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Step ladder, two feet in bathtub

61K views 88 replies 22 participants last post by  CApainter 
#1 ·
Does anyone avoid it? What is the worst thing that has happened?

Working in bathrooms, it's common for me to place two of the four step ladder feet inside the bathtub or shower stall. Less common, I'll place all four feet in bigger whirlpools or large walk-in showers.

My concerns are:

--tub bottoms aren't flat, and I'm not gonna take the time to shim the one airborne foot given the number of times I'm repositioning.

--nowadays I'm less concerned about marring porcelain and more concerned about cracking plastic. Half the tub/showers I encounter are acrylic/plastic with insufficient/poorly installed styrofoam backing.

Does anyone make a rule of placing boards/planks under ladder feet to disperse weight in these types of situations? Anyone poked clear through one yet?

Interested in learning whether folks here care more about this than I do, or less.
 
#2 ·
I can't think of a time I couldn't stand on the side of the tub and reach anything I needed to
Granted when I'm painting bathrooms more often than not. I'm painting the bathrooms. And there are loads of them and they are all pretty much the same. But that room. I'll hardly need a ladder maybe one move, the rest I'll get off of the tub, over to and off of the toilet over to and off of the vanity. Usually one move on a ladder. That's it. Most bathrooms I get.
 
#7 ·
Yeah, I'm usually in there for the long haul, often times detailing. Sometimes I'm scrubbing stains in the far corner of the ceilings, scraping, caulking, patching, sanding, and cutting colors. Even simply removing light fixtures, fan shields, or vent covers makes me want a real ladder instead of just balancing on the side of the tub. And not all ceilings are 9' or less.

But that sort of leads me to my next question which you allude to:

What's the worst thing you've heard happening on a job site from climbing on sinks or standing on countertops or one foot on ladder one foot on shelf kind of thing?
 
#5 ·
That was one of the first scenarios that got me thinking I should take more care.

It was a 5' step entirely in a rectangular-ish acrylic whirlpool, and all four feet just made it in. Meaning they sat right on the curve which turned into the tub floor, but really were jammed against the tub walls it was so tight.

It was an aluminum ladder and let's say I was 200# then. Change that to today, 225# and a 6' fiberglass ladder with maybe a gallon of joint compound balancing on the shelf--I think I would be asking for all kinds of bad.
 
#4 ·
I did it all the time. But with a drop under to prevent damage. Dispersing weight was not a concern, but I think it is very good idea to be cognizant of it.

I had a whirlpool tub that I needed to paper about eight feet above it. For that I bridged it with 2x3's and laid down 3/4 ply. But that was for my safety.
 
#22 ·
Yeah, I'm over 6'. If it were a matter of simply reaching something, I could easily just stand on the lip.

But in those cases I'd only have one hand to reach since the other would be against the wall bracing myself, and I'm not really looking to step up to reach something. I'm looking to set up a mobile work station. (Step ladder with shelf.)

And I come across DIY tile jobs often. Cheap plastic tub. Handy HO decides to dress up the surround with tile without providing any structural framework. No way I'm stepping/kneeling/sitting on that surface.
 
#9 ·
I've used a four footer and closed it up a little bit. (Dropcloth underneath)
Haven't used a two foot ladder since I figured out that I was always going to be short, I've always used a four. Plus you got that extra shelf that travels around with you.
 
#18 ·
For elaborate tubs, we use our "roof pads". These are 2' x 2' squares of foam rubber glued to plywood, mainly used for working on top of polycarbonate or fiberglass transparent/tranlucent roofs.
Squares of dense closed cell foam really do come in handy for so many types of things. I need to get some more.

Kneeling pads, ladder bumpers, protecting furniture when I drop a brand new 5n1 from above and it sticks in like hatchet thrower, cushioning fragile items in the van during transport, the list goes on.
 
#13 ·
Minor, but maybe humorous -

I too cracked a plastic toilet lid, by standing on it to path my mother's bathroom ceiling. I "forgot" to tell her about it. She not happy that when she sat on it to put on her stockings, it pinched her ass. I did all I could to act apologetic.

