Painting a house is a difficult job. And if you are looking for the best ladder for painting a 2 story house that you at the right place.
In this article, we share information regarding the required height of the ladder and the best ladder you can get.
Best Ladders For Painting 2 Story House
| Image | Name | Weight Capacity | Height | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Louisville Ladder FE3232 Extension Ladder | 300 pounds | 32 feet |  |
  | Little Giant SumoStance Extension Ladder | 300 pounds | 28 feet |  |
  | Little Giant 10126BP PRO Series Multi-Use Ladder | 300 pounds | 13-23 feet | |
  | Little Giant Ladder Systems Multi Position LT Ladder | 300 pounds | 26 feet | |
  | Werner D1232-2 Extension-ladders | 225 pounds | 32 feet | |
Painting is a task that requires a lot of time, energy, and accessibility. Therefore, the ladder used for painting a house needs to be one that helps to compensate for these needs.
A ladder used to paint a two-story house must have the necessary features to allow work conveniently at two levels.
It must be adjustable and have fittings to provide comfort and security at the required heights. It should also allow safe and stable movement over a certain area, which is important when painting houses.
Ladder Height Required For Painting 2-Story Buildings
Calculating the height of the ladder you need for painting a two-story house depends on two main factors – the height of the house and the type of ladder you are using.
Height of the House
Since you will be painting the house, you will need your maximum reach to be up to the top edge of the roof or parapet.
Most two-story houses are between 18 and 24 feet tall, but it can also be lower or higher than this.
It depends not only on the height of the rooms but also on the thickness of the floors between them and the extra height of the roof due to an attic, parapet, or other feature that maybe there.
Required Ladder Height
The required ladder height you need to paint a two-story building is 24 to 34 feet.
For single ladders and extension ladders, you will have to calculate the required height in feet using the formula
Height of ladder = Maximum reach + 3 + Reach/4 (rounded to whole number)
The extra three feet added is to make consideration for the height of the upper portion of the ladder that must be kept above the support point, while the last portion is to take into account the 4:1 rule.
If it is an extension ladder, you will have to take this height as the minimum allowed value for fully extended height without violating overlap control.
| Table 1: Height of Ladder Required by Type | ||
| Ladder Type | Ladder Height (feet) | Maximum Reach (feet) |
| Step/Platform | 14/16/18/20 | 18/20/22/24 |
| Single/Extension | 26/28/30/32/34 | 18/20/22/23/24 |
| Trestle – Extension
Ladder |
14/16 | 21/25 |
| (considering the person’s height to be 5’9”) | ||
Related Post:
Ladder Height Chart And Calculator
Best Ladders for Painting 2 Story House
Louisville Ladder FE3232 Extension Ladder
The Louisville FE3232 is a handy extension ladder that is perfect for common people to use when they are DIYing the painting work of their two-story house.
Made of fiberglass, it is tough, durable, and non-conductive, making it perfect for working with, in the exteriors.
D-shaped rungs make it comfortable to stand on without putting too much strain on them.
The ladder has a 300-pound duty rating, meaning you do not have to worry when carrying all the painting necessities with you on the ladder.
The ladder is fitted with heavy-duty slide guides at the top of the base section, besides the stop on the fly section to prevent the over-extension of the ladder.
Rungs are ridged to provide traction to feet. They are also directly and permanently attached to the side rails with hydraulic crimping to ensure immovable, durable, and stable footing when using the ladder.
The ladder is available in other heights too so you can calculate and choose whichever is suitable for your house.
Features
Support Surface Protective
When you are painting your house, you do not want any damage to come to the wall, which would be freshly prepped for painting.
The mar-resistant rail end caps on the ladder ensure that the surface you are propping the ladder against does not get chipped from the rough end of the ladder rail.
It also protects the rail ends of the ladder itself as the end hitting a hard surface could also transmit damage throughout the ladder rail.
Leveling Stability
The ladder has heavy-duty steel-plated swivel shoes set in deeply grooved rubber shoes.
