Talk to me about ladder storage

[TAftw]

We keep our 10' extension ladder on the wall in the garage. The problem is, it's right over my work bench and robbing precious wall space. Also it's a PITA to lean over the bench and try to get it down.

I don't want to put it outside because someone could use it to climb onto the roof and gain access through a window. Not cool.

I can't stand it upright against a wall because the ceilings are only 9 feet.

And lastly, I still want it to have easy access for my dad, because he is older and I'm not always around to lift the cumbersome awkward stuff for him.

I'm thinking a pulley system on the ceiling is the best bet so far, but what do you guys have for ideas?

PS- I know the work bench is a mess, it's a work in progress .

 

[dirttracker18]

I'm thinking a pulley system on the ceiling is the best bet so far, but what do you guys have for ideas?

There you have it. I have seen a few on here like you want.

A set of hooks at one end to lift onto, pulley on the other end to lift it up (think one of those bike lifts from HF) so you just lift one end with the pulley.

Just make sure the rope can't let go and drop the ladder on something or someone

 

[TAftw]

Just make sure the rope can't let go and drop the ladder on something or someone

That's the problem. If it falls it WILL hit something important, and/or injure someone if they're underneath it.

I suppose I could climb up into the rafters to really secure it, but that's gonna be a last ditch effort.

If it's the only way to go I guess I'll have to do it.

 

[89GLH]

If you're worried about it falling and you claim it WILL 100% hit something important, the only real options you have left you don't want to hear. Lock it up outside, or dont store important things under where if it falls they will be damaged. Unless I'm reading this post wrong...

 

[Stuart in MN]

I have mine hanging in the garage on the same kind of hooks, but it's along the side wall at about seven feet high. There's still room for stuff hung on the wall / leaned against the wall below it, but I can still reach it easily and then walk it out through the overhead door.

 

[ibedayank]

I just lean mine up in a corner but with 16 foot walls i can do that. A spot higher up on a sidewall in a smaller garage using the hooks made to store ladders. Screwed into the studs is the best idea.

 

[dirttracker18]

That's the problem. If it falls it WILL hit something important, and/or injure someone if they're underneath it.

I suppose I could climb up into the rafters to really secure it, but that's gonna be a last ditch effort.

If it's the only way to go I guess I'll have to do it.

Couple of more hooks and a piece of chain should solve that.

I would not be very concerned myself about it falling assuming you have the pulley system right, decent piece of rope and well secured at the end.

 

[TAftw]

Couple of more hooks and a piece of chain should solve that.

I would not be very concerned myself about it falling assuming you have the pulley system right, decent piece of rope and well secured at the end.

Yeah I think that's my only option. I can access the rafters in the ceiling and I'll make sure those hooks are in there really well.

I guess it freaks me out a little because it will be hanging right over where we park the car.

I'll take a trip to HF and see what I can dig up.

 

[csp]

Jeez, it's not like you're hanging an anvil with fishing line and hoping for the best.

Hit the studs with whatever hooks/pulleys/connectors you use and secure any rope with a good knot and call it good.

 

[daveroy]

you really only need the pulleys for one end...
Lift head of latter into a L__I shaped bracket that is secured into the ceiling. Use the pulley to lift other end until its horizontal, tie off the rope... then use short piece of dog chain and a good hook in a rafter as insurance on the pulley end.

 

[snorky18]

any chance of putting it under your house, out of the way, where it can't fall on anyone but is still relatively easy to get to?

The previous owner of our house had a large extension ladder under the porch, which was secured by a padlocked wooden door.

 

[diggerrick]

I saw one stored under a guy's truck the other day. Looked like plenty of clearance so the hot exhaust wouldn't burn it. I'm ASSuming it wasn't a leaker.

 

[JeremyManning]

I hang mine under the deck

 

[Keep]

I hang mine under the deck

Thats a great idea.

I have mine on the front wall above the garage door. If I ever get a high lift I will have to move it, maybe I will hang it under the deck!

 

[josall]

I just hang mine with 4 bike hooks in the middle of the ceiling.

 

[TAftw]

We don't have a deck, otherwise I'd definitely go that route. I'll see if I can get to HF this weekend and buy some hooks and pulleys.

 

[DRP6833]

I built one of these. It does everything you need except the easy access part. Details here.

 

[lpigg]

Get one of those pulley systems like you use for hanging a bike. They have a tension system if someone lets go of the rope it stops. I bought ours for like $15.

 

[jdaallen]

We keep our 10' extension ladder on the wall in the garage. The problem is, it's right over my work bench and robbing precious wall space. Also it's a PITA to lean over the bench and try to get it down.

I don't want to put it outside because someone could use it to climb onto the roof and gain access through a window. Not cool.

I can't stand it upright against a wall because the ceilings are only 9 feet.

And lastly, I still want it to have easy access for my dad, because he is older and I'm not always around to lift the cumbersome awkward stuff for him.

I'm thinking a pulley system on the ceiling is the best bet so far, but what do you guys have for ideas?

PS- I know the work bench is a mess, it's a work in progress .

My .02 cents worth -- get ride of the aluminum ladder!! Very dangerous!!

