Painting a 2 story house can be a physically challenging task. With all other alternatives like hiring a professional being an expensive luxury that you cannot afford. Even if you do not have the luxury of footing an outrageous bill, you still can get the job done.
By utilizing the right equipment, starting with your ladder, you can complete this daunting challenge in no time. With the right ladder on the job, the difficulty is significantly reduced. But how do you know the right ladder for this project? Here’s a guide that will help you.
- Buying Guide – How To Choose the Best Ladder for Painting 2 Story House
- Review of The Best Ladders for Painting 2 Story House
- Conclusion
Buying Guide – How To Choose the Best Ladder for Painting 2 Story House
The best ladders for painting your 2-story house must possess certain unique qualities which make them suitable to be used in different situations. Buying the right ladder for this daunting project will require you to consider a few features and see how those features will help you achieve a perfect result in your project.
Here are some attributes to look out for when choosing a ladder for a project of this magnitude.
- Stability
Painting a 2 story building, even on a clear day, can be dangerous. You can be easily wobbled or swayed by a strong gust of wind that can either knock an average ladder over or cause it to wobble severely.
This is a scenario you never want to experience when you’re on a ladder, especially when you are as high up as 2 story buildings. This is why you must take the stability of your ladder seriously, especially if you intend to carry out this project by yourself. A stable ladder gives you the flexibility to properly coat your house without any fear of falling or slipping.
- Height
It is impossible to paint a 2 story building with a short ladder. You must ensure that the ladder you buy is high enough for you to be able to apply coats to the top floor of the 2-story house. While height may seem like an obvious feature to note when buying a ladder, many people fall victim to short ladders and only realize their mistake when the ladder has been delivered.
You can avoid this by simply knowing the exact measurement you need to ensure you can reach the second floor, and searching for a ladder with that specific measurement. This will ensure that irrespective of the brand you decide to go with, you will be able to get the job done efficiently.
For this 2-story house project, you will need a tall A-frame ladder which will offer optimum stability and support. You also want to invest in a scaffold that is tailor-made for construction and painting.
- Weight
You can count on painting your 2 story house not being easy. To make the process easier, getting a sturdy ladder that will not become a burden in terms of weight will go a long way. During the process of painting, you will need to carry your ladder around the house and a heavy ladder will make it an even more challenging task.
Not only will a heavy ladder be burdensome, but it can easily slow you down and sap the necessary energy. This means that getting a lightweight ladder can be a great way to boost your work efficiency and help you get the job done faster! Not only that, but you’ll have more fun doing it!
- Strength
During the process of painting the ceilings, drywall, and exteriors of your house, you will need a ladder that is strong and able to withstand immense weight for long periods. Ensure you pay attention to the weight capacity of the ladder you intend to buy to avoid getting in dangerous and unsafe situations while painting.
By buying a ladder that is weight appropriate, you can paint more freely without worrying about the ladder giving in at any point in time. For optimum productivity and efficiency, select a ladder that has the perfect balance of strength and weight.
- Material
Another factor that you must consider when selecting the right ladder to paint your 2-story house that not only affects the strength of the ladder but also its stability and weight capacity is the material used in the construction of the ladder.
The stronger the material used in construction, the more weight the ladder can support, so if you are bothered about the ladder’s strength, pay more attention to the ladder’s material. Also, the type of material used in construction will determine how heavy the ladder would be. A ladder made using heavy materials will be difficult to transport and store after use.
- Portable
To make transportation easier, getting a ladder that is portable and easy to move around while painting will eliminate any further difficulty, or added cost of transportation. With a ladder that is compact in design, you can easily move or adjust the ladder during usage.
- Price
Nobody wants a ladder that is way above their budget or a ladder that doesn’t offer great value for a pocket-draining fee. This is why you must ensure you don’t go for a ladder that is over the budget.
There are quality ladders that are great for you and are on the market for a great price. You can take advantage of discounts even while browsing through ladders within your budget price range.
Review of The Best Ladders for Painting 2 Story House
Little Giant Flip N Lite Ladder
Best in Stability
Review
Efficient Design
This platform ladder offers great service when it comes to painting tall buildings. This ladder is designed with an A-configuration that includes a stable platform at the summit for tools and materials while painting.
Stable and Safe
As a result of the A-configuration design, this ladder offers great stability and safety that you can’t get just anywhere. The space available on the platform further promotes safety while climbing.
Easy to Use
Unlike many ladders on the market, this ladder is super easy to use, with many users praising its user-friendliness above all else. Setting up this ladder is super easy and can be done quickly, all by yourself.
Weight
This ladder can easily be carried around while painting as it is not too bulky or too heavy. This comes particularly useful when you are working on the project alone and don’t have extra assistance.
