I need a nice ladder. Where do I find this?

March 11, 2014 9:06 AM

I need a nice folding ladder that can be used in a library with nine-foot ceilings. I don't think we have the room or the budget for one with rails. Everything I see is short, metal, or ugly. Where can I find a nice ladder that can fold up, doesn't cost an arm and a leg, and looks okay in a library.
posted by history is a weapon to Shopping (8 answers total)

What's your budget?
posted by Beti at 9:09 AM on March 11, 2014

I was just coming here to post a similar question!
posted by smich at 9:11 AM on March 11, 2014

Response by poster: Is $100 reasonable?
posted by history is a weapon at 9:19 AM on March 11, 2014

Here are a few around your budget. I searched for step stool and 3-step ladder if that helps. I'm not totally sure they are tall enough - it'll depend on how tall you are. (I need more ladder to reach nine feet than my 6-03' husband. :-)
There's one on Amazon.
This one looks pretty similar.
This one on Houzz looks pretty nice.
And an aluminium one. I just saw you didn't like metal but I'm guessing you're talking about the metal industrial step ladders.
If you don't like these, maybe get a plain wood step ladder and stain it or paint it to make it look less industrial?
posted by Beti at 9:26 AM on March 11, 2014

For the imaginary library in my head, I've always wanted one of these convertible ladder / chair thingies. You can find them at a wide variety of price points.
posted by BlueJae at 9:30 AM on March 11, 2014 [4 favorites]

Myself, I have a taste for circular steps, modest repro models of which turn up on ebay from time to time. Though this might require undesirable reaching for top shelves, depending on your height and theirs.
posted by IndigoJones at 11:10 AM on March 11, 2014

Is this for just library staff use or is it for visitors to the library? In my library we are not allowed to have furniture that folds up or has moving parts for patron use, or to have anything taller than a foot or so without handrails, due to fear of patron misuse and injury. The traditional library answers to manage both these concerns is the ladder-on-rails-with-handles or the Kikstep.
posted by holyrood at 11:11 AM on March 11, 2014

Folding step stools at Lowes.

Folding step stool
at Home Depot.
posted by Lynsey at 2:33 PM on March 11, 2014