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Fiberglass stairs have become popular due to their lightweight, durability, and ease of storage. Owens-Corning’s Fiberglas trademark made it possible for Emerson Professional Tools to create the first fiberglass ladder, which was marketed as ideal for homemakers. Improvements in design allowed for heavier loads, making it suitable for outdoor use. Fiberglass is also affordable and easy to manufacture.
Since the mid-20th century, the manufacture of fiberglass stairs has become commonplace. From simple two- and three-step kitchen ladders to retractable models that are ideal for home exterior painting, the fiberglass ladder is considered a popular choice that is lightweight, durable, and easy to store. Here is some information on the history of fiberglass, the creation of the first fiberglass ladder, and some of the different types of fiberglass ladders on the market today.
Although there had been experimentation with the use of glass fibers for a number of years, it wasn’t until the late 19th century that glass fibers were successfully combined with silk fibers to create a durable fabric. This innovation opened the door to attempts to use glass fibers in the creation of a number of household products.
In 1938, Owens-Corning’s Russell Games Slayter perfected a mix of fiberglass and plastic for use in making insulation. The process was trademarked as Fiberglas and, with the addition of a second “s” at the end, became the generic name for all such combinations of glass fibers and synthetic fibers. By incorporating fiberglass into the hard plastic blend, the concept of fiberglass for building stairs of all sizes was born.
Emerson Professional Tools was one of the first companies to use fiberglass materials in stair construction. Beginning with the creation of a hybrid aluminum and fiberglass ladder and then moving on to designing a kitchen ladder composed of fiberglass components and sturdy iron hardware, Emerson pioneered the popularization of various types of glass fiber.
A major focus of domestic market advertising was to highlight the lightweight construction of the two- and three-step ladders as ideal for the homemaker. Convenient for reaching the top shelves of closets and utility rooms, the fiberglass ladder was not difficult to pull out of the closet, install, and then stow away after use. This was in contrast to the heavier metal and wooden ladders, which were often bulkier and certainly heavier.
Over time, improvements in fiberglass component design allowed the ladders to handle a heavier load. This meant that the lightweight fiberglass ladder could move from inside to outside. Homeowners could now use a fiberglass ladder for a variety of projects around the house, such as painting, washing second-story windows, and cleaning leaves from drains.
Cost was and is also an advantage of the fiberglass ladder. Fiberglass is easy to create, and stair components can actually be built with the use of molds, which speeds up the manufacturing process. The result is a quality product that is affordable compared to many types of ladders and will work great for a variety of home maintenance tasks.
