Ladder with a Soft Touch
A 2-ft. by 2-ft. square of carpet protects the house surface.
The drawing above shows a site-built cap for my ladder that does two things really well: The 2-ft. by 2-ft. square of carpet protects the house surface, and the 7⁄16-in.-thick OSB backing distributes the ladder’s weight. It has a 6-in.-wide shelf that accommodates paint, scrapers, and other tools. A bungee cord ties the cap to the ladder, and the window provides access to the top rung.
— George Payne, Middletown, Md.
Edited and illustrated by Charles Miller
From Fine Homebuilding #264
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this is a handy touch - would it work to extend the sides upwards about an inch or two, to keep small items and tools from sliding off the shelf? (the back "wall" is already extended upwards...)
Or I could see a 2nd idea - (it all depends on what one's craft is)...
Extend the top shelf outwards about 2" on either side, then drill holes to hold screw drivers, plier handles, etc. - (If anyone still uses screwdrivers these days...)
The pad on the back to spread the pressure is a huge improvement over the old wrap the ladder ends with rags...
Nice work!!!
Great tip.
One suggestion - I'd wrapping the carpet over the OSB and staple on the other side to avoid the possibility of a staple scratching any surface. This could happen if a staple isn't sunk all the way or loosens over time.
I noticed you "place for tools;" as tempting as it is, don't do it. When I was starting out in carpentry it was drilled into me to never put tools on the top of the ladder, since all it takes is someone moving the ladder and getting hit in the face to regret that tool placement. I lost a tooth in a rock climbing accident and its replacement cost me a few thousand dollars.
The sides are 6 inches wide at the top and 10 inches wide at the bottom. Assuming about 20 inches of depth, this only gives an angle of about 11.3 degrees. An extension ladder should make an angle of about 75 degrees with the ground, or 15 degrees with the vertical side of the house. I'd therefore adjust the measurements slightly so that the recommended 15 degrees could be achieved.