This debate has been ever since the invention of aluminum. Since people found that aluminum can be a good alternative to wooden stuff, we’ve seen numerous inventions pop up with time. One such thing is the ladder. Is a wooden ladder better or an aluminum ladder? It’s quite debatable. So let’s find out more about this and see which comes out on top.
Wooden Ladders
Wooden ladders have been around since the ages and are trusted for their durability and natural availability. You don’t have to go around finding wood the same way you do for aluminum. This makes it readily available. It’s a reason why wooden ladders have been used fora long. Here’s a look at its fair share of advantages and disadvantages down below:
Advantages of a Wooden Ladder
- Strong: Wooden ladders are known for being strong. They have the natural strength to handle the stress and loads. It’s a reason why wooden ladders are still used extensively in many fields. They also have the tensile strength to withstand a large load.
- Sturdy: Not just strength-wise, but the wooden ladders also have a sturdiness to them. This makes it usable in all circumstances and at all places. They can be used for heavy-duty usage and can easily be safely usable for kids and more.
- Long-lasting and Durable: Nature itself is a testament to the durability of the wood. They are one of the things that have been time-tested and have stood tall for ages. The tensile strength, handling of larger weights, and more give them the durability streak that only a few ladders can match.
- Cost-effective: Wooden ladders are cost-effective compared to aluminum and other metal ladders. They are easily source-able and come at different price points giving the user plethora of options to choose from. As a user one can get much variety and options to choose from if they go for wooden ladders than other types.
Disadvantages of Wooden Ladder
- Prone to Decay and Moisture: Since it’s a wooden ladder, it is likely to be prone to decays and moisture. The temperature changes, moisture, and all these things end up affecting the wooden ladders in the long run and often cause them to be non-performing. You will also have to take into consideration the humidity levels for the wooden ladders as a more humid area will see the wooden ladders go through shape orientation and more.
- Lack of portability: It may not necessarily be a disadvantage as various wooden ladders can be portable. But they still lack the portability of the aluminum ones.
Aluminum Ladders
Aluminum ladders have been one of the best alternatives to wooden ladders ever since their invention and have rightly taken the market by storm. They represent a good choice and value for money for quite a lot of purchases and tend to have an upper hand over the wooden ones. Let’s check out their advantages and disadvantages down below:
Advantages of Aluminum Ladder
- Lightweight and Movable: Aluminum ladders tend to be lightweight when compared to wooden ones. They are very lightweight and have been known for their portability. It’s a reason why you see people buying aluminum ladders quite a lot as they give the good option of portability and ease of use. You can even carry it around as you like from one place to another.
- Cheaper: We know that we talked about the cost-effective nature of wooden ladders. But wooden ladders come at various price points and if you want a good and durable ladder, you’ll have to shelve out high amounts. This is contrasting to the aluminum ones where you can simply get a good quality one at even a cheaper price.
- Rust and humidity-resistant: The thing about aluminum ladders is that they are quite cheap and easy to use. They are not prone to the humidity effects or the change in temperature levels like that of the wooden ladders and nor do they have the rusting issues like that of the iron ladders. This makes it a great pick for anyone who needs a good ladder that can last long.
- Flexibility: Aluminum ladders these days come with the flexibility that cannot be matched by any other type of ladder. They have the flexibility to fold and unfold as required. This has been a handy feature for many workers and tool men who have the constant need of ladders. You’ll often see people carry a small aluminum ladder frame that can be easily opened up to become a larger ladder.
Disadvantages of Aluminum Ladder
- Lack of strength and sturdiness: Aluminum ladders tend to lack the tensile strength of the wooden ladder and also the sturdiness. They cannot last long or hold much like that of the wooden ones. This is why they are not used for heavy-duty works.
- Creates Noise: Wooden ladders tend to be silent while the aluminum ones tend to be noisy when used. You’d often see that while climbing up the aluminum ladders you’ll hear noise and this can affect your workplace or area.
- Ill-pleasing look: This disadvantage is generally for people who want a ladder not only for functional usage but to also accentuate the appeal. Wooden ladders have a wide variety of designs and options to choose from while the aluminum ones come with a plain industrial look.
Wrapping Up
Both the wooden and aluminum step ladders have their merits and demerits and both of them have been used by a wide variety of people. Rather than pigeonholing them into specific needs, we can say that both have their plus points in terms of usage and a bit of downside. It would be advised to go for the one based on the requirement of the user. This will give them the best pick and also give them the best value for money as rational consumers.
I’m Hina Khan, working as a writer at Worldblaze.in blog. I love dancing and listening punjabi music. Here I’m sharing all the interesting stuffs that will definitely entertain you.