tall extension vs multiposition ladders
 

For working on the outside of a tall 2 story house (pier and beam, plus tall ceilings) with a fairly steep roof pitch, what do you like/recommend?

I will be doing some work on soffit, fascia, etc on both the first and second story. I want to be secure. There seem to be several 23' (26' reach) multiposition ladders out there with 300-375# rating for around $300. To get a similar size extension ladder with a similar weight rating (more than I need, but I'd rather it was plenty sturdy) you pay the same price or more. So from that point of view, it seems to be a no brainer to get the multiposition. But are there issues with those that make them undesirable that I'm not aware of?

It seems like the multiposition ladders offer more functionality for basically the same price.

24', 300#, $290
https://mobileimages.lowes.com/produ...1751019117.jpg

23', 300#, $300 (375# version is $325)
https://mobileimages.lowes.com/produ...6764169268.jpg

If it's me going up the ladder that high, it's going to be an extension ladder not a multi-position. I'd also be throwing a rope over the roof and tying it off to something, like a car bumper or tree, to tie to the top of the ladder.

I'm not fond of heights.

I picked up a multi position ladder years ago and the only downside i can think of is weight, they are heavy, mine sure feels heavy. The extension is probably easier to position because you can collapse it to bring the centre of gravity lower.

I don't have a problem with heights, but I don't want to fall from them.

At our old 2 story house, I installed the sensors for a weather station. I got on the fence and from there got onto the garage roof, and from the peak of the garage I could get onto the roof of the second story. I then wandered over to the chimney and strapped the pole for the sensors to the chimney and back down. But the pitch was much lower on that house. Getting close to the edge of the second story and looking over did make my bits tingle a bit.

This house has a much steeper roof. Good idea on the rope tied off opposite the ladder. I will certainly consider that.

So you think an extension is sturdier than a multiposition even if the multiposition is straight and has a 375# rating?

I've made a living using ladders and have a large variety still. I have jacks, planks, levelers and stand off's'. I have A frames from 2' to 8' and extensions from 14' (they call them 16) to 34' which I can no longer even stand up.

I have never been tempted to buy a combo ladder. However, they are a good idea for someone who needs something compact, versatile and portable w/o a big rack. Sometimes I see termite inspectors with those multi ladders but I've never seen a roofer with one.

To me, having a number of safe planks has given me more options than ladders alone. A quick look at this page will give you plenty of ideas.

Thanks M/Z/OJF. I'll check it out.

I've seen these before and think they are cool.

https://sunsetladder.com/blog/wp-con...17/10/AC-5.jpg

I bought that exact same orange Werner 24 footer. I thought I was going to break my back lifting it onto my roof rack in the Home Depot parking lot, and using it around the house was just torture. They are HEAVY!!!. Sold it when I bought a ranch house.

Post Script. You don't need the orange one for home use, a blue one or a green one will be fine, and save your muscles.

The combination ladders are sturdy , but with that strength comes weight . Mine I think only extends to 16' and I wouldn't want to lug a bigger one around . I also have an aluminum traditional extension ladder , easier to carry but a real knee shaker when extended . I rarely climb ladders anymore , I figure leave that to the young bucks 😁

I sold that exact orange ladder recently for 100 bucks. Maybe look for one on craigslist, you can probably save a chunk of money.

I just gave a away a Werner 24’ ladder that was about 50 years old. I just wasn’t using it.

In hindsight, I should have separated the two sections and brought it to work for our inspector to look in attics, etc.

I have both. I tend to grab the multi position ladder more often than the straight one. When fully extended, the aluminum multi position feels quite secure. Where I've found the multi position ladder to really shine is when I needed to work on a staircase doing some painting and when I was doing some siding on a wall that joined my garage roof. Can't beat em' I'd go multi position in a hot second.

The positioning point is very valid. The difficult thing I've found about using the multi position ladder as an extension ladder is when using it at full extended height. Where with the fiberglass ladder you can use a rope to extend, you have an awkward time (or at least I do) of raising the multi pos to it's full extended height.

Thanks folks.

Take a towel and smear light lube along the sliding surfaces.
Spray the joints and pins.

That's the ticket right there.
Or at an absolute minimum get a stand off.
Working on a soffit is no fun leaning back while 20' in the air.

I HATE, HATE, HAAAAAATE the "Little Giant" ladder.

It's fussy to fold it out, wants to stop at each increment, and then if you're not paying attention it'll snap shut and smash your damn finger.

I threw my Little Giant into the trash. I ordered a single-button extension ladder. I'll post a pic when it arrives.

To the OP: I'd definitely buy the big heavy orange Werner for 2-story and fascia use.

I have a metric sh!+ ton of different ladders. The ones that I use the most are 12' and 14' and fold out so that they stand up on their own. When we have to get on a roof, we use the exteninding ladder that leans against the fascia.

