A home craftsman must be able to make a straight extension ladder, which is indispensable in the household. The design must meet the main requirements - safety and reliability. To create a durable staircase, you need to correctly select the components, become familiar with the technology, develop a drawing and perform the assembly. The stages of manufacturing the attached structure are described in the article.
In a country house or garden, an extension ladder will be needed when performing work at height. Seasonal pruning of fruit and park trees, tinting window frames, harvesting and other activities cannot be done without gardening tools. Extension ladders are distinguished by their mobility, light weight and simplicity of design. Essentially, these are two support beams fastened together by crossbars.
In hardware stores and construction markets there is a wide range of modifications of ladders made from different materials. Buying a high-quality large-sized model is quite expensive, and the reliability of cheap stairs raises some doubts. Therefore, many home craftsmen often raise the question: “How to make an extension ladder with your own hands?”
The feasibility of independent construction is fully justified, since the scope of use of an extension ladder is quite multifaceted:
Despite the significant advantages, a mobile stepladder also has some disadvantages:
Metal stairs are considered the most durable and durable. A simple model can be made independently. To perform the job, it is advisable to have welding skills.
The main requirement for attached models, as well as for other types of stairs, is safety. When planning the design of the stairs and performing calculations, you should adhere to a number of basic rules:
Important! According to safety regulations, the strength characteristics of the ladder must be checked annually. The structure is installed to the wall at an angle of about 70°, and then a weight weighing at least 100-120 kg is placed on the steps one by one.
There are several types of ladders, each of which has design and operational features.
Straight simple stairs with fixed dimensions. A simple model of two support beams and attached steps. It is very easy to make such an extension ladder with your own hands. Folding and sliding models are more functional and reliable.
Folding ladders (stepladders) consist of several parts connected by hinges. The main advantage of the model is its compactness and the ability to be stored in a compact room. Stepladders with a platform are more convenient to use than straight structures. To make a folding ladder with your own hands, aluminum alloys are usually used, which reduces the weight of the stepladder.
Folding models are most in demand when arranging attic spaces. The staircase saves space on the lower floor - just pull the bottom step or a special handle and the structure will straighten out completely.
Disadvantages of folding modifications:
Retractable ladder with height adjustment. Models consist of two or three sections, fasteners, guides, rollers and height clamps. To ensure that the ladder does not fail at the right time, the working mechanisms must be regularly lubricated.
Straight stairs today are made primarily of metal, and traditional wooden structures are becoming less popular.
Distinctive features of metal ladders:
A wooden ladder is easy to manufacture, but is demanding in terms of storage and operating conditions. If the air is too dry, the wood will dry out, the material will weaken, and cracks may appear. Under the influence of high humidity, wooden stairs are subject to rot. To reduce the risk of structural destruction, it is necessary to regularly treat wood with protective agents.
Important! Wooden ladders can withstand loads of up to 150 kg.
When carrying out electrical installation work, sliding ladders made of fiberglass are often used - the material protects against electric shock.
Making ladders with your own hands begins with developing a drawing. It is necessary to schematically display the main parameters of the staircase structure:
As an example for creating a sketch, existing diagrams from the Internet are suitable.
DIY metal ladder: drawings of various modifications.
Attic ladders by hand: drawings and diagrams. Video
To create a simple metal staircase you will need the following materials:
The tools you need to have on hand are:
Let's take a step-by-step look at how to make a ladder with your own hands. The assembly diagram is as follows:
When creating a straight ladder or stepladder from wood, the following points must be considered:
Advice. The tenon joint in wooden structures is the most durable. You can prepare the socket and tenon using a chisel, mallet or electric drill in a stand.
Attachable models are not self-supporting, so knowing basic safety precautions will help prevent falls and injury.
On a ladder it is prohibited:
Compliance with the technology of design and operation of an extension ladder is the key to the safe performance of various works at height.
Making an extension ladder from metal profiles: video
An extension ladder is a useful attribute in any home, especially a country house. It is indispensable during repairs, during construction work, when harvesting in the garden or processing trees. It can be bought at any hardware store. But every owner should understand that you can make a wooden ladder with your own hands, and it’s not at all difficult if you have these step-by-step instructions on hand.
Wood construction has a number of undeniable advantages over purchased metal options:
Despite its high popularity among summer residents and owners of private houses, the product has some disadvantages. The main disadvantages are:
To extend the life of the product, it should be stored not outdoors in the open air, but in a room with moderately humid air and a constant temperature. In addition, care should be taken to protect it using various means: impregnations, antiseptics, varnishes or paints.
