Accessing heights at 3m. Ladder or mobile scaffold?

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billgates

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#290112 21-Oct-2021 13:47

Hey fellas,

Currently I only have a 2 step stool which is making stretching legs difficult to do air con vents cleaning and cleaning ceiling inside home with stud height being 2.7m. I also now need to water blast our roof (3m height) and clean our windows from outside which are 2.4m high so the 2 step stool makes this task also difficult.

I need to buy a 4 or 5 step ladder for inside anyway but for outside would you recommend having 2 x ladders with a extension plank in between or mobile scaffold?

Any recommendations for good ladder or mobile scaffold (that is quick to assemble/disassemble and store inside garage)? I am not fond of heights so it needs to be as stable as possible as I have seen really good ladders still wiggle when you climb on them.

Thanks

Do whatever you want to do man.

neb

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#2798790 21-Oct-2021 14:04

It sounds like you're intending to use it as a work platform rather than just a means of getting up onto the roof, in which case you definitely want something scaffold-like and not just a single ladder. For that, what's the ground underneath like (photos)? If it's flat and solid you can probably get away with a two-ladder-and-plank combo, but if it's sloping or uneven in any way then you may want to look into one of those as-seen-on-TV infinitely adjustable ladder/scaffold/whatever combinations, which apart from being able to adjust for different situations also lock solid, unlike a ladder-and-plank setup. It really depends on how much you want to pay, those things start at quite expensive and go up to really expensive.

cshwone

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#2798794 21-Oct-2021 14:10

I got one of these:

https://www.tradetested.co.nz/p/tools-hardware/ladders-scaffolding/scaffolding/towers/mobile-scaffold-adjustable-1-8m

Used it inside and out. Makes ceiling painting, cleaning out gutters, trimming hedges all incredibly easy.

mdf

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#2798797 21-Oct-2021 14:20

+1 what others have said.

I have the same mobile platform. It's good, but it is bigger than you would think and so can be a bit awkward (e.g. narrow gaps down the side of the house).

I actually prefer this style of multi fold ladder with a plank: https://www.bunnings.co.nz/gorilla-silverback-15-multi-purpose-ladder_p0311513. Separates in to two trestles. But obviously care required not to walk off the end of it.

For windows, house and roof washing though, these are the absolute bizness: https://www.bunnings.co.nz/raven-telescopic-water-brush-1-6-3m_p0444169. Soap embedded in the handle so no need to dip anything.

For roof washing, I use the same brush and just climb up on the roof. It's a long way down so I do use a roofing harness for that. Disconnect your downspouts first.

cshwone

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#2798814 21-Oct-2021 14:28

And I also have one of those ladders too for small or awkward jobs where I either can't use or can't be bothered to get the scaffolding out. It's incredibly stable.

billgates

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#2798815 21-Oct-2021 14:36

@neb here are photos of back and side of home. Front of home has concrete driveway on the wing which has the garage and a 1m wide concerte strip that's 5m long then also runs in front of other wing so no issues at front with flat surface. Both sides of home have minimum 2.2m space between wall and fence. This is currently a jungle mostly as you can see but eventually in a years time, it will be atleast 1m wide concrete path but for now its extremely uneven. Back of home is mostly deck with the long run deck you see being only 1m wide so that is all flat surface?

@mdf I have metal extension pipes for my pressure washer setup that can go up to 2.7m in length and our roof runs are straight but long so I will not have to clilmb the roof at all.

Do whatever you want to do man.

neb

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#2798818 21-Oct-2021 14:43

Oh, that'll be fine with two ladders and a plank (or equivalent), I'd rate that as dead flat solid ground in terms of putting up ladders or similar. Depending on how much elevation you need you could just get a foldable work platform, e.g. this.

billgates

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#2798824 21-Oct-2021 15:11

Thanks a lot. That work platform is brilliant idea to clean windows outside. I will need all three I think. Ladder for inside, mobile scaffold for outside and work platform for both inside and outside.

Do whatever you want to do man.