Types of Ladders: Metal, Wood, or What?

Like most fruits of human invention, ladders come in a variety of types. There's the plain fixed-length ladder, which has no moveable parts and stands at one height at all times; the ever-popular extension ladder, which most of us have experience with; and the telescoping ladder, which is made of short cylindrical segments that fit inside each other, like the parts of an old-style telescope. This ladder type is ideal when space constraints are an issue. There are other types of ladders out there in invention-land -- like rope ladders and fish ladders -- but let's save those for another time, why don't we?

One doesn't often see telescoping ladders, and these days, fixed-length ladders are relatively rare too -- if you want the maximum in length and storability, you'll need an extendable ladder. What about materials, you ask? Wood is traditional, but it's heavy, because light woods simply aren't strong enough for ladder use; and in any case even the stoutest of wooden ladders is guaranteed only for about 200 pounds. What do you turn to for relief? Metal, of course! Until recently, metal was the only other reasonable ladder-material option. Light but strong extendable ladders can be crafted from aircraft aluminum and similar metals to provide a viable alternative to the limitations imposed by wood, and in the past few decades have become extremely common. However, metal has one gigantic drawback: it readily conducts electricity. When this is a concern (for example, around power lines), it's best to use ladders made entirely of fiberglass or something of the sort.

On to part three :: Introducing the Little Giant ladder system! :: Back to the Index