I need to buy my PVC pipe for the ladder. I have decided to do the 1x2 PVC route so it’s a nominal 3/4 wide. What size PVC pipe do I want to use? Am I trying to put the rails over the center of the stringer? If so that would suggest to me to use 1" pipe. Or do I want it wider and use 1 1/2" pipe? Also how far apart do I space the pipe to keep the stringers from sagging?
Devon,
From personal experience on our club layout. We use 2" schedule 40 PVC pipe for posts, embeded in concrete 18-24 inches in the ground. Risers are spaced 36" or less apart. We use 1/2 X 1 1/2 PVC for stringers with blocking every 12 inches plus/minus. At first we anchored the track to the ladder quite securely… DON’T DO THAT! Anchor switches securely and a occasional location along the line to keep things ‘sorta’ in line. Allow the track to float. From experience, we had rail expand and rip itself vertically out of the tie strips. If you have a long straight (30 feet or more), be certain to allow for expansion by gaping the ends of the rails when you assemble them. The gap will be temperature dependent on when you are laying the track. The colder the temperature when you are laying the track the larger the gap will need to be to allow for summer expansion.
Bob C.
Bob “IA3R#7” Cope said:
Devon,
From personal experience on our club layout. We use 2" schedule 40 PVC pipe for posts, embeded in concrete 18-24 inches in the ground. Risers are spaced 36" or less apart. We use 1/2 X 1 1/2 PVC for stringers with blocking every 12 inches plus/minus. At first we anchored the track to the ladder quite securely… DON’T DO THAT! Anchor switches securely and a occasional location along the line to keep things ‘sorta’ in line. Allow the track to float. From experience, we had rail expand and rip itself vertically out of the tie strips. If you have a long straight (30 feet or more), be certain to allow for expansion by gaping the ends of the rails when you assemble them. The gap will be temperature dependent on when you are laying the track. The colder the temperature when you are laying the track the larger the gap will need to be to allow for summer expansion.
Bob C.
Oh wow, that wide. So with stringers your 3" wide. Thats wider than I was thinking but makes sense and the larger post would be far more sturdy. All of the rest of what your saying is about what I was thinking. Thanks Bob
" Rooster " said:
I saw this the other day and I love the creative use of materiel and is well within my capabilities. But one question I have without looking yet is where does one get the material he is using and what is the price compared to PVC pipe and PVC stringers. I will have to check. I also really like Chuck Inlow’s method and haven’t ruled it out.
But thanks for the link. It looks like a great method.
Devon,
I use PVC 1 x 2s for the stringers (actual size is 3/4" x 1 1/2".) This is the Veranda high performance brand sold by Home Depot. It is not available in the store (at least not locally); you have to order it on-line, but the delivery is free. It comes in a box of 15 pieces, each 8 feet long. They have another brand of PVC in the store that is only 5/8" thick. Here is the stringer material I use:
I space the two stringers 5/8" apart with a 2" long block of 1 1/2" x 5/8" PVC about every foot. I drive a length of 1 1/2" x 5/8" PVC into the ground every two feet. I spray paint the PVC brown and fill in around it with decomposed granite. I screw Llagas Creek flex track to the stringers. Here are a few photos to show what I mean.
Bob
Devon, I don’t recommend using HDPE for the stringers because, as the article said, it has no grain, and will develop a sag, over time. Several of us tried it, years ago, and none of us were successful in avoiding that sag.
Chuck’s method of laminating two 1/4 inch thicknesses of wood into the needed curve or straight has worked well, over the years, in our climate. Cedar is best, with redwood a close second, the redwood being a bit more brittle. Inch and 1/4 OD PVC cut flat and driven below the frost line, every 4-6 feet is sufficient support.
Have a good talk with Chuck before you decide.
Me, you ask? I use 2X8 planks on benchwork. To each his own.(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
Shut up Rooster!