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Rolling Library Ladder

I have been obsessed with adding a rolling library ladder to our home forever. Since moving into our home over three years ago, we planned to build a wall of bookshelves in the office.  Meanwhile, all of our books were spread out through the house in closets and every nook and cranny we could put them in.  It was nearly impossible to find anything. Awhile back (while I was frustrated about having a book closet instead of a coat closet), I sketched up a plan. It looked so normal on that piece of paper. We debated DIYing some built-ins but ultimately decided to hand it over to a professional. We hired a guy to build them, and he built most of the shelves in his workshop.  He brought the shelves in and installed them in a day – the same day I was gone all day at the Indianapolis Home Show presenting. I came home to these gorgeous but GIGANTIC bookshelves.  I was slightly overwhelmed when I saw how large they are (you can click here to see how I tackled painting them). After realizing the massive size of these shelves required a rolling library ladder (at least that’s what I told my husband), I quickly embraced my mammoth-sized bookshelves. I partnered with Custom Service Hardware and together we created the perfect library ladder for our office. On their website (www.CSHardware.com) is an easy order form online where ladders are customized.  There are so many options – including the hardware finish (I selected black): These wheels roll amazingly well on the carpet (check out the video at the end of this post). There are also several types of wood to choose from (I selected the walnut): Our ladder is a 7-foot ladder with a 108-inch rail. The ladder was precut to size, but our rails came in (2) 6-foot sections.  This way we were able to place the seam in the center of our bookshelves (instead of offset).  We used a splice kit to connect the two rails (which is not noticeable at all).  To cut the rails, we had a friend help us since cutting the aluminum required a metal fine-tooth blade. I stained the ladder and my husband and I assembled it together which was a very simple project. I stained the walnut ladder with a dark walnut stain.  It brought out the wood grain and looks absolutely gorgeous. My husband hung the rail for me while I was running around doing other things.  CS Hardware provided great instructions, but hanging the rail did require some time and precision.
If you are looking for a library ladder (or barn doors, hidden bookcase doors, cabinets, mantels, or anything else you may need for your home), you need to check out Custom Service Hardware.  I was so impressed with everything from their gorgeous quality product to amazing customer service to fast shipping. Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home. Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest *This post is a sponsored post by Custom Service Hardware.  I take pride in reviewing only products that fit my brand and will be beneficial to my readers. And while this post is sponsored, all the opinions are my own.
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6 thoughts on “Rolling Library Ladder

  1. How fun! I’ve always wanted one too. Maybe when I get out of my apartment! I’m an author as well, so a place to display my books like above would be amazing.

  2. I love a library ladder! And the color is so great! My ceilings are only 8 feet tall though— I worry it would seem really silly? How tall are your ceilings?

  3. This is beautiful! Were you able to order through the easy form, or was this a custom ladder for 7 feet tall? The current easy form shows only 8 ft, 9 ft or 10 ft ladders. My ceiling is only 8 ft tall, so I’m interested in doing a 7 ft ladder as well. I was curious what rail height you ended up with as well. Thank you so much, absolutely love your library!

    1. It’s been so long that I don’t remember how the ordering process went. But, I do remember they had great customer service, and they helped me decide on ladder size based on the height of the railing. Thanks so much for your kind words and good luck with your project!