This is one part of a home restoration where I would apply mycheckbook.
Consider looking at everything that needs to be done on your restoration and pick the projects you can do with minimal effort/expense. This one looks like a lot of sunk cost in a ladder for not a lot of savings. Of course if you want to climb up there for the fun of it - disregard.

Find someone with a 24 foot ladder, and ask them if you can mess with it for 15 minutes. Try picking it up, moving it around, getting it upright alone, and getting it placed.

THEY SUCK.

Get a new house :p

One thing to get is a roof/wall standoff of some kind, so you're not putting all of that weight on the gutter or edge of the shingles. It'll also make the whole thing a bit more stable.

Extension ladders. We have a bunch of A frame adders for shorter stuff. Up to 12' but they are heavy suckers. Not worth buying cheap ladders. If I can get a lift or Cherry Picker in there if we have to work that high, I am more then happy to rent them. Its much safer and easier.

Lift your ladder before you buy it. I have a couple, the 'safe' fiberglass ones are super heavy and hard for me to use alone. I can do it, but I struggle.

The sketchy ladders (thin aluminum extension) are very light, and my 'go to' ladder for anything quick.

My multiposition ladder is pretty dusty. I've used it in stairwells and for a few odd jobs, but if I had to get rid of one, it would go first.

Lots of good info, thanks.

Standoffs look like a nice option.

I never liked those Little Giant ladders. I have an assortment of ladders here - step ladders and extensions.

If I were you Steve, I'd get an extension that went high enough but wasn't extended all the way. When you are up high on a ladder you want something sturdy, for sure.

I've been up high to prune palms and when it gets to a certain point in height I always use a ratchet strap to secure the ladder to the tree trunk. Not sure how you'd do that for a house.

Probably what Scott Douglas mentioned with a rope over the roof tied to something on the opposite side of the house.

It seems that most ladder falls start with the ladder sliding off the wall/tree. Yes best to secure the ladder somehow first before climbing up.

Skip all the Fiberglas ladders. If you aren’t working with power, you will enjoy moving an aluminum ladder around way more! Lighter and no fiberglass fuzzies as it ages.

I have a multi postion Werner and I love it, but I only use it in a frame mode. If you are going to be way up, you want an extension ladder.

Just out of curiosity, and because I'm a numbers guy, I thought I'd check some weights.

28' (27' reach, 25' max length) Werner 250# rated Al extension ladder 50.5#
28' (27' reach, 25' max length) Louisville 300# rated Al extension ladder 55#
28' (27' reach, 25' max length) Werner 375# rated Al extension ladder 65.5#

23' (26' reach) Werner 375# rater Al multi-position ladder 50#

It looks like the multiposition ladders are the same weight or lighter for the nearest max reach for an extension ladder.

IE, 26' reach multiposition is 50# and 27' reach extension is 50.5#, but the multiposition is rated for 375# and the extension is only rated for 250#. If you increase the capacity of the extension up to 375#, it ends up being over 15# heavier (30%) than the multiposition.

So I'm not sure weight is much of a deciding factor other than that when it comes to getting something that long up where you need it. Would I want to stand a 50# ladder up when extended to its max length vs standing up a 50# ladder that's only 14' tall and then using a rope to extended it up to 25'.

I can see standing up a 23' long, 50# ladder being a lot harder than standing up a 14' long, 50# ladder and then using a rope to extend that ladder up to 25'

Here's the thing, I haven't found a good way to extend the aluminum ladder other than to fully open it and then stand it up. The FG ladder you just pull a rope and up it goes! That! is where the weight comes in. Outside of that though, I'd take the multi position ladder all day. Just too many other uses for it.

You don't have a rope and pulley on your AL ladders? Mine do, or did.

I'm not talkin aluminum extension. I'm talking the aluminum multi position.

Extend both sides all the way out in the storage mode, then flip it on its side and pivot it out to 180. It’s really the only way to do it.

You'll understand the logic of an extension ladder the first time you try to lean a ladder as tall as a light pole against your house.

Good point. I didn't think about the weight difference. My extensions are all aluminum and my step ladders fiberglass.

I have three 26 ft extension ladders. One is aluminum with the outriggers. That’s a ladder I feel confident on. The fiberglass ones are to bouncy. That being said, I can barely handle standing these ladders up. I brace the feet to the house then stand it up rung by rung. I do the reverse to take it down.

This.

I've really cut back on my tall ladder use these days - old and wise of maybe just old and scared. I use mobile scaffold towers for anything high up, or trestles and aluminium planks for lower stuff.

I have a Little Giant and I really like it- yes, very heavy, but very rigid as well.

Had a friend helping me on my roof years ago and he had a Chinese made multi purpose ladder that the middle hinge had a lot of play and would freak you out climbing it.

Yeah, definitely don't want that. I used to have a cheap 16 or 18' ext ladder from HD. I think it was the cheapest they had. It flexed and bounced around. I wasn't a fan. That's why I figure whatever I buy will be rated at 375 or maybe 300 (I weigh about 190).