Pros
- Safe and stable platform ladder
- Easy to setup and use
- Does not weigh a ton, and can be easily transported and saved
- Heavy duty ladder, rated by ANSI
- Useful tool tray for important tools
- Tall handrail
Cons
- The ladder may be a little wobbly
Louisville Step Stepladder
Best in Versatility
Review
Versatility
One of the best things about this ladder is what many other ladders in its price range lack, which is the fact that this ladder is very useful in several different situations. This is because this step ladder possesses several important features that serve different benefits.
Stability
Step ladders are designed to include an A-configuration frame and a platform that not only provides room to work on, but also guarantees stability while you work. Although this platform is not nearly the size of the platforms found in platform ladders, they are good enough to get the job done.
When using any ladder without a platform to work, you often run the risk of the ladder toppling over or not being steady enough for you to add layers of paint to the topmost areas.
Quality Material
The manufacturers of this ladder boast of its strong, sturdy, and comfortable frame design which is only possible because of the quality materials used in its production. It also includes fiberglass rails that add even more to the durability and strength of the overall ladder.
Safety Features
Special features like slip-resistant surfaces that ensure you don’t fall off while painting and a pinch-resistant spreader that helps guarantee your fingers are not in harm’s way throughout the process of using this ladder.
Pros
- The ladder’s height measures up to 6 feet
- Capable of supporting a total weight of 300 lbs
- Molded top includes slots for handymen
- Slip-resistant design for the feet
- Rails are non-conductive and will not put you in any danger of any electric hazard
Cons
- The ladder is relatively heavy and requires assistance to lift
Little Giant M22 Ladder
Best in Height
Review
Versatility
Articulating ladders truly are the ladders of the future. With their multi-purpose use, these ladders are great in numerous situations. When you desire even more height to reach taller areas, you can simply place the ladder in an extending position and climb. If you want a platform to work from, you can set up the ladder in an A-configuration and step on its platform.
Height
While all articulating ladders are super useful, some articulating ladders are even better than others. For instance, this Multi-use 15422-001 model is one of the most sought-after models on the market. It’s capable of reaching up to 19 feet and so will be great for painting your 2-story house.
Ladder Locking Feature
If you have ever used a wobbly ladder, you will agree with me that not only were you not safe while working, but you were also not able to function efficiently. Luckily, this is not the case with this ladder. After extending this ladder, you can lock the ladder in place to ensure that you are steady throughout.
Pros
- Can be used effectively on stairs
- Super stable and sturdy
- Palm and hinge system which includes a triple locking system
- This ladder can be extended to a maximum height of 19 feet
- Legs are wide flared
Cons
- This ladder is often difficult to use
- Heavy and tedious to transport
Louisville FE3216 Fiberglass Extension Ladder
Best in Safety
Review
Height
Like many other extension ladders, this ladder is great for reaching tall and impossible areas. You don’t have to worry about hard-to-reach crevices while painting your 2 story house as simply balancing your extension ladder on the wall and reaching will help you access any difficult-to-reach areas.
Safety
The feet of this extension ladder include swiveling shoes which give it a firmer and more solid grip. This makes the ladder safer to use as you don’t have to worry about the feet slipping while you’re at the very top. The latch rungs of this ladder are also secure and can be latched on pretty easily.
Weight
With this extension ladder model, you don’t have to worry about the ladder giving in when you climb up with your tools. The maximum weight capacity for this ladder is up to 300 lbs.
Pros
- Possesses a quick latch-on system and locks
- Extremely strong and durable
- Comfortable ladder rungs that will not hurt the sole of your feet
- Can utilize different heights
- Swivel safety shoe made of steel
- Rails are non-conductive
Cons
- Relatively heavy
Ohuhu 12.5 FT Telescopic Lightweight Ladder
Best in Portability
Review
Quality Materials
If you have ever seen a telescopic ladder, chances are you were impressed with the design and the quality of the material used in its construction. It is made using an aluminum frame which accounts for its lightweight feature. Not many manufacturers can boast of a ladder that is as portable and easy to carry around as this ladder.
Height
Apart from its portability, another huge aspect of this ladder that makes it great for painting 2 story houses is its height. This ladder can reach tall heights, with an option to extend the ladder if you need to reach taller areas. You can reach up to 12.5 feet with this ladder, which is great for painting ceilings and harder-to-reach crevices of a 2-story house.
Safety
For ladders that can reach incredible heights like this ladder, several safety measures have to be implemented to ensure that you do not have any fall accidents.
Pros
- Super lightweight
- Easy to use
- One button for retraction
- Non Slip caps for feet and wider steps
- Made using quality aluminum alloy
Cons
- Not very durable
Conclusion
Getting the right ladder to embark on your project shouldn’t cause you a headache. With these products, your suitable options have been narrowed down and you can make an informed decision on the right ladder to buy.
Joseph is the owner of LadderGeek. He is a home remodeling enthusiast. He has created this blog to share some of his knowledge on Ladder and accessories.
