Edited by Barara Carmical, ImTheTrueMermaid, Teresa, Gerard Plamenco and 2 othersPin ItArticle EditDiscussDon’t lose seven years to bad luck if your ladder collapses above you. Be the lucky (and thrifty) one instead and repurpose it into smart shelving for your den, family or living room. It's easy to do and it's functionally stylish. Edit Steps
Integrating The Ladder Into Your Existing Décor1Determine if the ladder itself gels with your home/room. Evaluate first whether the ladder will suit your current design style. For instance, what the ladder is made of will impact whether it suits your décor. Wooden ladders might look great in one room, while a steel one might be better in another.
Bring the ladder inside and see how the material looks inside your existing décor.2Evaluate the ladder’s condition. While you can certainly repurpose a broken ladder into shelving, you don’t want to use a ladder that is so damaged that it lacks functionality. Since the steps will be used as the shelves, there need to be at least a few of them in place or you'll need to be able to mend missing ones with ease. Do any repairs needed first.
3Identify an area to accommodate the ladder shelf. The ladder needs to fit; for example, a small nook space won't work if you're trying to create shelves from a 15 foot ladder. Keep in mind that one half of the ladder will need to lean against the wall, meaning that you need to allow adequate space for it to protrude into the room.
Take measurements of both the ladder sides and the area to ensure a comfortable fit.4Consider what you'll put on the ladder’s shelves. This will help you to decide its best placement. It might be figurines, books, a collection of some sort, quilts, whatever.
Check that the desired shelf items can fit easily and safely on each step. Test out items you aren’t completely sure about before using them. You can also make use of poster tack to hold light things in place if needed.Do you perhaps have a theme? For example, you might like to display your snow globe collection or your favorite set of leather bound books.
Preparing the Ladder1Remove the hinges that hold the ladder together. Some ladders can be unhooked without a tool, whereas others might require the use of a screwdriver (an electric one is probably easiest). For the purposes of this project, you'll only be using one side of the ladder but nothing prevents you from turning both sides into wall-leaning shelves; simply do the same things to both sides.
2Sand, clean and repair the ladder as required. If it's a wooden ladder, it needs to be sanded to remove splinters and rough patches. Wood or super glue can be used to mend minor damage or dents.
Use a mild dish detergent and water to clean ladder.3Do any needed repairs to ensure the ongoing integrity of the ladder. As noted earlier, if the rungs are damaged, you'll need to decide which need fixing and/or replacing and which can be left alone.
Making Shelf Platforms
For many ladders, it's likely that the ladder steps or rungs won't be wide enough to accommodate the items you wish to store on them. However, this won't always be the case, and if you think your ladder steps or rungs are already wide enough for the intended purpose, you can skip this section.
1Take measurements of the length of the steps of the ladder. Do both length and a desired shelf width. These measurements will be used to make a shelf platform which you will mount on the steps.
2Cut a piece of plywood to the measurements taken.
3Shape the platform from the plywood piece. Cut out any sections needed to help the shelf platform slide onto the rung with ease. As you can see here, special cuts were required at the back of the shelf platform.
4Nail each shelf platform for every step or rung of the ladder. You may wish to nail at an angle that will counteract the lean the ladder shelf will have when placed against the wall. You'll want the books, objects, etc., to stay in place and not slide off.
Displaying the Ladder Shelves1Prepare ladder shelves for display. This means staining or painting the ladder if necessary. It might also need final adjustments or a last sanding.
If you're using a wooden ladder and you're going for a natural look, consider at least adding a clear coat of gloss to protect the wood.
2Affix the ladder to the wall. There are a few ways you can approach this:
If you do not have small children or overly curious pets at home, you could simply add chair leg pads to the backs of the ladder and lean the ladder piece against the wall.However, for a more permanent solution, consider purchasing brackets and screws to secure the ladder to the wall.3Add display items to the ladder. Arrange the items so they fit easily on each step––don't forget about adding something special to the top.
4Finished.
Edit TipsIf you live in an area prone to earthquakes, it is highly recommended that this item is attached firmly to the wall. You may wish to use poster tack to keep objects firmly in place during a shake.Reconsider this project if you have small children or overly curious pets. Although the ladder should be secured to the wall, it still sits in a precarious manner, which could have disastrous results if disturbed.
