My All Purpose Ladder

Jojodalber
by Jojodalber
3 Materials
$20
2 Weeks
Medium
I have no room to display our village at Christmas so I made a ladder for it and then put plants on it during the rest of the year. Both inside or outside of the house. I hope you enjoy it.
I purchased four 2 X 4s eight feet long.  And six 1 X 4. Two gate hindg's and deck screws.  White enamel paint.  I Laid the four  2 X 4's end to end and screwed a gate hinge to each end.  This way the main post will be foldable.   
I measured and measured again.   I needed the ladder to be 7 ft tall with a space between the steps to be 12 inches.  After all that was done I cut the 1 X 4s to size.  Did a light sanding with a circular sander on the rough edges and corners. Be sure to wipe the dust off each piece.  My steps are 16 inches long. I needed 14 pieces.  Now lay your 2 X 4 legs side by side. I cut a 1 X 2 to put between each step to make sure they wouldn't be any slippage. I started my first step 5 inches from the bottom. Then went up one side 11 1/2 from the top of the step to where the next shelf would be. 
    
I then painted the whole thing with white enamel paint.  That way its washable as well durable.  I then went back to the garage and started to cut my shelves.  The first shelf is 72 inches, the second was 66, then 60  and 48, 36 27 and 20 inches.
They were a lot of fun to do.  lol  A lot of measuring and re cutting as the saw would slip.  Great fun, so if you can have some help it would really be helpful.   
More sanding with the circular saw.  
Then placed in the area I wanted it and measured to put a 1 X 2 in the back by the 3rd step.  Just as a brace.  With all the weight that would be on it I didn't want it to collapse.   So now I cut up a white plastic table cloth to put on the under side of the shelves and then I placed rolls of cotton on the top of the shelves  
This is the beginning of placing the village pieces to see just where they go to make the scenes.
I started hanging garland for some greenery and then added our annual ornaments on the garland  
completed garland.
My ladder to display in memory of my husband at Christmas. Our favorite time of the year.  And now after Christmas, I will place plants on it and then in the summer put on the deck with all my planters.   
Suggested materials:
  • 2X4 and 1X4, gate hinges, deck screws   (Home Depot)
  • Shelfing   (Already had in garage)
  • Paint   (Walmart)
Frequently asked questions
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  1 question
  • Terry Terry on Jan 01, 2018

    Can you talk about the brace a bit more? I couldn't really see it.

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