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Variations
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Variations
- Fixed ladder, Two side members joined by several rungs; affixed to structure with no moving parts
- Extension ladder or Telescopic ladder, fixed ladder divided into two or more lengths for more convenient storage; the lengths can be slid together for storage or slid apart to maximize the length of the ladder; a pulley system may be fitted so that the ladder can be easily extended by an operator on the ground then locked in place using the dogs and pawls
- Step ladder, hinged in the middle to form an inverted V, with stays to keep the two halves at a fixed angle
- Platform steps, step ladder with small horizontal platform at the top
- Orchard ladder, three legged step ladder with third leg made so that it can be inserted between tree branches for fruit picking
- Roof ladder, rigid ladder with large hook at the top to grip the ridge of a pitched roof
- Cat ladder, lightweight ladder frame used on steep roofs to prevents workers from sliding
- Hook ladder or pompier ladder, rigid ladder with a hook at the top to grip a windowsill; used by firefighters
- Turntable ladder, extension ladder fitted to rotating platform on top of a fire truck
- Bridge ladder, ladder laid horizontally to act as passage between two points separated by a drop.
- Vertically rising ladder, a ladder designed to climb high points and facilitate suspending there.
Rigid ladders were originally made of wood,but in the 20th century tubular aluminum became more common because of its lighter weight. Ladders with fiberglass stiles are used for working on or near overhead electrical wires, because fiberglass is an electrical insulator.
For safety, a rigid ladder should be leaned at an angle of about fifteen degrees to the vertical. In other words, the distance from the foot of the ladder to the wall should be about one quarter of the height of the top of the ladder. At steeper angles, the ladder is at risk of toppling backwards when the climber leans away from it. At shallower angles, the ladder may lose its grip on the ground. Ladder stabilizers are available that increase the ladder's grip on the ground.
A ladder standoff, or stay, is a device fitted to the top of a ladder to hold it away from the wall. This enables the ladder to clear overhanging obstacles, such as the eaves of a roof, and increases the safe working height for a given length of ladder.