Swiveling action lets the ladder be set up in the correct and comfortable position without compromising on the stability of the ladder.
Thus, no matter what angle the ladder is placed in, its feet will always be level with and horizontal to the ground.
Moreover, the deep grooved on the rubber shoes provide maximum traction and ensure that there is no chance of the ladder slipping.
Locking Safety
Louisville ladder uses MaxLock with the QuickLatch system.
This system keeps the ladder extended and in the height that you locked it without causing undue jerks, wobbles, or movements.
It is extremely tough, weather-resistant, and light and the QuickLatch system makes it easy to use the lock without having to exert yourself too hard or risk a pinching accident.
Specifications
Product Height: 32 feet (16 feet per section)
Product Weight: 67 pounds
Material: Fiberglass
Available Heights: 16/20/24/28/32/36/40 feet
Duty Rating: 300 pounds IA
Click here to learn more about this ladder(link to Amazon).
Little Giant SumoStance Extension Ladder
The Little Giant SumoStance ladder is one of the best ladders that can be used if you are new to painting your two-story house.
It is light, easily maneuverable, easy-to-use, and designed keeping the safety of the user in mind.
The Dual-pulley system of the ladder makes it two times easier to extend and set the ladder at the required height.
Pulleys are side-mounted, meaning the danger of tripping on the pulley system while climbing the ladder is fully eliminated.
The ladder also employs balance indicators to make the user doubly sure that the ladder is stable before mounting.
Side-to-side bubble level and front-to-back angle indicators make it easy to judge and adjust the level of the ladder.
This Hyper-Lite ladder is obviously also light and easy to move around, but not at the cost of its strength and durability
Features
Balancing Stability
SumoStance is the patented wide-stance leveling outrigger system from Little Giant.
It uses extra stabilizing support legs that make the base width of the ladder more than double the basic width of the ladder.
This increases side tip stability and prevents the risky side movements that can cause it to topple over, especially if the user wrongly overreaches.
Non-Conductive
The ladder body is made of fiberglass and is therefore non-conductive.
This makes it absolutely safe to work at the height of two-story houses, where overhead electricity lines are common and could pose a risk.
Since painting requires work with water, a metal ladder could be risky in this case.
Specifications
Product Height: 28 feet
Product Weight: 63.9 pounds
Product Dimensions: 174 x 21.5 x 6 inches
Material: Fiberglass
Available Heights: 16/20/24/28/32/36/40 feet
Duty Rating: 300 pounds IA
Warranty: 1 year
Click here to check it on Amazon.
Little Giant 10126BP PRO Series Multi-Use Ladder
This Little Giant Ladder is, true to its name, is a pro-grade ladder.
It is tough, sturdy, and durable – minor bumps and hits do not dent or scratch it.
It is built to withstand long, heavy usage. The high-impact rung guard ensures that the ladder can carry the weight promised by its duty rating.
Besides its extra heavy duty rating, it not only matches but also exceeds all the ANSI and OSHA standards in its category. This is reinforced by its lifetime warranty too.
This ladder is built to be used for painting any kind of two-story house of any size, shape, and structure.
It employs telescoping sides and Triple-Lock Hinges that allow the ladder to be configured in 43 different ways, including A-frame, staircase, extension, 90-degree, and four-levels of trestle-and-plank scaffolding system.
Features
Highly Sturdy
The heavy wall, aerospace-grade aluminum alloy body of the ladder is tough, damage-resistant, and provides industrial-grade strength.
This makes it suitable for heavy use, backed by the lifetime guarantee and powered by the super-strong, resilient body of the ladder.
Corrosion-resistant
The ladder is made of black anodized aluminum alloy.
This forms a protective layer over the aluminum, which can still be vulnerable to corrosion although it does not rust.
Thus, the ladder is fully corrosion-resistant, oxidation-resistant, and weather-proof, which allows you to use it freely when painting any part of your two-story house.
