ladder replacement feet

[Minniemouse]

We need to replace the floor protectors on the bottom of our bunk ladder. they are broken a brittle. Does anyone have an idea where to get new ones, or how to make something to protect the ends from being sharp?

[baggydew]

I also lost one of my "Feet" or "Foots" on my ladder. I went to Loew's and bought some of that plastic black liquid insulator in a can in the paint dept. It's used to dip tool handles in and as it dries, it forms a film (the more you dip the thicker the film) . Works great and almost looks original. Just dip your "Feets."

[Minniemouse]

Hey thanks...that is a great idea...!!! Sure beats trying to find rubber feet from a more than 10 year old bunk ladder!! It also gives me ideas about other things I have around that need covering!!

[skater]

I've been doing this with mine, too. For others that might be considering it:

1. Get the dip. The spray version just isn't thick enough - you'd need a hundred coats.
2. The ladder's legs WILL fit in the can. It's close, but they do fit. So it's basically just dip them in and let them dry.

I hung the ladder on my shelving unit in the garage, so the legs are suspended in mid-air. I put some cardboard underneath to catch drips, and I move the can instead of the ladder. Seems to be working well.

I am concerned that the rubber won't be thick enough to keep from damaging the new vinyl tile floor I just installed. But it's definitely getting more and more thick, so my concern might not be justified. I'll check it later this week.

[craigmar]

The rubber dip is a good ideal but I would recommend that before you dip, you cut a piece of wood to fill in between the vertical spaces of the bottom so that you have a good flat surface, that way, you lessen the chances that the dip will wear off of one side or the other which would leave a sharp edge that could cut into the carpet or other type of flooring.

[skater]

The rubber dip is a good ideal but I would recommend that before you dip, you cut a piece of wood to fill in between the vertical spaces of the bottom so that you have a good flat surface, that way, you lessen the chances that the dip will wear off of one side or the other which would leave a sharp edge that could cut into the carpet or other type of flooring.

That's a good idea. Keep in mind that the ladder is angled, not sitting flat, so the wood would have to be angled.

[skater]

The rubber dip is a good ideal but I would recommend that before you dip, you cut a piece of wood to fill in between the vertical spaces of the bottom so that you have a good flat surface, that way, you lessen the chances that the dip will wear off of one side or the other which would leave a sharp edge that could cut into the carpet or other type of flooring.

That's a good idea. Keep in mind that the ladder is angled, not sitting flat, so the wood would have to be angled.

On second thought, I'm not sure this is necessary. I put a number of coats on the bottom of the metal legs using the dip and it's pretty thick. To test it, we put two scrap pieces of vinyl tile down on a concrete floor, then stood on the ladder. A close inspection of the tile revealed no damage to the tile, so we think it's fine, especially since it's plywood (i.e., something a bit flexible) under the tile.

[nvestysly]

skater,

How did your Plasti Dip feet hold up over time? I've applied several dip coats to the feet on the ladder an it has made a reasonably thick (1/8" - 3/16") layer of protection all around the C channel.

I'm considering adding a small block of wood too and then dip that a few times. I don't think it's necessary to cut the wood at an angle - I'm simply trying to prevent the Plasti Dip from cutting through the aluminum when force is exerted on the ladder. I think the block of wood will help distribute the load.

[skater]

skater,

How did your Plasti Dip feet hold up over time? I've applied several dip coats to the feet on the ladder an it has made a reasonably thick (1/8" - 3/16") layer of protection all around the C channel.

We never had a problem. It worked well until we sold the camper - no signs of any sort of failure or damage to the floor.

[lido14co]

My feet hurt every time I climbed up or down the ladder so I got some foam pipe insulation and slipped it over the ladder treads. Wrapped a piece of tape around each side to secure the foam. Happy feet!


Cliff

[nvestysly]

My feet hurt every time I climbed up or down the ladder so I got some foam pipe insulation and slipped it over the ladder treads. Wrapped a piece of tape around each side to secure the foam. Happy feet!


Cliff

We found the same thing to be true regarding climbing up and down the ladder. I guess my feet are more tender than I thought. We also used pipe insulation and fixed it on each end using cable-ties.

Back to the Plasti-Dip. It has worked well for us but we found it rubbed off when it touched the adjacent curtain. The Plasti-Dip is completely dry but it seems to have a slight powerdery / chalky residue and when it touches the curtains it makes a black mark. So when the ladder is stowed (horizontally on the edge of the bunk) we put quart zip lip bags over the Plasti-Dip feet to protect the curtains.