Werner Says, "I Want to Take You Higher!"
Written: Nov 12 '08 (Updated Nov 13 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: secure and lightweight
Cons: not sturdy enough to use for heavy jobs, no paint tray
The Bottom Line: For every ceiling, there's a ladder - for mine (most of them, anyway), there's an eight-foot Werner FS-208 Fiberglass Stepladder.
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| scmrak's Full Review: Werner 8-foot Fiberglass Stepladder - FS208 |
As Gilda Radner said, "It's always something. If it's not one thing, it's another." If you own a house - especially if it's not your first house - you know whereof she speaks. Take ladders: I bought a 24-foot extension ladder to reach the gables on my two story house, then promptly moved into a three-story house. Now I'm back in a two- story house, but the ceilings are ten footers and some are twelve. I know some ceiling fan replacements are in my future, so... I'm now the owner of an eight-foot stepladder: a Werner (is there another brand?) FS-208 Fiberglass Stepladder, to be precise. It's not the best or the strongest they make by any stretch, but for your everyday handyman (hey! that's me!) it'll do just fine.
The tale of the tape: it's eight feet tall when closed, and when opened the legs spread to 53½ inches. Let's see: a²+b²=c², so the top of the ladder is a hair over 7ft-8in high when open... In any case, the ladder industry says that this gives an average-sized person (which they define as 5ft-6in) a safe reach of twelve feet. Works for me! The base of the ladder has a width of 25 inches, tapering to fourteen inches at the top rung, adding to the security.
The rails are green fiberglass just over 3 inches wide on the front and about half that on the back. The treads are aluminum and three inches deep with front and rear flanges more than an inch wide. The bottom two steps and the top step are braced with riveted aluminum diagonals. All steps are ridged to provide secure footing, and/or to gouge the bejeepers out of bare feet. A black plastic "holster" top five inches wide forms the top; it's molded with troughs, trays, and holes of various sizes to hold tools and small parts. A set of concentric rings will keep a standard quart- or gallon-size paint bucket from slipping. There's a hook molded into the front side that lets a painter hang a bucket by its bail, and slots in the front for keeping paint trays secure while being attacked by a roller. There's no fold-out shelf: you need a Werner 5908S to get that, or you can buy an after-market shelf that fits over the top step.
The FS208 is a medium-duty ladder, a Type II that's rated for a maximum load of 225 pounds. That load includes not only the fully-clothed worker, but tools and equipment as well. The ladder weighs less than twenty-five pounds, making it more maneuverable indoors than a wooden ladder of the same size.
Though lightweight, the FS-208 is well-designed and secure enough for use by homeowners, handypersons, and weekend painters in need of extra reach. It might feel insubstantial when you're carrying it, but it provides solid footing, especially indoors. We've both used it for painting and for replacing the plethora of burnt-out light bulbs left behind by the previous owner - the holes molded in the top are just right for keeping incandescent bulbs, a screwdriver, and small tools or parts up in the air instead of rolling around on the floor. The ladder is not, however, rated for the additional weight of ceiling fans or drywall - in that case, or in the case of workers who tip the scales close to 225, you'll want to upgrade to one of Werner's Type I (250 pound) or even Type IA (300 pound) ladders; also go for a sturdier model if your ladder will get heavy and/or rough use.
If, however, you're a weekend handyperson who suddenly finds him- or her-self in need of a ladder to reach twelve-foot ceilings, look no further: a Werner FS-208 8-Foot Fiberglass Stepladder will get you up where you need to be.
Certified lean-n-mean at 620 words. Concise beats verbose hands-down!
Recommended:
Yes
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