Are you in the market for a new step ladder?  If so then beware, you might be surprised at how many choices you’ll be confronted with when choosing the best step ladder.  Here’s a little info to help you decide what is right for you.

Ratings and Classifications

Step ladders are commonly found in 4 to 8 foot heights.  They are classified as Type III (Red), II (Green), I (Blue), IA (Orange), and IAA (Yellow).  All have color coded ratings (as noted) that signify the weight a ladder can safely bear.  You should find these color codes clearly marked on their labels.  Sometimes you’ll find the entire ladder is the color of its classification.

Type IAA is the sturdiest and heaviest class, thus Type III is the flimsiest.  Type III is really for occasional use and quick jobs like changing a light bulb.  Meanwhile, Type IA and IAA are “contractor quality,” built for daily abuse (and the price will reflect it too).  For the DIYer of average build, Types I and II should be sufficient to handle regular use.

Materials

Wood – Heaviest (30 lbs. for 6′) but sturdier than aluminum.  Least expensive material, which makes it the  ladder of choice for the DIYer on a budget.  Should be stored inside – wet conditions will shorten the woods life.

Aluminum – Only slightly more expensive than wood, they are the lightest of stepladders and can withstand wet weather.  Only drawback is aluminum will conduct electricity so you have to work with extra caution around bare wires.

Fiberglass – Lighter than wood but heavier than aluminum.  Weatherproof, so it can be stored outside.  Does not conduct electricity, so it is the preferred ladder if you do a lot of electrical work.

Specialty Ladders

Platform ladder – Typically has treads vs. rungs so that your whole foot is supported.  When the ladder is opened, the top tread unfolds into two creating a platform.  If you feel a little unsafe on the highest rung of a stepladder because it’s a bit wobbly, then this would be the best step ladder for you.  The drawback is you won’t get as much height.  You’ll pay a little extra for the added stability.

Flip-up Ladder – This is like a two for one.  The top of the A-frame has a locking hinge so that the back legs of a 6 foot step ladder flip up which turns it into a straight ladder at about 10 1/2 feet.

Articulated Ladder – If you like the 2 for 1 concept of a flip-up, then you’ll love the added bonus of an articulated ladder.  These have a hinge at the top of the stepladder so it can extend straight like the flip-up but also has two additional hinges so it can convert into a scaffold that’s usually 3 feet long and 3 feet tall.

Combination Ladder – This type of ladder can fold and/or extend into multiple lengths and combinations (hence the name).  So it can act as a step ladder, extension ladder, A-frame ladder, staircase ladder, and two scaffold supports.  This ladder will do the most damage to your wallet, but if it avoids having to buy a second (or third) ladder because your standard step ladder can’t handle the job, then you may be ahead of the game.

So, in conclusion, if you take a few minutes to answer these questions:

• How will I be using my step ladder?
• How often will I be using it?
• How will I be storing it?
• Are there any special weight considerations?
• What’s my budget?

…then you will be ready to make a sound decision when choosing the best step ladder to purchase.

A couple years ago, safe rooms (a.k.a. panic rooms) were the “buzz” around the water cooler with the release of the movie “Panic Room,” starring Jodie Foster.  Now again, with the recent mid-west tornadoes, safe rooms are making the news.

Safe Room Construction – How secure should it be?

These rooms are built to provide security for families in the case of terrorism, natural disasters, intruders, or any other type of personal danger. Building a new safe room is a wise DIY home improvement, providing the homeowner some added peace of mind. Panic rooms are often thought of as impenetrable rooms with indestructible walls and doors.  Realistically, it only needs to be structurally sound, and secure enough that your family can hide in, make some emergency phone calls, and keep intruders at bay.  If you think about it, unless someone is purposefully out to hurt you, their intent is to get what they want, and out of the house as fast as possible. So, as long as you build the room strong enough to be a deterrent, you’re generally safe.

