Ladder Sizes (Types & Dimensions Guide)
Here’s our ladder sizes guide, including different types of folding and extension style sizes and the best design for home use.
A suitable ladder for your home will make reaching and fixing things at higher altitudes easier. It is a set of inclined or vertical steps that generally have two types – the rigid ladders and the rollable ones.
Rigid ladders are self-supporting types and can be leaned against a wall or any other vertical surface. On the other hand, a rolling ladder may be hung from the top; examples of these are those made of aluminum or rope.
A-Frame Ladder Measurements
A-frame ladders are an umbrella term for those with two legs that are angled so that they form the capital letter A, especially because of the supporting frame in the middle that stabilizes the equipment.
A-frame ladders have various sizes depending on the type, whether a step stool or not. Mostly, these types of ladders range in size between 4 feet, and up to 20 feet in height. See our gallery of the different types of ladders here.
Step Ladder Dimensions
You might recognize step ladders as that rickety wooden stool that your grandfather has in your grandparents’ home. But then, they are reinforced and much safer now, so no problem at all. A modern stepladder has a fixed length according to your desired size and what you will buy.
Stepladders come in various heights, from the smallest 4 feet or 48 inches to as tall as 20 feet or 240 inches. This is only the height when folded, but this will reach higher once the user steps on from the first step up to the highest step.
For the smaller 4 feet ones, the height could reach up to 8 feet and 6 inches, while the most extended 20 feet step ladders can reach 23 feet and 8 inches!
Dimensions of Extension Ladder
The best thing about extension ladders is that they are easier to store more efficiently, especially for smaller homes that need space-friendly tools and appliances. Extension ladders can come in two variants.
The first is the most common one, which has double sections that can be pulled up and down, and the other is known as manhole ladders, which have a single set section straight up and are generally shorter than the former. Think of the style used in libraries that are straight-up, this is a manhole ladder.
Modern extension ladders have a lock mechanism that will make the apparatus safer for the user. These ladders generally come in sizes from 16 feet to 60 feet which will have a maximum reach of 15 feet and 11 inches to 49 feet and 10 inches.
Folding Ladder Size
Folding ladders are the most common type, usually utilized with minor tasks, often have only three steps, and are sometimes utilized as shelving units.
The dimensions for folding ladders, when opened, have a width of 20.1 inches or 51 centimeters and a height of 40.9 inches or 104 centimeters.
Attic Ladder Dimension
There are things to consider when buying your perfect attic stepladder; first is the location since it is essential and convenient that nothing will need to be moved when the steps are utilized.
The second is the attic opening size and then the ladder’s size. The style will usually be an extension frame with definite lengths according to the extent of the attic opening down to the floor.
Attic Ladder Opening Size
The second factor is the attic opening measured by the width and length. You can consider three sizes for the rough opening: classic, medium, and large, depending on the type of attic design.
The classic size is 22.5 by 54 inches or 57 by 137 centimeters, and for the medium that is 25.5 by 54 inches or 65 by 137 centimeters. There are also larger sizes 30 by 60 inches or 76 by 152 centimeters.
Agility Ladder Proportions
The agility ladder differs from all the designs on the list because this is mainly used to train, from footwork to exercise and agility. You can buy them at a sporting goods store, but if you have a sizable cemented driveway, simply etching one using chalk will be effective.
Agility ladders are generally 10 yards long with a 5 yard section. If you want a longer one, joining two together is not uncommon. Each rung of an agility ladder is 18 inches or 46 centimeters in length with a width of 20 inches or 51 centimeters.
What Is Little Giant Ladder?
Little Giant Ladder is a brand that is one of the forefronts in the ladder-making industry. They make durable ladders that are always on some list of the top ten products to buy.
One of the best overall ladders from this brand is the Velocity, a multi-purpose stepladder you can use all around the house. There are many sizes to pick from, depending on your needs.
The measurements are 13 feet or 156 inches and 17 feet or 204 inches. If you want a more extended frame, 22 feet or 264 inches and 26 feet or 312 inches extensions are available.
How Far Apart Are Ladder Rungs?
A rung is what you call a step of a ladder. This size or distance of a rung will depend on what type you have and will essentially differ across the board. They can also not be rigid, especially if you consider rope ladders.
According to the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA, for short, the minimum rung distance should be 12 inches or 31 centimeters on all steps.
However, the first step to hold the whole climbing apparatus on the concrete can be anywhere from 4 to 12 inches or 10 to 30 centimeters.
What Size of Ladder Do I Need?
Choosing a stepladder for your home will depend on what you need. To reiterate, choosing for one slightly longer than it is shorter will give you more flexibility, especially for working on your roof or the gutter for future upkeep.
There are many things to consider before deciding on one. The first thing is the style or type, whether a stepstool, a platform, or a multipurpose climbing apparatus that will help you all around. Different types are safer than the others, so further research before considering them is needed.
The last point to consider is your size, which is extensively discussed in the previous headers. Although a more extended stepladder will provide flexibility, it must not be too long, or accidents might happen.
Ladders are helpful in general house repairs, so make sure that you measure from the gutter down to the support point if you want the exact fit.
What Is the Ideal Ladder for a 1-Storey House?
One truth about buying a ladder for your home is the longer it is, the better it will be. A shorter stepstool will be useless for more extensive projects. What you can do is consider how many stories your house is, whether that is one or two or even more.
The ideal length for ladders for a house with one floor will range from 14 to 16 feet or 168 to 192 inches. This size may not work for a taller home, so it is still important to measure to ensure that the type you will be getting will be tall enough.
What Ladder Type Do You Need for 2-Story House?
A stepladder with dimensions of 14 to 16 feet or 168 to 192 inches would work for a home with one floor, but it would not work as efficiently for a two-story house.
Generally, the height of a two-story building is 20 to 25 feet 240 to 300 inches. So the appropriate stepladder size for a house with two floors is 24 feet or 288 inches, with a maximum sweep of 21 feet or 252 inches. The most important thing is safety and storage, so an extension stepladder would be perfect for this purpose.
What Ladder Is Needed to Clean the Gutters?
The stepladder you need will depend on how high the gutters are, whether you are doing it in a single-story or a two-story house. But in essence, all the ladders listed above will work one way or the other.
A single-story building will require a minimum 10 to 12 rung stepladder. This is also safer for the user in most cases. Alternatively, there are double extension models that can be utilized, granted that they will have a height that extends up to 3.94 meters.
Best Ladders for Home Use
There are a number of stepladder types you can use around the house, but probably the safest all-around house style would be a stepladder.
The average stepladder height is anything between 6 to 20 feet or 72 to 240 inches, but for a home that will need steps simply for repair, cleaning, and small projects, 6 to 12 feet or 72 to 144 inches of a stepladder should be enough.
If you want longer ones, you can consider an extension or multi-position ladders for house painting or even gutter cleaning.
Visit our article about the types of ladders for more related content.