Edit Things You'll NeedOld ladder/broken ladderHammerSanding paperPlywoodCutting devicesNails or wood gluePaintDecorative embellishments (optional)Wall fixturesSawArticle Info Featured Article
Categories: Featured Articles | Woodworking
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Integrating The Ladder Into Your Existing Décor1Determine if the ladder itself gels with your home/room. Evaluate first whether the ladder will suit your current design style. For instance, what the ladder is made of will impact whether it suits your décor. Wooden ladders might look great in one room, while a steel one might be better in another.
Bring the ladder inside and see how the material looks inside your existing décor.2Evaluate the ladder’s condition. While you can certainly repurpose a broken ladder into shelving, you don’t want to use a ladder that is so damaged that it lacks functionality. Since the steps will be used as the shelves, there need to be at least a few of them in place or you'll need to be able to mend missing ones with ease. Do any repairs needed first.3Identify an area to accommodate the ladder shelf. The ladder needs to fit; for example, a small nook space won't work if you're trying to create shelves from a 15 foot ladder. Keep in mind that one half of the ladder will need to lean against the wall, meaning that you need to allow adequate space for it to protrude into the room.Take measurements of both the ladder sides and the area to ensure a comfortable fit.4Consider what you'll put on the ladder’s shelves. This will help you to decide its best placement. It might be figurines, books, a collection of some sort, quilts, whatever.Check that the desired shelf items can fit easily and safely on each step. Test out items you aren’t completely sure about before using them. You can also make use of poster tack to hold light things in place if needed.Do you perhaps have a theme? For example, you might like to display your snow globe collection or your favorite set of leather bound books.Preparing the Ladder1Remove the hinges that hold the ladder together. Some ladders can be unhooked without a tool, whereas others might require the use of a screwdriver (an electric one is probably easiest). For the purposes of this project, you'll only be using one side of the ladder but nothing prevents you from turning both sides into wall-leaning shelves; simply do the same things to both sides.
2Sand, clean and repair the ladder as required. If it's a wooden ladder, it needs to be sanded to remove splinters and rough patches. Wood or super glue can be used to mend minor damage or dents.Use a mild dish detergent and water to clean ladder.3Do any needed repairs to ensure the ongoing integrity of the ladder. As noted earlier, if the rungs are damaged, you'll need to decide which need fixing and/or replacing and which can be left alone.Making Shelf Platforms
For many ladders, it's likely that the ladder steps or rungs won't be wide enough to accommodate the items you wish to store on them. However, this won't always be the case, and if you think your ladder steps or rungs are already wide enough for the intended purpose, you can skip this section.
1Take measurements of the length of the steps of the ladder. Do both length and a desired shelf width. These measurements will be used to make a shelf platform which you will mount on the steps.
2Cut a piece of plywood to the measurements taken.3Shape the platform from the plywood piece. Cut out any sections needed to help the shelf platform slide onto the rung with ease. As you can see here, special cuts were required at the back of the shelf platform.4Nail each shelf platform for every step or rung of the ladder. You may wish to nail at an angle that will counteract the lean the ladder shelf will have when placed against the wall. You'll want the books, objects, etc., to stay in place and not slide off.Displaying the Ladder Shelves1Prepare ladder shelves for display. This means staining or painting the ladder if necessary. It might also need final adjustments or a last sanding.
If you're using a wooden ladder and you're going for a natural look, consider at least adding a clear coat of gloss to protect the wood.2Affix the ladder to the wall. There are a few ways you can approach this:If you do not have small children or overly curious pets at home, you could simply add chair leg pads to the backs of the ladder and lean the ladder piece against the wall.However, for a more permanent solution, consider purchasing brackets and screws to secure the ladder to the wall.3Add display items to the ladder. Arrange the items so they fit easily on each step––don't forget about adding something special to the top.4Finished.Edit TipsIf you live in an area prone to earthquakes, it is highly recommended that this item is attached firmly to the wall. You may wish to use poster tack to keep objects firmly in place during a shake.Reconsider this project if you have small children or overly curious pets. Although the ladder should be secured to the wall, it still sits in a precarious manner, which could have disastrous results if disturbed.
Edit Things You'll NeedOld ladder/broken ladderHammerSanding paperPlywoodCutting devicesNails or wood gluePaintDecorative embellishments (optional)Wall fixturesSawArticle Info Featured Article
Categories: Featured Articles | Woodworking
Was this article accurate?
YesNo
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