Unlike a sliding or folding ladder, an extension ladder has a very simple structure. It is a one-piece structure consisting of two long wooden blocks and steps.
Side beams or bowstrings act as supports for the structure, which are connected by crossbars. Such a product assumes the absence of any mechanisms, so anyone can make a staircase without certain skills and knowledge.
To make a portable ladder, the first step is to choose a building material. Considering the conditions of its operation, it must have a high degree of wear resistance.
For these purposes, mainly coniferous wood is used, which combines strength and low cost. However, professionals advise spending money once, but buying high-quality oak or maple beams. Their service life is much longer than coniferous ones.
To work you will also need a small set of tools and materials:
In order for the design to be as useful as possible on the farm, some rules should be taken into account during its manufacture:
Despite the fact that straight stairs are simple to implement, you still cannot do without a diagram or drawing. To compile them, you need to make a simple calculation of the dimensions of the product.
1 – string (support beams); 2 – steps; 3 – stiffener.The recommended distance between the support beams (1) should be 0.6 m at the bottom and 0.4 m at the top. The interval between the steps (2) is approximately 35 cm. To join the beams and steps, grooves are selected in the string, and at the end of the step a spike is made 4 to 5 cm long. When assembling the structure, you will need ties (3) at the rate of 1 piece per two meters.
A staircase for outdoor use is made of beams that must meet the following criteria:
To assemble a simple wooden staircase with your own hands, you must strictly follow the step-by-step instructions:
Using this staircase assembly diagram, you can easily and quickly achieve the expected result.
The assembled ladder requires additional processing. This will improve its performance characteristics and protect it from the negative effects of surrounding natural factors.
Paints and varnishes are suitable as protective agents. It is strictly forbidden to use oil paints to paint the stairs. They make the structure slippery. Instead, regular drying oil will do. It is applied in several layers and topped with varnish. Protective agents are applied to the structure using a roller or brush.
To sometimes climb into the attic or repair the facade of a building, the available height of the stairs is not enough. To build up an old staircase, overlapping boards are nailed to the support beams. However, you should check how strong the old structure is and whether it can withstand the additional load. It is also important to remember that the height of the ladder should not be more than 5 meters.
It is perhaps difficult to find a household that does not use a wooden ladder. This fairly simple device can replace a stationary staircase in many situations, and therefore, for private households, it is, without exaggeration, indispensable.
Also, ladders and stepladders are often used on construction sites, since before the construction of permanent structures it is necessary to climb to the upper floors using steps.
In the article we will talk about the requirements that such a staircase must meet, and also describe the technology for its independent production.
Very often, to lift to a height, craftsmen make the simplest structure - they take two fairly long beams, and cross boards are nailed onto them... However, the performance properties of such structures can be very different, so it is better not to take risks, but to be guided by generally accepted standards.
Requirements for the production and operation of ladders, as well as the procedure for testing them for strength, are set out in a number of regulatory documents.
Among them:
However, the main GOST for the manufacture of structures of this type is still 26887-86 “Stairs and platforms used for installation and construction work.”
The information in the above standards is partially duplicated, therefore, if you decide to make an attached structure for personal use, you only need to read the latest document.
What are the main requirements for wooden ladders?
Note!
Steel shoes are used when working on the ground, rubber shoes are used when installing on dense surfaces (asphalt, concrete).
Installation of removable pads is allowed.
Note!
The presence of transverse cracks, chips, as well as other defects that impair the quality of fastening of elements or the general performance characteristics of the structure is not allowed.
If a ladder is used in production, then an inventory number must be applied to its string, and the area in which it is listed is also indicated. Quality control and strength testing are carried out at least once every six months.
Naturally, all of the above requirements apply to ladders used at construction sites and industrial enterprises. For a private house, a simpler design will be sufficient - but it also needs to be made correctly. Below we will tell you how to make a wooden ladder with your own hands. (see also Attic stairs)
To begin with, you should decide on the staircase diagram itself.
There are several ways to connect a bowstring to steps, and below we will look at the most commonly used:
Advice!
For the most durable fastening, the tenon can be made not straight, but inclined.
What do we need for work?
The list of materials is very modest:
Advice!
For work, it is worth using dried wood, pre-treated with an antiseptic.
When the materials are available, you can begin work and make the stairs.
