can cause electrocution.
- Never contact electrical wires with any ladder made of any type of material (wood, fiberglass or aluminum)
- Be sure all locks on extension ladders are properly engaged.
- Keep your body centered between the rails of the ladder at all times. Do not lean too far to the side while working.
- Do not place a ladder in front of a door that is not locked, blocked or guarded
- Never leave a raised ladder unattended.
- Don’t move a ladder with a load attached at the top (like a paint bucket)
- Don’t stand above the third rung from the top - you will not have any rail to hold onto.
Little Giant Ladders
Ladder Accessories
Scaffords
Name brand ladders
| ||||
Click here
Using Extension Ladders
