Make your Ladder do more with these nifty add ons
By: The Working Man


A ladder is an essential tool in nearly every type of work.
We have discussed the types of ladders and their uses in
other articles on this website. Now we will describe some of
the most popular accessories that are available to make your
work with a ladder easier. The right ladder accessories can
make your ladder into a full-service workstation and tool
holder.


Useful Ladder Accessories

* Ladder Bucket Hanger If you are painting or cleaning
windows, a bucket hanger is a necessary accessory. Buckets
are also often used to hold a small array of tools so that
they are easy to access and replace without dropping.

There are many type of ladder bucket holders, from the
homemade hook created from a wire clothes hanger to models
that have swivel hooks that snap to a gallon paint can to
hold it level as you work and other models designed
specifically for extension and other straight ladders. Most
will easily and securely support a gallon paint can or the
equivalent.


* Ladder Cinch and Ladder Pole Strap A ladder cinch, also
known as a pole strap, attaches to your ladder and is used
as a quick tie down to secure the ladder to a pole. It is
basically a strap that extends from one rail of the ladder,
around the pole, and attaches back to the other ladder rail.


*Ladder Corner Brace This accessory is very useful when you
are working from a straight or extension ladder on the
outside of a building. Specially made corner braces are
secured to the top of the ladder to balance it safely up
against both sides of an outside corner. The braces help
keep the ladder from wobbling as you work.


* Extension Ladder End Caps Werner Ladder and other
manufacturers offer rubber end caps for the top of extension
ladder rail ends. This helps to stop the top rails from
slipping on the wall or roof as you climb and work at the
top of the ladder.


* Ladder Jacks A ladder jack is a platform that is designed
to connect two extension ladders together so that the
ladders and the platform form a horizontal scaffold from
which to work. Ladder jacks attach to two or three rungs of
each ladder for more security, and can be mounted to either
side of the ladder.


* Ladder Leveler Levelers are available for all types of
ladders. Most come in pairs with swivel shoes and can be
mounted to one or both legs of a ladder to allow the ladder
to remain level when working on uneven surfaces. Some others
form adjustable platforms to hold one side or rail of a
ladder level with the other side or rail, for stairways and
the like.


See "Accessories for Ladders - Part 2"
for more information on accessories for ladders.


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