Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[buzzy bee]

Hi

Does anyone know what wood you are meant to make ladders from?

I have searched high and low to find out, and don't want to get the wrong wood then hear a large linear crack open up on the stiles, whilst I am on the ladder!

Cheers

Dave

[Penman]

Hi
Looking at adverts for ladders it appears to be a soft wood such as deal for the uprights and a hard wood for the rungs.
Ash is used for hammer handles because of resistance to snapping so that sounds right.
I notice that wooden ladders also tend to have a metal tie from side to side underneath the rungs every so often.
A ladder usage pdf that I found stressed that ladders should not be covered with an opaque finish but rather linseed oil or possibly lacquer/varnish.
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[buzzy bee]

Hi

Cheers, I am just chatting to a friend on the net, and he said stiles - ash, and oak rungs, so with that and what you say, think that is what I will order!

Cheers

Dave

[Greeney in France]

I asked a French farmer as they still use wooden ladders here and he said the same as buzzy, ASH or CHESTNUT for the strings and OAK for treads although in the UK they used to be made from soft woods such as deal
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www.OldFrenchCars.com

We do these things not to escape life but to prevent life escaping us

[ukdave2002]

I'd nip down to Potters, if they don't know know one will!

The wooden ladder I have is softwood, it was my father in laws , its 40 years old and still going strong!

you may have seen it as its on th big trailer in the shed
Dave

[Penman]

Hi
Just a thought, they always used soft wood for yacht and dinghy masts.
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10