# best extension ladders 20 32 ft



## pauls painting (Mar 10, 2005)

what type of ladders are the best to get for painting ? i have the orange fiber glass 24 , but some of my help has a hard time carring them they say thier to heavy< so i thought i would look into light weight aluminum


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## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

I also use (exclusively) the type 1a fiberglass ladders. I don't like shaky ladders, I prefer a solid footing at all times. Tell your guys to beef up and quit whining :cheesygri 

Seriously, I only weigh 210# and on light weight aluminums, I can watch it flex as I climb it. I don't like them at all. 

My 2¢


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## pauls painting (Mar 10, 2005)

pro wallguy i have always used the orange fiberglas ladders ,i have to look up rating . they are probbally the heaviest fiber glass ladder there is ,i am like you i dont want to be on a flimsy ladder 24ft in the air.


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## donb1959 (Dec 9, 2004)

Toteing a 32' fiberglass ladder around all day?.....ugh


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## Humble Abode (Mar 19, 2005)

We have 2 - 24' aluminum and 2 - 32' aluminums. The 32' aluminums are pretty heavy as is, I can't even imagine trying to carry the fiberglass. I actually droped one of the 32' onto our van when we first got it, from about five feet above, wasn't used to it yet, glad it wasn't the customers house.  

I am a big fan of our aluminums they support a 12' - 18' plank and ladder jacks very well and I feel very safe on them. Then again I only weigh about 150...

We only exclusively use Werner ladders also. I believe they are the best ladders on the market, aluminum or fiberglass.


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## pauls painting (Mar 10, 2005)

:cheesygri actualy i have 28 ft orange i think they are the heaviest of all fiberglass ladders . i am going to get nn alum one in am . iam waiting for him to put it thru a window! i only buy warner ladders also


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## G$Painters (Mar 21, 2005)

Heavy ladders are two man ladders in my book. Have one step on the feet and another raise and lower it. I always worry about the 20 foot rule near electrical lines with the aluminum ones.


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## brocknoland (Mar 20, 2005)

Any expirence with the Little Giant?

http://www.ladders.com

I have heard good things but I am skeptical.....


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## Humble Abode (Mar 19, 2005)

brocknoland said:


> Any expirence with the Little Giant?
> 
> http://www.ladders.com
> 
> I have heard good things but I am skeptical.....



The guy from Tool Time in the video sold me... No but seriously, thats a pretty expensive ladder and the coolest thing it does, the scafolding, you need 2 of them for. 

I know a carpenter here in Milwaukee who has 2 of them and he seems to like them.


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## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

For clarification:
We only do interiors, w/c and paint. So our largest ladder is the type 1a 24'. And yes, it is a heavy sucker. I wouldn't want to move around a 32' for exterior at all. We use only Cuprum, Green Bull, or Werner. None of that cheapo Husky crap HD is pushing right now. Anytime we use anything over 16', 2 men are required on site for safety reasons.

As for the Little Giant, it does all it says it can do, but is pretty heavy to tote also.


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## hack_houslege (Feb 17, 2005)

I dont care for Little Giants. To me it seems like they try to do a lot of jobs, and none of them well. They weigh a ton and as they age the pins are knuckle busters. To me, a werner medium duty ladder in the right sizes for the job, with a werner Sta-Safe stabilizer for each is alot better setup than a little giant. The little giant seems to weigh about as much as a 24' or 32' Werner.


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

I don't like aluminumum's because it's difficult to spell LOL and there is always the power line issue. Consider the fiberglass a gym that you don't have to pay for, I'm in my mid 50's and you don't hear me griping about the small stuff.


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## premierpainting (Nov 2, 2004)

Isn't it true that rain and sun affect the life of a fiberglass ladder? Also the Little Giant is great. We own three of them. They don't weigh nearly as much as a 32 footer. I have never had a problem with quality


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## IHI (Dec 25, 2004)

I like oiur 28' aluminum's since they are light weight and easy to manuver, BUT I hate when we have them extended for 2 story work with jacks and plank, I'm not a big fan of heights anyways-compound that fear with the wiggle wobble that trasmits through the plank when it's set up and Im like a cat in a tree LOL!!! I also like the fact with these 28'ers they've come in handy on shorter houses, we can break them aprat and escentally make 2 ladders out of 1. When roofing single stories I'll break them both apart install all our jacks and planks and run the entire length of the building.

None of my other fiberglass ladders have ever had the privledge of shelter when not in use, they all sit outdoors. I've got 6 fiberglass step ladders all 10yrs old, paint still bright and legs are solid as ever. I've borrowed a fiberglass ext a few times. Love the stability, but as noted if I had to deal with them everyday I'd start using steroids and look like Arnold!!

With my step ladders I like the Werner better. We've had 2 Kellers and the aluminum corner bracing was always the weakest link and tend to bend/buckle in less than ideal conditions and need replaced after a few years. The Werner uses the huge plastic corner bracing and so far not a peep outta them :Thumbs:


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## jriccitelli (Mar 21, 2011)

*Heavy fiberglass ladders*

I worked for the cable company once and did ladder training, I always impress the girls with how easy i can unload manage and place a 28' 32' fib ladder. tilt and Grab from back or rope side of ladder, stand and unload at the center of ladders gravity and military press up off truck. put feet on grnd. tilt to 180 vert. 'from back side' (rope side) and grab with one arm outstretched low near 3rd rung and your other arm above your head (about 7th rung). Use lower arm strength to lift ladder and upper arm to control. Walk with it like your carrying the biggest flag in the parade. Put feet down 4-5' from wall with 'you between ladder' and wall, building (or pole), tilt to 180 vert. pick up and drop 4" to set, adj feet. pull rope up and push up steps,while you are 'between', behind, ladder this is the key, and tilt to building while you are under. Tilt back and adjust the same way you carried ladder. i am 6ft. but I watched 145 pound guys carry and set up these with ease using the under and behind method.


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## Workaholic (Feb 3, 2007)

jriccitelli said:


> I always impress the girls with how easy i can unload manage and place a 28' 32' fib ladder.


:laughing:


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## Pete'sfeets (Mar 20, 2011)

Look at the feet they adjust for unbalanced land you need that, weak guys need a lite ladder to work fast buy heavy for theforty footer but a 30 or 26 go lite and invest in a ladder leveler they are awesome in rocky spots


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## Gough (May 1, 2010)

We've got aluminum extension ladders (IA or IAA) up to 40', but our the workhorses are the 24-footers. Around here, they'll handle 95% of the residential work; sometimes we've gone a year or more without breaking out the 32- or 40-footers, which doesn't hurt my feelings. The 24s are also handy since they'll overlap with 8-foot steps. When we're working off ladders, jacks, and planks, we'll work down until we have the ladders telescoped all of the way and the jacks at the top. The next set is the planks between 8-foot stepladders and we've got the wall covered. No having to go back and touch up "ladder prints" and no having to reach through a ladder to paint.

I'll also second the call for levelers. Here in the hilly Palouse, they are lifesavers, or at least profit-savers.


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## NTP74 (Feb 1, 2011)

My pop always told me that they were "supposed" to flex ....
I never liked it , but..


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

get your guys a gym membership:thumbup:


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