What to consider with safe-room construction:

• You will want the door and walls to provide as much resistance as possible.  Certainly drywall attached to wood studs does not keep someone from putting their foot through it, but concrete would.
• A logical place to build your panic room is in a basement.  Basements are notoriously good protection during natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes.  The one downfall to a basement panic room is that in a chemical or biological attack, chemicals are heavier than air and would move to lower ground.
• It’s also wise to build a panic room without windows.  A safe room with a window only provides an additional point of access.  Don’t forget that without a window your safe room will need some form of ventilation.
• The door should be a solid material (steel would be best), and it should open outwards to make it more difficult to kick in.  Most importantly, be sure that the door jamb is made of steel too.  A couple dead bolts should do the trick, and be certain that the keys are kept inside the room where no one outside the room could find them.
• Another issue to plan for is sound.  Your panic room should act as a good hiding place and sound proofing to keep burglars from hearing you while you call the authorities is essential.

What should I keep in my new room?

Be sure to think about what you want to store in your panic room, especially if you are in an unfortunate circumstance that requires staying more than a day.  The following list is a good place to start:

• Water and plenty of it (The rule of thumb is one gallon per person per day.  5 gallon water containers for camping work well.)
• Food, non-perishable (canned) meats, fruits, and vegetables and be sure to include a can opener.  You may also want to include some comfort foods such as coffee, tea, and candy, especially if you have children.
• First Aid Kit, including prescription drugs
• Bedding, such as sleeping bags and at least one change of clothes
• Hygiene supplies – including a 5 gallon bucket and plastic garbage bags to act as a substitute toilet (A room air sanitizer comes to mind here too.)
• Other tools and supplies such as a phone, battery operated radio, and flashlights
• Toys, books, and games
• Defensive weapons
• Telephone – preferably a land-line that won’t need re-charging

All of your family members should be made familiar with the room including when, and how it is to be used.  If you have children, stress the importance of the room, and that its only function is for safety during an emergency, not for fun and games.

In this video tip I teach you how to build a center line jig. With this jig you can mark the center of any size board, whether it’s a 2×4, 2×6, 2×8 or 2×12. Certainly there are different methods for marking the center of a board, like snapping a chalk line, or drawing a line along a straight edge. Building a jig, will cost you a little extra time your first go-round, but will save time in the long run with every future use.

• To start, cut a scrap piece of 2×4 16 inches long.
• Make a mark in the center of your 2×4.
• Measure 6 inches to the left of your center mark and drill a ?” hole ¾” deep. (Wrap a piece of tape around your drill bit to mark ¾” depth.)
• Repeat the last step, this time to the right of your center mark.
• Your two holes should be equal distance from the center mark.
• Next, get a ?” dowel and cut two 2 inch pieces off of the dowel.
• Glue the cut dowel pieces into the two holes that you’ve drilled.
• Drill a third ?” hole through your center mark. (Should be big enough to fit a #2 pencil.)

You now have a complete center line jig. Lay the jig onto the board you want to mark with the dowel pieces face down. Angle your jig so that the dowel pieces are snug against the edges of your board. Insert a pencil into the center hole of the jig, and run the jig up and down the board leaving a perfect center mark.

Today’s DIY video tip is all about blade cleaning, specifically circular saw blades, table saw blades, miter saw blades, etc. To show you, I’ve removed the blade from my circular saw. Over time you can see how the tar and the pitch from wood has collected on the blade. This slows the blade down as it is cutting, and tends to leave ugly marks on the wood being cut too. Not a good thing, especially if you’re working on something like finish trim that you plan on staining. Those ugly marks will show right through. So, you definitely want to clean your saw blades periodically.

First, get yourself a can of oven cleaner. I certainly recommend rubber gloves and safety goggles when working with oven cleaner. Follow the directions on the can, just as if you were cleaning an oven. You might want to do this outside since the fumes can be bad. Give the blade a quick spray on one side, flip it over, and give the other side a spray. Let the oven cleaner soak in and do its work. The directions on the can will tell you how long to let it soak. In this case, I let it stand for about 20 minutes. Next, give the blade a quick scrub with a toothbrush. I scrubbed for less than a minute per side. Finally, rinse the blade off under warm water, and you’ll have a nice clean blade. Not quite like-new, but shiny enough to reflect the lighting.