The manufacturing instructions are as follows:
After completing these works, we proceed to the final assembly:
When the glue dries, sand the stairs and treat them with wood impregnation. The finished product can be varnished or painted.
As you can see, making a wooden ladder with your own hands is quite simple. The main thing here is not to follow the path of least resistance, but to try to adhere to the requirements for the reliability of the product: this is the only way to guarantee your safety when ascending and descending. In the video presented in this article you will find additional information on this topic.
In a private home, such a device as a wooden ladder is a mandatory attribute.
After all, the simplicity of its design, wide possibilities for use and ease of operation allow it to be used in a wide variety of cases. A wooden ladder will be a real boon if you need to climb into the attic; you can store it right in the house.
Due to its parameters, such a staircase is widely used in private households. The possibility of its independent production is explained by the simplicity of its design.
You should know the main characteristics of a wooden ladder.
Important positive characteristics of such a structure include:
Regardless of the type of staircase made of wood, it requires proper care. This will allow you to preserve its working qualities and attractive appearance for a long time. Our website describes in detail the methods of caring for wooden stairs. By following these tips, your ladder will always be reliable and beautiful.
However, a wooden ladder also has a number of disadvantages. They must be taken into account when making your own and when purchasing.
The disadvantages of this design include its limited load capacity - a load of no more than 120 kg can be carried on it. Also, wooden extension ladders are not very stable. In terms of stability, stepladders are more suitable. To ensure greater stability of the ladders, it is recommended to attach rubber “shoes” to the lower part of the ladder upon completion of its manufacture or when purchasing a finished product. They do not slip even on a perfectly flat surface.
Another disadvantage is the need to store a wooden ladder indoors. Compliance with the temperature regime and the absence of sharp fluctuations in humidity will allow you to preserve its attractiveness and basic properties for a long time.
A wooden ladder is quite easy to make with your own hands.
To do this, you must first stock up on the necessary materials and tools. The sequence of actions during manufacturing will allow you to avoid errors that could lead to deterioration in the functional qualities of the device.
Manufacturing will require a certain amount of materials and tools. Representing a solid structure of two long beams and a certain number of cross beams, an extension ladder for fastening the parts together may require screws, a screwdriver, and wood glue. The tools you will need are a saw, a level, corners (in some versions of the stairs they can be used to support steps), and rubber “shoes” to create a stop.
In order for the ladder to be as stable and convenient as possible during use, it should be made no longer than 5 m, the distance between the crossbars is about 35 cm. Metal crossbars are installed below and above, and if the length is sufficient, every 2 m: they ensure the rigidity of the structure.
To build such a staircase, you should follow the following steps sequentially:
By adjusting the length of the steps, we get a ready-to-use product - an extension ladder.
Rubber “shoes” are installed on the lower part of the side beams. This will reduce the potential for slipping and increase the stability of the structure. Now it should be properly treated with paint or varnish.
This will avoid the negative effects of moisture, temperature and time on wood.
Sooner or later, any household will need a ladder. Going down to the basement, going up to the attic, picking apples from trees - an ordinary wooden one will help everywhere. We will tell you how to make a reliable and simple design yourself, spending a minimum of money and time.
An extension ladder can be made:
We will tell you how to make an extension - it is the simplest and can be done even by a person without experience in carpentry.
Before purchasing materials for making a wooden ladder with your own hands, you need to make calculations. First of all, you need to decide on the height of the stairs. As a general rule, ladders higher than three meters are rarely required; in addition, especially tall structures require strings of greater strength and the installation of additional elements that impart rigidity to the entire staircase.
To make the simplest wooden ladder with your own hands, you will need wooden blocks of two sizes: 40x50 mm for the strings and 35x40 mm for the steps. You can also use ordinary wooden boards, from which steps of the required size are cut out according to pre-prepared cardboard templates.
The size of the steps consists of their thickness, length and width. The length of the step is essentially the width of the flight of stairs. For an attached wooden ladder, it can be 60 cm. This is a rather uncomfortable flight for an ordinary stationary ladder, but optimal for a compact and mobile stepladder. Safe step thickness is 35-40 mm. The width of the step should be comfortable for the foot. The optimal value is 20 cm. We calculate the number of steps so that the distance between them does not exceed 30 cm. This will be a fairly comfortable step height for an extension ladder. Thus, for a structure 3 m high, the number of steps will be 10 pieces.