Highly Portable
The extra side rails at the base of the front legs of the ladder have Tip-N-Glide wheels that make it easy to carry the ladder around without having to lust it, simply by rolling.
Compact size of the ladder also makes it easy to set it up and store it in small places too without jeopardizing your safety.
Specifications
Product Height: 26 feet
Stepladder Configuration: 6-11 feet
Extension ladder Configuration: 13-23 feet
Product Weight: 54 pounds
Product Dimensions: 79.5 x 31.25 x 8 inches
Material: Aluminum
Available Heights: 17/22/26 feet
Duty Rating: 300 pounds IA
Warranty: Limited Lifetime
Click here to check it on Amazon.
Little Giant Ladder Systems Multi Position LT Ladder
When it comes to safety, stability, and user-friendliness, the Little Giant LT ladder delivers and matches up to its reputation.
It is lightweight, making it easy and safe for users to carry it around, set it up, climb up and down the ladder and use it for prolonged periods.
In fact, it is 20% lighter than other industrial-grade ladders due to its airplane-grade aluminum body.
Wheels in the front side legs ensure that you do not have to lift the entire weight of the ladder every time you have to move it.
The rubber shoes of the ladder give the legs the traction it needs on all kinds of ground.
Plastic-capped locks and the articulation system make it easy for anyone to quickly and smoothly change the configuration of the ladder as and when they need it.
Features
Highly Versatile
This ladder is a multi-purpose articulating one. This means that it can be used in a large number of different configurations.
With separately extendible legs, the ladder can be used as an A-frame ladder, staircase ladder, 90-degree ladder, extension ladder, and its inner and outer sections can be separated to form a trestle and plank system, which is especially useful when painting your two-story house.
Durable
The ladder is made from aircraft-grade aluminum alloy, which is the strongest and most stress-resistant aluminum construction material available.
This makes the ladder able to withstand hits and blows that could easily damage any other ladder.
Fully Safe
The ladder exceeds all ANSI, OSHA, and CSA standards. This means that not only is it fully safe to use but it can also bear weights of up to 300 pounds without any issue.
You can complete your painting job easily without running any risk of the ladder sustaining damage.
Specifications
Product Height: 26 feet
Material: Aluminum
Available Heights: 13/17/22/26 feet
Duty Rating: 300 pounds IA
Werner D1232-2 Extension-ladders
This Werner ladder, like all others of the brand, is built to provide the utmost comfort and security to the user when using it.
Besides the optimum design of the steps, the patented ALFLO rung joint system prevents any twisting action of the steps when in use.
Modified I-beam rails reinforce the strength of the ladder body and make sure that it does not bend under long hours of heavy usage.
The ladder also features mar-resistant end caps that protect both the support surface and the rail ends from any sort of damage.
Internal guides are present at the bottom of the fly or extension section that interlocks the side rails to smooth the extending action.
The gravity spring-loaded locks keep the ladder steady at the required extended height without any undue slides and jerks that could endanger the user.
Features
Slip-resistant
ThIS ladder uses the most advanced and safety-centric legs a ladder can have.
Shu-Lok feature of the legs ensures that the ladder stays in the position it is set up and does not slip or slide.
It also includes a spur that plants the ladder firmly in place, especially in soft ground.
The deeply grooved rubber soles provide traction even on slippery ground.
Lightweight
This ladder is quite light and compact and easy to move around.
Thus, even people not used to slugging ladders around do not have to heave to move the ladder or set it up.
All this because of its sleek aluminum body that prevents the ladder from being too bulky.
Comfortable To Use
The 1 3/4-inch D-rungs provide comfortable and stable footing due to its flat surface and optimal cross-sectional shape.
Traction-tread surface of the steps makes them slip-resistant and thus, the user can stand relaxed without the fear of falling.
Specifications
Product Height: 32 feet
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 18.5 x 195.5 inches
Product Weight: 54 pounds
Material: Aluminum
Available Heights: 16/20/24/28/32/36/40 feet
Duty Rating: 225 pounds II
Check out the ladder on Amazon.
