Choosing a Ladder
By: Beth Knott
Even if you 're one of those people with your feet firmly planted on the ground, chances are, at some point you're going to need a ladder. Here is some information on ladders that might help you make the right decision if you decide to buy one.
I'm going to focus primarily on step ladders, since they're the most common type and the one that will be used for most jobs, especially jobs inside the house like painting. Sometimes you'll hear them referred to as "A" frame ladders. You'll see lots of them in the store aisles, in all different heights and price ranges. The bottom line is that you need to keep three things in mind when buying a step ladder: height, weight guidelines and material of the ladder.
 
Let's start with height:
Take a look at the label where it shows the height of the ladder. Step ladders can range from 4 feet to 16 feet. Unless you have to do a job on a vaulted ceiling, you won't need to worry about anything higher than 8 feet. I recommend going for a 6 foot ladder if you have 8 foot ceilings, and an 8 foot ladder if you have 10 foot ceilings. Just a word of safety...remember, you should never stand higher than 2 steps down from the top, or you'll run the risk of taking a spill you hadn't planned on!
 Weight Guidelines:
You'll also notice color coded boxes on the ladder packaging somewhere...these are all about weight, and that means weight of the person on the ladder..You PLUS added pounds from any materials that you'l be holding or resting on the ladder, like paint, or a ceiling fan. So look at the label carefully. If the label says that the ladder is light duty and only holds 200 pounds, that's not the right ladder for a person who weighs 205 pounds...or a 190 pound person holding a 20 pound ceiling fan.
Material of the ladder:
Step ladders used to be made of wood, but those are hard to find now, and weight makes them not a good choice anyway. The real choice comes down between aluminum and fiberglass. Unless you are planning to be on the ladder every single day, aluminum ladders are just fine. Fiberglass does provide extra durability and protection from electricity, but an 8 foot fiberglass ladder runs about $100 as compared to the same 8 foot aluminum ladder which costs only $75. An aluminum ladder is also lighter in weight, making it easier to carry to your project site. 
 Other Types of Ladders:
If you need to get to your gutters, or onto your roof, then you'll need an extension ladder. The main point I want to make about extension ladders is that you need to determine your highest point and make sure the ladder you buy reaches 7 to 10 feet higher than that. Since these can be expensive, and you probably won't use them more than a couple of times a year, it might be best to find a buddy that has an extension ladder and borrow it from him or her. I have also found that they can be quite heavy and hard to move.
Just as a Gee Whiz:
A telescoping ladder is very cool...almost space-age in fact. They're extremely lightweight and fold down to be very compact, so you can haul it anywhere around your house and yard, or throw it in your car. Where else can you find a 12 foot ladder that shrinks down to a 2 and a half feet, in less than a 25 pound package? The only drawback is the price...anywhere from $120 to $300, depending on the size and brand.
So, keep in mind that a step ladder will get you through most situations, but now at least you know what your options are. These ladder shopping tips will make sure that no Hands On Woman is on shaky ground when making a ladder purchase. 
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