What Is a Ladder Standoff?

A ladder standoff is a handy tool that enables you to work on a ladder more efficiently and safely. This device consists of a large metal bracket that fixes to the rungs of a ladder with metal hooks.

How do ladder standoffs work?

Ladder standoffs (also known as ladder stays) have legs with feet that extend outwards to balance against a wall or other solid surface, positioning the ladder away from the wall.

Why use a ladder standoff?

Ladder standoffs provide you with a greater range of motion and accessibility when working on a ladder.

This also means you don’t have to lean backwards in order to access objects out of your reach — a very dangerous action that could easily result in serious injury.

Ladder stays are particularly useful for household maintenance tasks such as gutter cleaning, painting, etc. because they save you from needing to lean your ladder against gutters, tiles and window frames, which could potentially damage them.

How to use a ladder standoff

Using a ladder standoff is quite straightforward. Before setting up your ladder, decide where you want to position your standoff. Then, line up the standoff with the appropriate rung and secure it in place using the metal hooks attached.

Different standoffs will feature slightly different locking systems and safety features to ensure the ladder standoff is properly fixed to the ladder. Typically, though, these safety features will be in the form of a cable, rope or elasticated hooks. Always refer to the guidance provided by the manufacturer.

Once the standoff is secured to your ladder, you’re ready to lift and position it as normal. Just make sure the feet of the ladder are placed on a flat, stable surface and the legs of the standoff are pressed firmly against the wall or other solid surface.

Only ascend the ladder if you are confident that it is fully secure and safe to use. When climbing, always try to distribute your weight as evenly as possible so that the ladder does not topple to one side.