What To Check For When Buying A Ladder for Painting Two-Story House
It is quite obvious that if you are planning to buy a ladder for painting your two-story house, you have to make sure that will be compatible with your house.
Make sure you know the height of your own house, the kind of support it can offer, and the ground around it before you go to buy a ladder.
Type
The type of ladder you should use would be determined both by the height of your house and by your own expertise.
Lower two-story houses can be painted using all the ladder types while the higher ones would require either an extension or trestle ladder.
However, for a person inexperienced with non-self-supporting ladders and great heights, an extension ladder may not be a good idea.
Material
Since you will be painting, there will be the use of water.
Wooden ladders would get rotten and damaged in the water while aluminum ladders could give you a shock if there is a source of electricity nearby.
So here the best choice is thus a fiberglass ladder.
Duty Rating
The greater the height of the ladder you want, the greater the duty rating should be.
Since you will be working at quite a height, it is best to use a ladder that is at least a heavy-duty one.
Height and Adjustability
Make sure that the ladder you are buying gives you the reach you need. You should always first measure out the height of your house or the maximum reach you need.
Now calculate the length of the ladder you will need depending on the type of ladder you are going to get.
It would also be great if the height of the ladder is adjustable; this allows you to unfold the ladder only up to the height you need, keeping excess parts out of the way.
Holding support
Painting a two-story house means working at heights. As a safety measure, it is important for there to be sufficient holding support like handrails, horizontal bars, holding straps, etc.
They should not only support the person and prevent falls but also keep the person from overreaching.
Stabilizers And Treadings
You should make sure that the feet of the ladder have anti-slip shoes and preferably also levelers that would prevent the ladder from toppling and the user from losing balance.
Similarly, the rungs should have rubber treads or grooves so that the person does not slip and fall.
Tool Tray
A tool tray or platform and hook should be present on the ladder or if not, should be added.
These will allow the user to place the paint cans, brushes, and any other tools safely.
That way, they would not have to carry the things on their own person, which might cause them to lose balance and fall.
Safety Badge
Make sure the ladder you are getting is tested and certified by ANSI, OSHA, and any other safety guideline that applies to it.
This will be your guarantee of security and reliability in using the ladder.
Safety Measures To Take While Using A Ladder For Painting Two-Story House
It is true that painting a house does entail some risks. However, if you go about it while taking certain precautions, you will be able to complete the task without any complications. For that, you should keep these in mind:
Check For Damages
Before using the ladder, check well if it has any kind of damage.
Broken parts, rust, or other types of corrosion, loose parts, wobbly rails or rungs, or any other issue that could potentially endanger your life when you are using the ladder.
Check The Ground
Carefully assess the ground you will be setting up the ladder in. It should be flat and hard and should not cause the ladder to wobble or topple when you are mounted on it.
Check For Electric Lines
One of the biggest dangers of working at heights is that of contact with an overhead electric line.
If there are lines along the wall of the house, you might also accidentally make contact with them.
Always have someone nearby if such a danger exists.
Also, get in touch with the electricity suppliers to know the details about the supply, like voltage and current.
Use The Assisting Tools
Ladders for painting two-story houses should come with hooks and pockets to hold the cans, brushes, and any other tools.
You should always use them instead of trying to fit the objects on yourself as this can divert your attention from keeping yourself stable.
The 4:1 Rule
By this rule, for every 4 feet that you need to climb, the base of the ladder should be 1 foot away from the base of the wall or whatever you are using as support for the ladder.
Conclusion
We hope that this article helped you find the best ladder for painting 2 story house for yourself.
Painting a two-story house can be a difficult job.
If you do not feel confident to do it yourself, it is best to let a professional handle it.
If you are planning to paint your house yourself, then you should go through this guide to know how to choose the right ladder for the best, easiest, and safest way to do it is.