Simple DIY Ladder Lift Asphalt Shingles on the Roof 

THANK YOU! I kept it simple. Took an hour to make. 2x4's and a piece of scrap plywood just cut to size, instead of bracket I opted to nail a few 2x4's at the bottom stacking them with framing nailer 2x4 at top with a 3 hook. Hoist came with rail brackets that I put on bottom rung and used wood shims before tightening it down. Cable run between rungs and used a small strap that came with hoist wrapped around top rung of slide part of ladder and hooked pulley that also came with hoist. Waxed the ladder and underside of plywood with a bar of soap and it has smooth sliding. Thanks again K I S save me hours.

Thanks David. I’m 68 and no longer can or at least want to carry them up on my shoulders. This is a lifesaver. Building one this week for a roofing job I’m doing for my daughter next week.

Thanks, David. I loved it and did a large chunk of my roof in May 2024. I am 67 and it worked beautifully. I used my HF 2000# 12v winch with a seperate power supply. I did have one problem where the pulley ring did bend, I repaired it using a 1" solid iron bar I had available and continued the project. I did it alone using 2 extension ladders, one I climbed, the other for the shingle escalator. Wish I looked at this 5 years prior when doing another roof alone!!

Now that is working smarter not harder right there. Good going.

Pinch point occurs at 26 seconds on this video. Homemade or factory produced, always be aware of pinch and shear points on equipment. If the trolley breaks loose with the young man's hands on the ladder rung, all of his fingers will be severed. Of course, it doesn't happen. However the assumption should always be that the equipment failure will happen at some point. The operator loads and then steps away. Hands are kept clear of any pinch or shear points. If equipment failure occurs everyone walks away and has their hands to work another day.

I love it. Only one concern is relying on a ladder rung. A bundle of shingles slid off a roof I was doing once and hit my ladder rung and broke it. I ran a piece of square tube inside it and screwed through the rung itself to repair it. Since then I've never 100% trusted a rung not to fail. If I build this, and I may, I will definitely reinforce the ladder rung I attach anything to for support.

This is awesome! Thanks for sharing! Now I have an excuse to get a winch from HF

...thanks for this video, about to go build the same thing. By far the simplest and best designed shingle lift.

My Hero..... Now I do believe that not all heroes wear a cape 😀

Seems perfect for several uses David. Thanks for posting. I love how simple it is.

Exactly what I was looking for - I can move the shingles up to my roof by hand BUT...being a one man show, I won't have enough energy to do anything else that day if I burn my energy and break my back man handling these up a ladder. Every little thing helps and this is a big one!

Love making my own tools. Really satisfying and motivating. Going to try to build this. Great idea. Keep it simple

Simple, but effective design. I used yur concepts to build a great ladder that works with wheels.

It took 90 minutes to make that simple ladder lift? I could have made it in a day and a half easy. Great idea.

Love it, and you're right, the others are too labor intensive. Excellent design.

It’s worth mentioning it’s not a bad idea to wax the wood for easier gliding along the ladder and please don’t stand at the bottom of the ladder just in case. Also find a way to anchor the ladder to the ground because once the roofing materials pass the roof edge it becomes top heavy

Awesome, is so simple and efficient! Christ bless you!

:)...I love it! I've used the laddervators a bunch of times over the years; but they cost a bundle premade... They're heavy as hell, the belt on the motor gets funky on the job, etc. I love your idea with just a simple sled, a few modifications and it could be a real workhorse...

I’d make the platform out of steel, or aluminum and maybe high density polyethylene to glide on. And definitely use a stronger pulley set up! But looks like a good design, and probably saved some time and nobody likes climbing ladders with comp or paper on their shoulder! I like it!

Brilliant dude! I love the simplicity of it too!

ceva simplu si util, manny thanks David...

Very good. Simple is best. Don’t over think it.

You made a great tool! Thank you for sharing. I spent a lot of time trying to think this out. You made it look simple.

Thank you David! I'm going to build something very like this for my upcoming roofing job. Humping the bundles up onto the roof is the most difficult part by far! I have a homemade steel ladder and will build the sled out of wood with UHMW slides to make it easier. $70 Harbor Freight winch and one of my marine batteries and I am in business!

I seen another that is working family ok but the pulling is manual Your idea have a great result Imagine a wider and bigger little engine.

THIS is what I've been looking for. Thanks for posting!

Great, simple solution. Thanks for posting!

brilliant simple build thanks awesome

Dude You Are The Bomb, Thank You

Great job! What an awesome idea! I wish you showed how you got the supplies off the sled and onto the roof. I have a fear of heights so leaning over the edge of the roof or trying to get on and off a ladder feels like I’m doing it from the top of the Empire State Building in my underwear 😅

Just brilliant mate. Will build one myself. Thanks

Thanks you save me a lot building your ladder lift. 😀👍

I'll second the idea of adding UHMW plastic skids. Easier on the winch, less wear on the ladder uprights (think about wearing away the uprights for a minute...). Self-adhesive UHMW strips are available.

