Extendable ladders are ladders that slide inside each of its sections so they can be extended and retracted to various heights and help storage.
Most, if not all traditional extending ladders are now made from aluminium. This helps to keep their weight to a minimum and maintain strength and rigidity.
Before these, long ladders tended to be made from timber and were know as ‘pole’ ladders. Timber ladders aren’t used much now, especially within the construction industry.
This is due to the characteristics of timber such as going rotten and it’s susceptibility to being damaged.
Extendable ladders can come in various sizes and in varying numbers of sections. The most common are two or three sections within a ladder.
Some larger sectioned extendable ladders come with an internal rope that extends ladder sections like a pulley.
They will always have specially designed hooks on the extendable sections so that when the correct height is reached, the moved section can hook over the lower section’s rungs.
Sectioned ladders used be to able to be separated but recent regulations mean for safety, the sections cannot be taken apart. By their nature, extendable ladders will have you working at height.
You’ll be amazed how many ladder accessories are available out there to make your life easier when working at height. You can read more about them in our article on ladder accessories here.
Aluminium extendable sectioned ladders are typically the type of ladders that are used in conjunction with a ladder standoff.
You can find our article on ladder standoff’s here.
Best extending ladder
Here are three examples of the best aluminium extending ladders we could find.
TB Davies 1102-008 Trade Triple Extension Ladder, 3 Metre / 9.8 Feet, Extends to 7 Metres / 23.0 Feet
What we like:
- Amazon choice
- ‘D’ shaped rungs are comfortable under foot
- Very robust and secure
- British made
- Has a stabiliser bottom bar
- Comes in various sizes and sections
- Has a rung lock to stop the sections sliding
What could be better:
- Stabiliser bar needs fitting (but it’s knit picking!)
- Depending on the user, they could need help extending it
This ladder has tons of comfort when working on it. Its ‘D’ shaped rungs provide a level surface when the ladder is pitched at the correct angle of 75 degrees and has been designed to be comfortable for prolonged periods.
It’s a great all rounder and can be used for a wide range of jobs around your home including essential maintenance like gutter cleaning, painting and general improvements.
This ladder is robust enough for homeowners and DIY’ers as well as traders who would need to use these ladders daily. Perfect for use inside and outside your home.
This ladder is not flimsy, it’s tough and it’s been designed to last. The box section stiles make this aluminium extension ladder super strong and reassuring to use.
We like it because it’s British made using quality materials and workmanship which is a rare thing these days. This gives this ladder a superior, long-life feel. A typical homeowner can expect this ladder to last for years.
It is also supplied with a stabiliser bar that does require installation to the base section of the ladder before it’s first used.
The 3 metre triple extension ladder is one of their mid range sizes and fully extends to 7 metres giving you approximately 7.6 metres of working height.
Range sizes go from 2.5m to 4m in double or triple sections giving the user a choice of section lengths.
Trade Master 5.12m – 2 Section Extension Ladder with Integral Stabiliser
What we like:
Comes in various sizes
Excellent quality for the price
Integrated stabiliser bottom bar
Auto locking clamps
What could be better:
Stabiliser can be fiddly to fit
The TRADE MASTER extension ladder comes with an integrated stabiliser bar giving you extra grip and stability. Another great feature is the auto locking clamps which hold the ladder sections securely together.
This makes the ladder safer and more comfortable when used. These ladders are also tested and certified to the latest EN131 Professional Trade Safety Standard which means they are ideal for most jobs around the home and also tough enough for daily use by tradesmen.
Supplied with an integral stabiliser bar that gives a far greater footprint and therefore unparalleled stability when compared to other similarly priced ladders on the market.
The heavy duty box section side stiles are exceptionally robust and feel like they are built to last.
We also like the steel auto locking wrap around clamps that lock ladder sections firmly in place. They also secure the ladder closed for safe and easy storage and transportation.
Tested and certified to the latest EN131 Professional standard (DIY & Trade use) for your safety and reassurance with a massive weight rating of 150kg (23.5 stone) maximum static vertical load.
We also like that they come in a variety of sizes giving you lots of choice depending on your needs.
Lyte LYTBD225 2 Section Domestic Extension Ladder
What we like:
Price point is very competitive
Non slip feet are riveted in place
‘D’ shaped rungs
What could be better:
Maximum extended height of 3.7m
Really suited to domestic use only
Only comes in one size
Not as robust as previous examples
The Lyte LYTBD225 is what they describe as a ‘superior domestic extension ladder’. It’s perfect for domestic use but not robust enough for everyday professional use.
It’s manufactured with large ‘D’ shaped rungs which do make it feel more comfortable under foot.
It is strong and lightweight and the box section stiles provide good rigidity. The rigidity does reduce however as its height increases.
One nice feature is that the slip resistant feet are riveted in place.
The Lyte LYTBD225 is certified to BS2037 Class 3 and is suitable for most jobs around the home but really is only suited for domestic use, not for trade or industrial use.
Its closed height is 2.2m and its extended height is 3.7m comprising of 7 rungs per section.
Even though this example may have some limitations, we felt it worth including because of its price point.
Final thoughts
In our opinion, TB Davies 1102-008 Trade Triple Extension Ladder is best of our examples today.
This ladder has tons of comfort when working on it. Its ‘D’ shaped rungs provide a level surface when the ladder is pitched at the correct angle of 75 degrees and has been designed to be comfortable for prolonged periods.
It’s a great all rounder and can be used for a wide range of jobs around your home including essential maintenance like gutter cleaning, painting and general improvements.
This ladder is robust enough for homeowners and DIY’ers as well as traders who would need to use these ladders daily.
Perfect for use inside and outside your home.
