All about building ladders

Currently, there is a wide variety of models and designs of building stairs. They are necessary for installation and finishing work, as well as on the farm and in the repair of premises. The main requirements for them are durability and stability. All characteristics of building ladders and stepladders must comply with GOST 26877-86.

If earlier such stairs were made mainly of wood and therefore were very heavy, in need of constant maintenance and repair, now they are replaced by light and practical products made of aluminum with the addition of silicon, duralumin and magnesium, which gives the structures high operational properties. To prevent corrosion and protect against negative environmental influences finished stairs are covered with an oxide film.

In addition to aluminum, building stairs are made of steel, duralumin, various plastic mixtures and an alloy of aluminum with harder metals.

To work on the stairs it was convenient and safe, the steps are made flat, corrugated and wide. In total, building stairs can have from 3 to 25 steps, and sizes - from two to 12 meters or more. The weight of the structures varies from 3 to 6 kg. It all depends on the device model.

Structurally, stairs are divided into the following types.

This is an irreplaceable thing in the country or in a private house. According to safety regulations, the length of such a staircase cannot exceed 6 meters, and the number of steps ranges from 6 to 18. The fastening of the steps of the ladder is necessarily performed by flaring, the edges must be bent on the outside.

They can be retractable and folding, they are actively used in construction, during electrical work, in the garden and in warehouses. They do not exceed 8 meters in height.

Fixation of each section is carried out by means of a special locking rocker arm with automatic clamping. Each part of this design is called a knee, it can have from 6 to 20 steps. The total length of all three bends can be up to 12 meters. Two knees are attached to each other with straps and hinges, the third is extended or removable. Such ladders are widely used in industrial warehouses and industrial premises.

They are practical, handy attachments that are great for both home and professional work at high altitudes.

Structures are double (stairs on both sides) or with a support frame. Usually, the two halves of the ladder are connected by a traverse - a wide strip made of dense material, which protects the ladder from spontaneous unfolding.

Mini stepladders reaching 90 cm are called stepladders or stools. They are often used for household chores, warehouses, supermarkets or libraries.

Typically, these devices consist of four sections, which are attached to each other by hinged mechanisms.So that the position of the sections can be changed relative to each other and securely fixed, each mechanism is equipped with a lock. The change of position from an extension ladder to a cantilever structure, a platform or a double-sided ladder takes no more than twenty seconds.

For safety reasons, it is mandatory for them to have metal handrails on both sides. There are usually 3 to 8 steps. There are often very convenient mobile options with small wheels at the base.

There are several types of platform stairs.

It has an L-shape, and the working platform is located above the top step. Easy to move and fix in place of work thanks to castors, each with its own stopper.

It resembles a stepladder with additional sections that can be used to change the height. This model has a special platform for placing the necessary tools.

Such a model is extremely demanded by professional builders and finishers, since it has a large and comfortable platform on which two or more people can easily fit and work.

They are used to carry out high-rise works on the facades of buildings of any type. The structure consists of two ladders connected by metal ties. When starting work on this ladder, you should make sure that its braking system is in good working order.

The main points to focus on when choosing a construction ladder:

• where it is supposed to work on it and what will be the nature of the work;
• how often you plan to use it;
• how many people will work;
• storage space for the stairs after the end of work.

Taking into account all these factors, you can easily choose the best option that is suitable in weight, as functional and convenient as possible in work and during transportation, does not cause problems during storage and does not require constant maintenance.

For the intricacies of choosing building stairs, see below.