Step Stools



Step stools are widely used and frequently bought, and are considered a household item for many. High shelves, windows, cabinets and places to clean call for step stools every day. However, it is also common for one to buy a step stool and discover a different type of step stool that would’ve better suited your needs. Before you buy your next stool, think about what types of stools there are so you can look for it to begin with and avoid buying a type that won’t fit with your lifestyle, home or needs. These types include types by building material, height, and number of steps.

Step stools are made from wood, steel, aluminum, and plastic, depending on their weight capacity and use. Plastic material holds less weight than other stronger stools made from steel or aluminum, so they are usually chosen for small children to use in front of a bathroom sink or to reach their own dishes or movies. Aluminum or steel (sometimes an alloy as well) hold up to 300 + pounds and are generally used for adults, either indoors or outdoors.

Small plastic step stools made for children or lightweight duty start from 6 inches off the ground and go up to 36 inches for heavier plastic. Metal step stools usually start from 36 inches and go up from there. Some small household 6 foot ladders can fold especially to become a step stool and can fold at different angles to make different heights. As a general rule, however, anything over 4 feet is considered a ladder and not a step stool. A good tip is to measure the highest place in your home that you may need a step stool for, whether it is the highest pantry shelf or the highest bulb socket in the home, and use that height to shop for a step stool.

Step stools come from one step, like with small plastic ones for children, up to 4 steps for indoor painter’s stools or adult multi-purpose step stools. The number of steps used for a step stool depend on the height you’re able to step and who will be using it. An elderly woman may need shallower but higher number steps that a younger adult male.

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