Now just last week, the WW was vacuuming the 1st fl lav and one of the tank bolt nuts just disintegrated. Minor water leakage as she put a pan until I flushed and mopped up what little water there was. But it reminded why I did not play plumber when papering or painting. If you do that, you need to carry a full assortments of compression rings, washers, bolts, nuts, plumbers putty, connectors, etc.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Not a chance I would ever stand on any part of a toilet. Can always fit the 4' around the toilet in some manner to get at what you need to above it.

Kitchen counters do make me nervous as well. I've always just tried to keep one foot on the ladder and one foot on the counter without putting much weight on it. Anywhere in reasonable proximity to the sink and you'd better be really careful!

Bathtubs, I do the same as RH. Fold up an 8X12 drop as footing to disperse/cushion the weight, protect the finish.
 
#31 ·
When dealing with extra height in a bathroom and I need to have a ladder on top of the tub (built in) I just put down drops over the edges of the tub, sometimes securing them with duct tape to hold them in place, and then put a set piece of plywood down that I keep in my shop for this purpose. It might not fit exactly but still spans all of them. IMO storing just one piece of plywood is better than having to store a bunch.

I also have a square of formica on hand that I put down on hardwood and vinyl floors when moving refrigerators, washers and dryers, and the occasional stove. And of course I have a tub full of sliders and gliders. Those things are invaluable.
 
#28 ·
#29 ·
That could have come in handy on the last job I was working for 'that contractor' on. Drywaller had to replace a corner bead (in a hurry of course) and sprayed that pink glue on his bead. Got it all over the tub. Nobody mentioned it of course out of fear. Can't imagine what would have taken that stuff off without damaging the surface of the new tub.
 
#30 ·
when we reno'ed our living area, we were amazed the tub had never come crashing down from the bath above. And the WW had taken MANY baths.

The hangers on the walls were nonexistant and the floor joists had been cut to fit in the toilet but never boxed to full joists. Magical freaking sky hooks were holding all the weight.
 
#33 ·
What I'd like to know are more successful methods of painting wall and trim behind "creative" placement of clawfoot tubs when you're doing a repaint. The kind of thing where you can still see the wall and trim, but there's no way you can get a brush down there even if you hack the handle off.
 
#43 ·
Sorry Mr I Paint Paint. Didn't mean to step on your toes there. Guess I just didn't realize how important it was on a professional painting forum to figure out if I should use a 2' or a 4' step in a bath tub. My apologies.
 
#50 ·
I'll also use the plywood when it allows me to utilize my six footer rather than have to brring in my eight, or worse, a small extension. Some bathrooms just don't make it easy to bring in a very big ladder. Basically I'll use any arrangement that allows me to do the job with the least amount of hassle while protecting myself and the customer's property. I think we all try to accomplish that daily.
 
#51 ·
Yah, tall ladders in cramped areas are a PITA. There was one vaulted ceiling with a long drop and a window in the peak and a whirlpool in the middle. This is one place my lil giant came in handy because with no spreader, it can easily go over anything. AND I made my own spreaders out of channel stock that I clamped on so it would fit where it had to and still be safe. Sometimes paperhangers have to be a little more creative with accessing heights 'cause we gotta be up close and personal with each square foot of the wall. No cut and roll.
 
#58 ·
I think Bill (other bill) was retaliating about the not putting up more wallpaper comment.

Those guys are pretty defensive of their trade, which is understandable around here as they're trapesing around a bunch of painters who hate removing the stuff and complain about it all the time.

You make one negative comment about wallpaper around those guys and they'll shank you in the neck.

i hate wallpaper.
 
#64 ·
CApainter said:
OK, while y'all are fartin' around with weights and measures, I'll be knocking out the skylight. Oh yea...I roll like that. It's all about da payday!
The bosses and yeh the foremans u know.......
I shake my head and act interested. In their measured plans and subsequent conclusions at the end of their laborious debate.
Wait for em to leave
And do what I was gonna do anyway
 
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