How to choose the best ladder for your garden project

Summer is a busy time of year for keen DIYers and professional tradesmen alike to get those outside projects complete before the bad weather returns. Jobs like pruning the hedges, trimming trees, changing outdoor lightbulbs, cleaning the gutters, or washing the windows all, have one thing in common… a ladder! For many, it’s an essential piece of summer safety equipment.

Before purchasing any new ladders, it’s always a good idea to first think about the intended use of the ladder and the heights you’ll need it to reach safely.

If you’re looking to replace your ladder or find out which option would be best to help complete your project we’ve put together this handy buyer’s guide to help you make an informed purchase.

Guttering

Cleaning the guttering is definitely not the most glamorous job on the list, but when choosing the right ladder for the job it can be difficult to know where to start! The key thing to remember is you’ll want a ladder with a working height that matches your roof or gutter height. Working height is essentially defined as the area you can reach safely while using the ladder.

Remember though, when looking for the right ladder, working height is not the same as total height – nor is it the same as platform height!

For a single storey or short roofs, you may only need a step ladder to safely reach guttering. However, most two storey homes will need something bigger. A taller, a popular choice which will work for a wider range of jobs and projects is an extension ladder. We stock a large range of extension ladders for DIYers and trade professionals — our best selling ladder is the Werner fibreglass trade extension ladder.

Pruning Hedges and Trees

During the summer months, you may need to trim a few tall hedges or prune some trees. These projects are no small task! Quite often garden projects require a very specific type of ladder that can provide the right amount of height, stability, and plenty of room to safely handle a hedge trimmer or chainsaw at height.

Happily, we stock leading brands of the three main types of garden ladders including tripod ladders, platform ladders, and high step ladders to meet your specific garden needs!

For example, if you’re having trouble finding a lightweight garden ladder for uneven surfaces, we recommend you take a look at the Henchmen Platform Tripod Ladder. With its, adjustable legs it’s perfect for the job! The platform tripod ladder is perfect for those hard to reach areas because it creates a sturdy work area on sloping driveways or other uneven surfaces in your garden.

On the other hand, if you only have a few shrubs or trees but need a wide ladder to avoid damaging other plants, we suggest you take a look at the tried and tested durable aluminium tripod ladder.

High-step ladders are very popular with both industry professionals and DIYers alike for jobs that require a decent amount of height, like trimming tall hedges. The high-step creates plenty of working space to reach more of the hedge without having to reposition the ladder. The danger with high hedges is some people may consider over-reaching to get those hard to reach areas. However, doing so moves your centre of balance too far away potentially causing the ladder to tip over. Users should remember to keep hips inside the guard rails at all times to mitigate this risk!

General Cleaning and Repairs

Ladders for cleaning and minor exterior repairs or installs like exterior lighting or security systems might be slightly different than those considered for other jobs.

For example, many professional window cleaners choose either a single section aluminium ladder or a 2-section aluminium ladder.

If you need a multipurpose ladder to do window cleaning and other simple exterior projects it might be best to consider an extension ladder. But, if you live in a bungalow you may only need a kick-step or short step ladder to safely and easily get your job done!

No matter what projects get thrown your way this summer, don’t get caught without a ladder!  Feel free to browse them right here on our site, or give our friendly sales team a call on 01282 615517 to see how we can help.