Brilliant! Yet simple

Love it! Well done sir!

Wow. Thank you. Wow. I’m doing this

Great video sir

simple and very effective, I am planning to make one similar for my tile roof installation

Great idea I need to get some drywall in a garage loft and am pushing 70. I’ll just build it a little longer and use a rope. I’ll soap or wax the ladder rails also to make is easier.

I will build my own it great idea 💡🙂💯👏👍

Thank you for you video... my husband will give it a go

I think that would be fine for two people up a few storeys. I love the shelf brackets on the elevator floor.

Ingenious thanks for sharing

Keeping it simple and cheap!

Great idea. Thks

I will be making one of these when I do my roof. No way in hell Im climbing a ladder with a stack of shingles on my shoulder.

Thank you have to build one Great Video

i thought great idea .then i seen worker and his hand holding ladder rung . And thought what if eye bolt pulled out at some point .you have a 60lb guiotine.If something can happen it will .so perhaps a light mesh or some thing to stop a hand being placed there and you got a winner . great hack after safety improvement !!

Excellent !!!!! Great Job and Video !!!

We did this several years ago but used a 4 wheeler to pull them up we pulled up 3 bundles at a time...

I agree with you, simple is better and true genius, best job site lift on the web. It's a matter of getting the task done with the least resources ( materials and time ), plus you can store this one anywhere and re-use as needed....very cool.

Cool! Thanks for sharing.

Brilliant job!

Very awesome

Just subbed simply brillant why complicate things thanks

Great thinking

Genius!👍🏼

I love it

That's grate idea 👍

thanks for sharing :)

This is brilliant and just what I needed! Hopefully I can rig mine to hoist a heavy generator into my suv. IDK. I'm going to try to make that happen. Any thoughts on that? Thank you so much for sharing this.

Yes K.I.S.S. Keep It Super Simple.

Maybe add some L or 90 degree brackets on the outside of the 2x4s turning in to hold onto the back side of the ladder rail, as so the load can not rock around, and tip over, and fall. Some day I will make one that I can lift plywood up with. Having it stand strait up, as easier to pull off. Maybe make a metal frame that would raise up, and keep the 4x8 sheets from falling off, and steadied, and easy to take off once up to the roof, but so they can not tip off sideways. Build it like a sled, as it will slide up, and down the Ladder, and will hold the Ply, and allow you to unload it onto the roof, and ballance it, as so it will not fall, sideways, or backwards, while being lifted, or unloading it. But so the wind may not allow it to come crashing down either.

Great idea! Can you provide a drawing to show how to construct this tool? Thank you!

Hey that's me hahaha that was a great job

Love it 👍

I could get 3 bundles up easy in the time that took

perfect man 😍

Only problem is no leg work out

Show us how you remove load when it reaches roof...

Brilliant.

This is what I am looking for. I’m 65 and want to do my roof. Nice work! Question on your winch: do I need the 880 lbs winch which is $135 compared to $100 for 440 lbs in Harbor Freight? It seems to me two packs of shingles is about 160 lbs max plus the sled the total weight is less than 200 lbs. Any advice? Thanks in advance.

Wtf !! Lol this is super cool I’m doing this shit tomorrow

GOOD BUT DOES IT WORK ON AN EXTENSION LADDER 24 FT?

Great simple idea. Question. Do you think it would work with a Little Giant Ladder? I'm looking to hoist 100 lbs.

I like it, we use to say kiss

Time and effort to get parts and build getem rooftopped finish the roof b4 you even get contraption built

The young man must be instructed to not stand under the load. The load should be lubricated on the sliding surfaces. The ladder base should be lashed to 2 big stakes drove in the ground. 15 years working high in the air.

Wow!! How much was the winch?

Do you think this will work on my attic access ladder

How did u keep legs on ground being so high over upper gutter

Nice prototype. However, it is under built and an accident waiting to happen. Don't stand under it. But, it is simple and smart in concept. Good job.

Please reinforce those brackets. 2 more maybe.

How did you power this winch?

Do you know of such an automatic pully system which would work for a foldable attic ladder?

Where did you get the winch from

Where did you buy your winch ?

Would've been faster to just manually carry up. Could be wrong but just seems lazy, roof doesn't look too high

Sell this invention!

Pack one up like a real man? Other then that, great video

wtg /;-)))

What the hell is this? Carry the shingles up on your shoulder. That kid is dressed like he thinks he wants to be something. Be something.

They make rope hoist blocks with hook latches for like $40. Latch on the top, string it down through and a 4 rope system would have it to ~20lb pulling force. No need for a winch really

just rent or buy a powerr ladder

Excellent, thank you

where are you getting the power from to operate the winch car battery?