By calculating the dimensions of the stairs, you will understand how much wood you need to purchase. For a standard ladder, this is approximately 7-8 square meters. m. The choice of wood is a separate issue. Especially for pine, which is generally not characterized by very high quality. Unfortunately, defective bars and boards are often found at building materials warehouses. The presence of cracks and large knots can lead to breakage of a finished staircase - or breakage of the beams during its construction. Therefore, the material for the future staircase must be chosen very carefully.
Wood defects
Usually, to make a wooden ladder with your own hands, they take pine wood, as it is the cheapest. And indeed, it would be strange to make such a thing. And the peculiarity of pine is that it has a large number of knots: try to ensure that the material you purchase does not have large ones that can make working with the tree difficult.
The most optimal way to attach steps to strings is to make grooves (insets) in the strings into which the steps are inserted and secured with self-tapping screws. In order for the steps on the stairs to be absolutely level, markings for them on the strings are best done simultaneously, placing both strings next to each other.
Bowstrings and steps must be processed with a plane and cleaned well. Using a chisel, grooves for the steps are cut along the markings along the entire length of the bowstrings. Finishing the grooves is done with a file - this will make the surface more even. The side surface of the steps and the grooves are lubricated with wood glue, after which the steps are inserted into the grooves. To make sure the steps are level, use a level. After the glue has dried, you can secure the steps using self-tapping screws.
Let's reveal a little secret. When the staircase is ready, you may find that there are gaps at the junctions of the steps and supports: even with the highest quality wood processing, it is impossible to connect the structural elements so that the junctions are not visible. To remove these cracks, make the so-called “liquid wood”: mix PVA glue and sawdust remaining after cleaning the stairs to the consistency of a thick dough and cover all the cracks with the resulting paste.
To make the structure more stable and safe, the supports are fastened in such a way that the width of the stairs at the bottom is slightly larger than at the top - that is, the length of the steps will be different. The photo below shows an example of just such a do-it-yourself wooden ladder.
Wooden ladder
After the staircase is ready, it must be covered with stain, and, if desired, additionally with ordinary colorless varnish, which will make the product a little more durable, protecting it from moisture and other adverse conditions.
If the staircase is intended to be used not only in the house, but also outside, the legs must be covered with a special rubber shoe. This will prevent them from rotting and make the structure more stable.
If you are making your own wooden ladder with a height of more than three meters or simply want the structure to be as strong and reliable as possible, it can be given additional rigidity by fastening the strings with several metal ties on bolts. 3-4 such rigid fastenings will be enough.
By the way, you can make a very simple design. It will take literally several hours to make, but it will also be the least convenient.
You simply screw the same bars for steps with screws to the front surface of the string bars, without bothering yourself with cutting out grooves and matching them level on both supports. Like in the photo below:
This is what the most primitive wooden ladder looks like, which you can make yourself
To make a wooden ladder with your own hands you will need:
To build a regular wooden ladder you will need to purchase:
The main costs here are, of course, wood. To make a simple staircase, you can get by with pine - this is the least durable type of wood, not particularly aesthetically pleasing, but the most economical. If more is required, you can choose birch or larch.
Pine timber for a staircase 3 meters high will cost about 7,000 rubles. The cost of stain is 700 rubles. You will spend about 1,500 rubles on fasteners and wood glue. In total, making a wooden ladder with your own hands will cost 9,200 rubles.
How profitable is it to make such a small mobile ladder with your own hands? From a financial point of view - not especially, because in stores with ready-made stairs you can buy a more durable and beautiful stepladder for 6-7 thousand rubles. As for attic stairs, there is no point in doing them yourself if your goal is to save money. Prices for attic stairs also start from 6,000 rubles. In addition, they will be made not from cheap and not very reliable pine, but from durable and high-quality beech. Here is one of these models from the assortment of the Moscow Stairs store worth 7,500 rubles:
Attic staircase Standart made of beech
Many ready-made stairs are not only convenient folding models, but are also equipped with an insulated hatch. Such a staircase will not take up space in the house at all, and cold air will not flow into the house through the exit to the attic.
Here is another similar model - the Dolle EUROBEST staircase. It costs only 6,890 rubles.
Attic ladder Dolle EUROBEST
Of course, doing something with your own hands is always nice. But contrary to popular belief, modern prefabricated staircases actually cost less than those built in a home workshop. And this is not surprising - wholesale prices for building materials are significantly lower, and mass production has always been cheaper than manual production.
