# Fibreglass Extension Ladder



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

1. There is no such thing as 'best'.
2. With proper care, a ladder can last several decades.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Handasee said:


> Which company makes the best fibreglass extension ladder?
> I would also like to know how long a fibreglass ladder should be kept in service when it is exposed to the weather on the truck-roof all year long?


Werner.............http://wernerparts.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4&gclid=CIXw0MyTva0CFcfe4AodqiWoAw


:thumbup:


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## Handasee (Dec 18, 2009)

My 24 ft fibreglass extension ladder is 25 years old. Its exposed to Canadian weather all year long. I have never read anything that states the life span of fibreglass. Nothing lasts forever. So I am looking into purchasing a new ladder.
As for the best ladder- It must be a 1A rating, but then the next consideration is 1) weight, 2) feet and 3) locking hinges and ease of sliding. 
Not all ladders are built equally. I've seen one ladder that I won't touch.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

I've got a 24' Werner on top of my van, it gets some pretty bad conditions outside around here. I don't know how old it is, but it's still in solid shape. I wouldn't use it if it weren't.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

On a related note, how do the wooden ladders hold up? Theres a guy selling brand new ladders made from hemlock with aluminium rungs that have never been used but just in storage since the line companys switched to fibreglass.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

Handasee said:


> I would also like to know how long a fibreglass ladder should be kept in service when it is exposed to the weather on the truck-roof all year long?


a fiberglass ladder has no "service life".
You remove it from service when you see damage or flaking on it. Or when you begin to notice small spider webbing cracks around the rungs and other hardware penetrations ,the bolts for feet, ect..
Fiberglass ladders have always had a good UV protection rating. But the older ones are not as good as the newer ones.
Unlike other ladders, fiberglass ladders rarely give you a warning beyond minor spidering or flaking that they will soon fail. Mostly it is a catastrophic failure. 

The old wooden ones were nice. I'm a feather weight and always heard the ladder cry before breaking. 
Some of my oversized partners ignored the ladders screaming their last breath.


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## Sparky J (May 17, 2011)

Make sure you keep the wooden ones out of weather and it's not a good idea to keep them on top of a vehicle all the time. The fiberglass ones I feel will hold up better on top of a vehicle or outside for long periods of time in weather. But like the OP said nothing lasts forever, be safe check the condition periodically.


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## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

A fiberglass ladder lasts until it cracks. One company I worked for used to spray them with a clear coat the manufacturer reccommended to stop the fuzzies. I have a friend I work with that puts car wax on his. UV rays are the only thing that hurts them. I think it's Werner that says to spray paint them.


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

I've disposed of cracked/broken ladders by driving a Lull down the length of the ladder. No way I will let someone take a broken ladder with the company name on it home.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

randomkiller said:


> A fiberglass ladder lasts until it cracks. One company I worked for used to spray them with a clear coat the manufacturer reccommended to stop the fuzzies. I have a friend I work with that puts car wax on his. UV rays are the only thing that hurts them. I think it's Werner that says to spray paint them.


I spray mine yearly with a clear something.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

drsparky said:


> I've disposed of cracked/broken ladders by driving a Lull down the length of the ladder. No way I will let someone take a broken ladder with the company name on it home.


Lopping off one leg with a sawzall also does the trick.


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## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

electricmanscott said:


> I spray mine yearly with a clear something.


 
The spray they used a few years back isn't allowed to be made anymore for some EPA reg or something but it was the best finish, they smelled odd for a couple days after spraying.


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## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

480sparky said:


> Lopping off one leg with a sawzall also does the trick.


 
I guess you have never seen a ladder on a job that has been trimmed, I see mexican rockers with specially adapted ladders with various company names on them often. If we have a bad ladder we cut it right down the middle of the rungs and toss it to avoid court appearances.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

randomkiller said:


> I guess you have never seen a ladder on a job that has been trimmed, I see mexican rockers with specially adapted ladders with various company names on them often. If we have a bad ladder we cut it right down the middle of the rungs and toss it to avoid court appearances.



i see plenty that are trimmed, and I've trimmed a few myself. But I'm not talking about lopping off 3 or 4 inches from one leg....... Cut it off _at the top_.


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## varmit (Apr 19, 2009)

Some companies, that have a serious safety program, no longer allow wooden ladders to be on site. This is a rule that will probably become widely adopted in the coming years. The reasoning being, even though wood has been used as a structural component for centuries, there is no way to verify an individual piece of wood's strength other destructive testing.


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## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

varmit said:


> Some companies, that have a serious safety program, no longer allow wooden ladders to be on site. This is a rule that will probably become widely adopted in the coming years. The reasoning being, even though wood has been used as a structural component for centuries, there is no way to verify an individual piece of wood's strength other destructive testing.