 

[TAftw]

^^^Why are they dangerous?

 

[ratdoggy]

What's above the garage? If nothing pick a corner where you can make theceiling a little higher, frame it and make a box to stick the ladder up into. You only need a foot or so.

 

[TAftw]

What's above the garage? If nothing pick a corner where you can make theceiling a little higher, frame it and make a box to stick the ladder up into. You only need a foot or so.

It's open space up there. I like that idea, I will look into that.

 

[onething]

I think the poster was referring to the fact that aluminum ladders are dangerous if you are working around electricity. An aluminum ladder is a great conductor; a fiberglass or wooden ladder is a great insulator.

 

[ratdoggy]

Glad I could help......Who's next?

 

[ihredo4]

Could the workbench be moved to a wall perpendicular to a door? That's how my shop is and I slide my ladder thru the door and behind the bench. It's useless space anyhow.

 

[dalepres]

You guys just aren't thinking big enough here. This sounds like the perfect excuse for building an outbuilding shed or workshop. Perhaps a 32 x 48 foot ladder storage facility.

 

[TAftw]

You guys just aren't thinking big enough here. This sounds like the perfect excuse for building an outbuilding shed or workshop. Perhaps a 32 x 48 foot ladder storage facility.

I agree, and it would have to utilize 16 foot ceilings for true vertical ladder storage .

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have my 24' ext ladders stood up on edge in the house garage right now. There's now ceiling so they fit.

I do have a roof ladder stuck up between the rafters. One end sits on the 2x4 that is nailed to the rafters for blocking/spacing. The other end is just sitting on another 2x4 laying across the top of the rafters.

 

[JohnnyAtomic]

either stash the ladder outside with a chain locked around it or do the pulley system to the ceiling, just dont use cheap rope, buy some nice sailor line and some climbing pulleys. if you tie a tight clove hitch around the ladder it will not fall. it would look pretty bad *** all done up right

 

[LEVE]

I have a three car garage and store my ladder under a shelf that spans the two garage door rails in the middle of the garage.

If I had only one garage door, I'd make a "Slide-in" shelf on one side between the rail the ceiling. It's an easy place to store a ladder and access while still out of the way. You could also do the same with a shelf between the garage door rail and the wall and store the ladder underneath it.

 

[mmhouse]

My .02 cents worth -- get ride of the aluminum ladder!! Very dangerous!!

You're not supposed to ride your ladder, you're supposed to stand on it. Of course it's going to be dangerous if you ride it!

 

[LWW]

My suggestion is to combine these two ideas:

Mount a fixed pair of ladder hooks on the rafters in your garage to hold one end and use the bicycle hook & pulley system to raise up the other end.

Basically like an attic ladder that swings back up into the ceiling when not in use.

When you need to get it down, just release the pulley side, lower one end down to the ground then unhook the "top" end and you're on your way.

 

[ratdoggy]

No one's mentioned the obvious.....Cut a foot off of your old ladder

 

[REAL HOT SCHITT]

we keep our 10' extension ladder on the wall in the garage. The problem is, it's right over my work bench and robbing precious wall space. Also it's a pita to lean over the bench and try to get it down.

I don't want to put it outside because someone could use it to climb onto the roof and gain access through a window. Not cool.

I can't stand it upright against a wall because the ceilings are only 9 feet.

And lastly, i still want it to have easy access for my dad, because he is older and i'm not always around to lift the cumbersome awkward stuff for him.

I'm thinking a pulley system on the ceiling is the best bet so far, but what do you guys have for ideas?

Ps- i know the work bench is a mess, it's a work in progress .

i installed a peice of channel iron at end of bilding but at near top of ceiling, and at distance of length of ladder under that ceiling i installed a rope pulley.

We just hook on the top rung of ladder and then tie the rope end to bottom rung of ladder then pull up against ceiling /roof and tie off.....ladder was 15 ft hardwood extension linesman ladder.

 

[Bryan Burns]

If you have a garage door opener, you probably have some angle iron brackets, and if so, consider attaching it to the brackets.
Plywood bolted to the angle brackets hold shelf brackets as shown in the picture. The drawback is that it requires a ladder. The advantage is it's still easier than storing it on roller brackets near the ceiling (been there, done that).
View media item 9046

 

[Bryan Burns]

My .02 cents worth -- get ride of the aluminum ladder!! Very dangerous!!

I sold my 24' fiberglass Louisville ladder for $100 because it was just too heavy. Especially with a ladder stand off on it. And I consider myself pretty strong as I work out a lot. But being 51, I'm not as strong as I used to be.

But man that thing was solid.

Can't say I ever did electrical work from an extension ladder. So I'm good with the aluminum at my age.

 

[Vinko]

I just hang mine with 4 bike hooks in the middle of the ceiling.

This is what I do too.

 

[CasualObserver]

I use two bike hooks and hang it between the rails of two garage doors. Not using that space for anything else anyway.

 

[eldirector]

Mine hangs over my wife's car.

I have a couple of big hooks in the beam the runs across the garage (supports the second floor). It hangs there. It is low enough that I can lift one side off the hook, swing it down, and then lift the "top" off its hook.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Slide it under the car and never move the car.