Ladder Accessories Buying Guide

One of the most popular accessories is a ladder stabilizer. It is spring-loaded with locking latch devices. A stabilizer is designed to give you extra support when you’re working high up off the ground.

Stabilizers provide support if you’re performing a task where you need to use both hands. Most ladder stabilizers have anti-mar caps. These keep them from damaging delicate or painted surfaces.

Here are a few examples of when you might use a ladder stabilizer:

• Painting an exterior building or home: A ladder stabilizer gives you proper support, so you can easily paint. It helps in painting hard-to-reach areas.
• Reaching framing or trim on a window: Ladder stabilizers provide support around the window. They give direct access to the area if you're trying to paint or make repairs.
• Tackling siding repair or installing gutters: You’ll need your hands for this job, so a stabilizer is a must-have.
• Leaning against a slick surface: Ladder stabilizers have rubber caps. They'll keep your ladder from slipping and sliding around. Stabilizers are helpful when working in the rain or after it has rained.

Ladder levelers are designed to fit with the existing legs of your ladder. They're often made from durable materials, like hard rubber. Many models feature an icepick-style attachment. It allows them to dig into tough ground or frozen areas.

Here’s how you might use a ladder leveler:

• To secure your footing on soft materials like grass, dirt or gravel.
• To keep your ladder from slipping on wet, snowy or icy surfaces. Ladder levelers can also help with naturally slick surfaces, like slate or stone.
• To make your ladder even on both sides when working in an area with a slope. It works on uphill or downhill surfaces. Ladder levelers are adjustable on both sides. You can get level footing no matter what the terrain beneath you is like.

Note: Ladder aides are similar to ladder levelers. But ladder aides are designed to allow use of a ladder on stairs.

If you're on a ladder and need a place to set something down, use a ladder tray.

Here’s are a few ways to use a ladder tray:

• Keep tools handy even when you don’t need them in your hand. Multipurpose trays are great when you just need a place to set tools. It can hold your wrench, hammer, pliers, drill or more.
• Use them to hold paint buckets. A ladder tray can hold a little touch-up paint while you’re at the top of a ladder. They’ll hold brushes, rags and anything else you need while painting.
• Make sure you don’t lose small screws or items. A tray is excellent for holding small items. It can hold screws, window screen clips and more while you’re working on a ladder.
• Ladder trays come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Look for multipurpose models. Or go for a more specific type, such as a tech tray. It can hold an assortment of more task-specific tools or gallon-size paint buckets. There are also oversized options. They hold even more, like an assortment of paint brushes or patching materials.

Climbing a roof or working in a dangerous setting can be tricky. It's hard even with a durable, high-quality extension ladder. Ladder hooks are designed to provide extra gripping power. They are easy to install. With a hook, your ladder can hang in an area where an extension ladder can’t reach.

Here are a few common ways ladder hooks are used:

• Roofing repairs. Ladder hooks are used to reach the peak of a pitched roof. This is a task where an extension ladder alone would be unsafe.
• Chimney repairs. Accessing the top point of a roof is much safer when using ladder hooks.
• Skylight installation or repair.
• Step flashing repair.