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04 Feb 2021

ladder standing up

Storing your ladder properly can make all the difference to how long it lasts. Your ladder takes care of you while you're using it, so make sure you take care of it when you're not!

Ladders that are stored incorrectly can topple over, cause injury or start to rust/deteriorate, so it's important you take the time to find an ideal storage space before you put your ladder away.

Here at Ladders UK Direct, the ladders we offer are generally made of long-lasting materials like aluminium, fibreglass and steel. That being said, incorrect storage can turn a perfectly good ladder into a dangerous piece of equipment. Proper ladder storage will prolong your ladder's life and will keep you and other people in your home/business safe.

How should I store my ladder?

If you're stuck for places to store your ladder, you have a few options. The safest option is to invest or create a ladder rack in your garage or shed where you can store your ladder on the wall horizontally. With support points along the length of the ladder, the chances of it falling on a passer-by are very slim. 

The second best option is to lay your ladder completely flat on the ground. Yes, this might be a trip hazard (so be careful where you lay it), but it's certainly not going to fall on top of anyone from the floor.

Understandably, not everyone will have the means to store their ladders horizontally, or the space to have their ladders stored on the ground which leads us to the question...

Can I store my ladder standing up?

Yes - ladders can be stored standing up,  but it's not the safest method of ladder storage. Ladders that are stored standing up are far more likely to topple over than ladders that are stored laying down or horizontally on a ladder rack.

For that reason, we'd only recommend storing your ladders standing up if you've got no other alternative. If you're worried about storing your ladders, we'd highly recommend checking out our ladder locks and ladder storage hooks. These products are specifically designed to make it easy for you to store ladders of all shapes and sizes. 

Read More: Ladder Storage: How to Store Your Ladder

If you're looking for new ladders to add to your home or business equipment kit, we have a diverse range of ladders on offer. Shop Now!

20 Jan 2021

best ladder for painting ceiling

If you've decided to re-decorate your house during lockdown - bravo! Now is a great time to give your home a new lick of paint and make the place look fresh and clean.

Anyone whos ever painted a room before knows that it's fiddly, time-consuming and can be messy. What can you do to make the process easier? Well, you should start by making sure you have the best equipment. Let's be honest, the ceiling is without a doubt the trickiest place to paint in any room, so we're going to set you up with the best ladder for the job.

What to look for?

When you're looking for the perfect ladder for painting the ceiling, you want to avoid ladders that will require you to over-reach. You never want to stand on the top three rungs, so if you're finding yourself over-extending then your ladder is too short. 

Your ladder needs to be certified for your weight plus the weight of your equipment, so if you're going to be carrying a few tins of paint, brushes, rollers, trays and a cup of tea then you need to take this into account.

Let's take a closer look at the best three ladders for painting the ceiling, platform step ladders and multi purpose ladders.

Platform Step ladders

platform step ladders

Up there as one of the best ladders fr painting the ceiling is the humble platform step ladder. These ladders are ideal for painting ceilings because they come in a wide range of heights and they feature a useful platform at the top. 

When you use a platform ladder to paint your ceiling, you'll be elevated comfortably, you'll be able to reach the ceiling easily and you'll be able to pick up and put down your painting equipment as required.

Shop Platform Step Ladders >

Multi purpose ladders

Whether you need to paint a huge ceiling or the ceiling over a staircase, our multi purpose ladders are a great option. As far as ladders go, they are the most versatile option and will allow you to paint comfortably almost anywhere! 

5 way ladder and platform

Some of our multipurpose ladders, like the 5-way multi purpose ladder shown above, come with an optional platform for extra workspace. We highly recommend purchasing one of these multipurpose ladders if you're a painter and decorator by trade. It will help you to paint ceilings in every setting and will allow you to stay elevated for longer periods of time than a regular step ladder.

Shop All Multi Purpose Ladders >

 

So, there you have it the best kinds of ladders for painting the ceiling! If you have any other questions, feel free to drop us an email or give us a call on 01446 789538.

22 Dec 2020

Man climbing up a wooden loft ladder

If you want to access your attic more easily, installing a loft ladder is a great way to achieve this. A permanent loft ladder saves you the hassle of fetching and setting up a conventional ladder every time you want to go up there - and most loft ladders can be neatly folded away when you're done.

Before you purchase a loft ladder, though, we recommend taking a moment to familiarise yourself with the different types of loft ladder that are available. Here's a quick guide from Ladders UK Direct...

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10 Dec 2020

working safely at height

It's a sad fact that a lot of the accidental deaths in the workplace are directly linked to working at height. When working at height, it's absolutely vital that you have proper precautions in place to help prevent a slip or fall. The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) have a lot of great information about working safely at height to show you how it's done properly. We've put together this blog, with the help of the HSE Working at Height Resource, to show you how to work at height safely.

Who should work at height?

You may think that because you have a ladder and you know how to climb it that you're perfectly competent to work at height safely. The truth is, even people who work at height every day can make mistakes. So, no matter who you are, if you need to work at height it's important you follow safety guidelines laid out by Health and Safety Executive.

Before you start working

Before you even think about touching a ladder, you need to make sure that the work has been planned properly, will be supervised properly and is being carried out by someone with the correct training/experience and knowledge of working safely at height. You also need to check that you've got the right safety equipment.

Assessing the risks

We've spoken about step ladder risk assessments before, but when you're working at height on any ladder, a risk assessment is important. Think about how long the task will take, how many times you'll need to do it, and the type of surface you'll be working on. Working safely at height is largely down to how well you understand and manage potential risks. For example, if you think that there's any chance of a slip or fall, make sure you explore fall arrest equipment before making a start.

Working safely at height - what you should and shouldn't do:

You should:

  • Get as much work done from the ground as you can
  • Make sure extra precautions are taken if you're working near a fragile/breakable surface
  • Ensure you're wearing protective headgear in case of falling objects
  • Consider what would happen in the event of an emergency & make sure everyone on site is aware
  • Ensure the climbing space is clear & free of debris

You shouldn't:

  • Lean over or overreach while using ladders or scaffolding
  • Overload ladders - make sure you check the maximum working weight before you start!
  • Use ladders for tasks that require you to work at height for longer than 30 minutes at a time
  • Use a ladder or work at height if you aren't qualified to do so

Ladders for Working Safely at Height

Here at Ladders UK Direct, we offer a huge selection of ladders for domestic and trade use that will allow you to work at height safely. We work with well-known suppliers to bring you some of the safest & most-loved ladders on the market. Use the buttons below to shop our ladders & scaffold towers - perfect for working at height in any location.

Ladders >     Step Ladders >     Scaffold Towers >

If you have any questions about working safely at height, you can contact the Ladders UK Direct team here - sales@laddersukdirect.co.uk.

03 Dec 2020

Extension ladder

When purchasing a ladder, it's helpful to know what length you need. But what about width? Should you be taking that into consideration too?

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