Storage units needn’t be dull! They are a great way to develop a look and create a room feature. Revamping an old ladder into a shelving unit is a basic DIY project that not only helps clear clutter but allows you to display your favourite things with style.
Storage units needn’t be dull! They are a great way to develop a look and create a room feature. Revamping an old ladder into a shelving unit is a basic DIY project that not only helps clear clutter but allows you to display your favourite things with style.
There are two types of wooden ladders you can get. An A frame or an extension ladder. If the ladder doesn’t have back legs, you’ll need to make them up. Once this is done the process is then the same for both.
Start by checking the back post and steps are level. To do this, place your spirit level upright on the back post and move the back post either forwards or backwards until vertical. For the steps, place the spirit level on a step; you may need to lift the front of the ladder off the ground to get it level. If this is the case you’ll need to measure how far off the ground the front legs are and cut this amount off the back post to make the shelves sit level (see diagram 1).
Now that the back legs are sorted and shelves level, you need to measure up for each shelf. Measure the width (from side to side of the ladder steps) and depth (distance from the back post to the front of the step) then deduct about 5mm off each measurement.
You can use any timber you have lying around to make your shelves. It just has to be thick enough to hold the weight of whatever you’re going to place on the shelves.
We’ve use an old scaffold plank for this example. It’s not wide enough to make the shelf so we have glued two pieces together, side by side.
Cut your timber to the correct width and depth using a bench saw. If you need to glue two pieces together, like we have, use PVA then place in a clamp until the glue has set. Then cut two batons, using a bench saw, to create end-caps for the front and back edges of your shelf. Fix in place using PVA glue and hold in place with a clamp. Pre-drill holes for the screws, about 40mm from each edge, before inserting the screws (see diagram 2). Once both batons are screwed on, you can remove the clamp. You can then sand all the shelves down using an orbital sander until you are happy with the finish. You can also use a router to create a rounded edge on the shelf. If you don’t have a router, you could use a hand plane and then sand.
Place the shelf on the step then use your spirit level to ensure the shelf is level. Mark on the back rail where the top of the shelf sits, then drop down half the width of the shelf and pre-drill a hole. Place the shelf back on the step in the marked position, screw to the back legs first and then use two screws underneath the front step. Repeat this process for the remaining shelves.
Sand down the shelves using an orbital sander, 80 grit sand paper then 120 grit sand paper. It’s now up to you what sort of finish you want to give your shelves. It also depends what condition the ladder you have is in. We have used Danish oil but you could also use paint, stain or a varnish. Just talk to the team at the Paint Department at Mitre 10 for advice on the best product for you.
