French Cleat ladder

[SMJoinery]

Working the last three weeks on a large period property here in Central Scotland, it's a lovely mansion house with huge rooms and even higher ceilings.
In the past the house has had storage added like wardrobes, library units and storage carcasses etc and they have all been taken floor to ceiling.
The client recently moved in and wasn't happy with all these rooms having sets of step ladders to climb up to use high level.
We came up with the following library ladder type arrangement and settled on a French cleat to locate the ladder on the units.
Pictures are before painter came back round and painted them out.
Essentially the same ladder does all areas but we've now been asked to supply another 3 for each floor.
Love French Cleats...

 

[NHSP759]

So the ladder rides on a cleat? Do you just use a wax on the runner? Love the idea and I have a place for it in my stair well to a dormer platform above the stairs.

 

[SMJoinery]

So the ladder rides on a cleat? Do you just use a wax on the runner? Love the idea and I have a place for it in my stair well to a dormer platform above the stairs.

Hi Chris
It can slide along but it's more a method to restrain the ladder at the top to prevent it slipping.
It does slide easy by lifting bottom lightly of the floor but no it's not two surfaces requiring glide agent type of arrangement.

 

[nclemmons]

Great way to secure the ladder but still allow easy movement!

neil

 

[NHSP759]

So the ladder rides on a cleat? Do you just use a wax on the runner? Love the idea and I have a place for it in my stair well to a dormer platform above the stairs.

Hi Chris
It can slide along but it's more a method to restrain the ladder at the top to prevent it slipping.
It does slide easy by lifting bottom lightly of the floor but no it's not two surfaces requiring glide agent type of arrangement.

Thanks sir! Heck of an idea and beautiful work by the way!

 

[Sparktrician]

I really like that idea!!!  Good job!!! 

 

[Rob-GB]

Smart, in every sense.  [thumbs up]

Rob.

 

[Mettes]

Very nice!

How did you secure the treads to the stiles?

If you fix a second cleat one or two steps down, they will be able to hang the ladder, flat against the shelves when not in use.

Hans

 

[SMJoinery]

I really like that idea!!!  Good job!!!

Thank you

 

[SMJoinery]

Smart, in every sense.  [thumbs up]

Rob.

Thank you

 

[SMJoinery]

Very nice!

How did you secure the treads to the stiles?

If you fix a second cleat one or two steps down, they will be able to hang the ladder, flat against the shelves when not in use.

Hans

Thanks.
It's all glue. Titebond 3
Good idea....or on a spare piece of cleat fixed discreetly behind a door.  [big grin]