How do I stand a ladder on stairs, a slope or uneven ground?

The pitch of a ladder is only half of setting it up. The other half is that both stiles carry load and that the rungs are horizontal, and a ladder with one foot on a step, a raised slab or a slope has neither. It rests twisted, one stile takes everything, and the rungs slope, so your weight pushes you sideways every time you move.

Safety

What you'll need

• Ladder leveller or a ladder with adjustable feet
• A stout board large enough to span both stiles, for soft ground
• A ladder stability device or a means of tying the top (optional)
• A spirit level, to check the rungs (optional)
• A helper (optional)

Step by step

1. Look for somewhere better first.The cheapest fix is standing the ladder two feet to the left. Before adapting to bad ground, check whether there is level, firm ground within reach of the same work.
2. Check the rungs, not the feet.Set the ladder up and look at a rung against the horizon, or lay a level on one. A horizontal rung means both stiles are bearing equally, which is what you actually want. Feet at the same height is a proxy for it and not always the same thing.
3. Use a ladder leveller for uneven or stepped ground.A proprietary leveller clamps to the stiles and adjusts each foot independently, usually with a pin or a ratchet. Adjust until the rungs read level and both feet are in full contact with the ground, then check the setting is locked.
4. Never pack a foot up on anything.Bricks split, offcuts slide, slabs rock, and planks get kicked. There is no safe version of packing a ladder foot. This is repeatedly identified in accident reports and it is the single most common improvised setup.
5. Spread the load on soft ground with a board.A stout board, big enough to sit under both stiles at once with the feet well inside its edges, spreads the load so the ladder cannot sink unevenly. Peg or spike it so it cannot slide, and check it again after a few minutes — soft ground continues to settle.
6. Keep the pitch at one out for four up regardless.Levelling the feet does not change the pitch rule. The base still sits one unit out from the wall for every four units of height, which is about seventy-five degrees, and levellers are set to achieve that rather than to replace it.
7. Secure the top as well.Tie the stiles to a solid anchor at the top, or use a stability device that spreads the load against the wall. Difficult ground makes securing the top more important, not less, because the base is the compromised end.
8. For a staircase, use the right equipment instead.A leaning ladder on a flight of stairs cannot be footed, cannot be levelled and cannot be tied usefully. Use a stairwell platform, a purpose-made stair ladder, or a combination ladder in its stair configuration, which puts a level platform across the flight with all legs properly supported.
9. Check it before you commit your weight.Stand on the bottom rung and bounce gently, watching both feet and the top contact. Anything that moves, rocks or settles is telling you the setup is not finished.

Tips

• A ladder leveller costs a fraction of what a fall costs and fits most standard ladders. If your house has a sloping path, steps or a garden with any fall in it, it is the accessory to buy first.
• On gravel, scrape down to firm ground and use a board. Gravel moves under load in a way that is not visible from the top of the ladder.
• On grass, both feet can sink at different rates as you work. A board and a check partway through the job are both worth the time.
• For gutter and roofline work over a conservatory or a bay, a ladder often cannot be positioned safely at all. That is a scaffold tower or a professional job, not a puzzle to solve with packing.

Common mistakes

• Putting a brick, a block or an offcut under the short side — It slides, tips or crushes with no warning at all, and it is the setup most often found after a serious ladder fall. There is no way to do it safely.
• Standing a ladder on a step so one stile is on the tread and one on the nosing — The lower stile carries nearly all the load and the ladder twists as you climb. Level it properly or use different equipment.
• Levelling by eye and not checking the rungs — Ground can look level and not be. A rung that slopes even a little pushes your feet sideways every time you shift your weight.
• Assuming a stability device replaces a proper foot setup — A stability bar helps at the top and against sideways slip. It does nothing about a foot that is not supported.

Questions people ask