 
I have been told by our crib guys that the insurance comapny sends guys to our shop to test things like this two times a year. They test a percentage of ladders and powertools.


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## Ampere (Jul 16, 2010)

Wooden ladders are superior over fiberglass; they're inherently more sturdy.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Ampere said:


> Wooden ladders are superior over fiberglass; they're inherently more sturdy.


They can also be had in a heavier weight rating. That's why pipefitters use 'em.


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## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

480sparky said:


> They can also be had in a heavier weight rating. That's why pipefitters use 'em.


 
I have heard that they don't get killed with welding slag as fast as fiberglass and cutting oil doesn't screw them up. And they are much cheaper. Our shop is split with pipefitters/ hvac techs/ and electricians but we have a common tool crib.


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## varmit (Apr 19, 2009)

I prefer wood step ladders also, but I was told at two different plants, where I was doing jobs, that I could not use a wood ladder.


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## Amish Electrician (Jan 2, 2010)

Define "best." 

Also ... each company makes multiple lines, so just what do you want from a ladder?

Two high points are:
1) Louisville has some ladders -longer than 20ft- that have a 'v-top' ' parts tray at the very top. Looks mighty handy; and,
2) Werner has their 'Old Blue" line that has built-in leg levellers.

Otherwise, I find the three major brands - Louisville, Werner, and Green Bull - impossible to tell apart.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Amish Electrician said:


> Define "best."
> 
> Also ... each company makes multiple lines, so just what do you want from a ladder?
> 
> ...


 
That V top comes in really handy, loved that feature on the last company ladder I had.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

the problem I have with ladders is the stupid labels. we were on a job 2 yrs ago where the supt threw all our (perfectly good ladders) in the dumpster cause you couldn't read the stickers anymore. we retrieved them, we just don't use them at fancy airbases anymore lol.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

wildleg said:


> the problem I have with ladders is the stupid labels. we were on a job 2 yrs ago where the supt threw all our (perfectly good ladders) in the dumpster cause you couldn't read the stickers anymore. we retrieved them, we just don't use them at fancy airbases anymore lol.


 
I had that problem and found the manufacturer will send you out a new set just by emailing, they share some of the liability with that.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

wildleg said:


> the problem I have with ladders is the stupid labels. we were on a job 2 yrs ago where the supt threw all our (perfectly good ladders) in the dumpster cause you couldn't read the stickers anymore. we retrieved them, we just don't use them at fancy airbases anymore lol.


Your super is super stupid. You can order new labels from the manufacturer. Helluva lot cheaper than buying a new ladder.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

480sparky said:


> Your super is super stupid. You can order new labels from the manufacturer. Helluva lot cheaper than buying a new ladder.


 
The super might have been doing a walk thru with the insurance company inspector, I have benefited from those proceedings more than once.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

thanks, I'm gonna check that out


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## acro (May 3, 2011)

My FIL is retired GTE and has a pretty neat short ext ladder. Fiberglass, but the top rung is heavy webbing. Works great leaned against a round pole.


I have not seen that on recent ones. The V sort of is the same, but not really. Might be a feature to look for.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

acro said:


> My FIL is retired GTE and has a pretty neat short ext ladder. Fiberglass, but the top rung is heavy webbing. Works great leaned against a round pole.
> 
> 
> I have not seen that on recent ones. The V sort of is the same, but not really. Might be a feature to look for.


 
They sell the pole straps to install on the top of extension ladders pretty cheap.

http://us.wernerco.com/view/Products/Climbing-Equipment/Accessories/72/72-1


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## randas (Dec 14, 2008)

I run Werners from the local utility. They have to toss them after 5 years, something about their union or something  A c-note gets you a 24' with the lineman kit- pole strap and midspan hooks :thumbsup:


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

The stickers on ladders are racist! The little black guy is always falling off and doing stupid things, the little white guy does thing correctly.:detective:


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

drsparky said:


> The stickers on ladders are racist! The little black guy is always falling off and doing stupid things, the little white guy does thing correctly.:detective:


that's not a black guy, that's flat chick on meth with a bad sunburn. and that's not a white guy, that's a light skinned hispanic.



there, I fixed it for ya, eh ?


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## Amish Electrician (Jan 2, 2010)

To go off on a slight tangent ....

It seems that buying the ladder is only the first half of the answer. The other half are the accessories.

Things like ... 
- There are 'rail extensions' that let you step through the ladder for your transition to a rooftop;
- There are anchoring devices to hold your ladder to that roof's edge;
- There are various devices sold to help you set the ladder on sloping ground;
- There are attachments for leaning the ladder against corners, across windows, etc.; and,
- There are trays / buckets / aprons to hold your tools while you're up there.


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