Removing a Stuck Pool Ladder From a Ladder Base

Lift up the metal plates at the base of the ladder. Depending on your ladder, you may be able to simply pull the plates upward, or you may need to rotate them in a certain direction before they lift up.

Locate the two bolts that hold the ladder in place, one in either anchor hole. Loosen the bolt slightly with an adjustable wrench. Depending on the make of your ladder, you may need to smack the head of the bolt with a hammer or the wrench in a downward motion to release the ladder anchor.

Shake the ladder slightly to attempt to loosen it from the anchor holes. Over the course of time, grime, muck and debris may find their way into the holes and keep the ladder from moving. A strong shake should jar loose this dirt.

Spray lubricating oil into the anchor holes. Allow the oil to set for a minute, then try to pull the ladder out of the hole. Wriggle the ladder around if you can’t get it on your first attempt.

Smack the ladder just above both anchor holes with a rubber mallet. Don’t deliver a forceful blow; start out with a gentle hit, then increase in force slowly so that you don’t damage the steel.

Twist and pull the ladder out of the anchor hole with a pipe wrench. As a last resort, a pipe wrench will work, but it will likely leave at least a scuffmark on your ladder. Place the pipe wrench tight and secure around the ladder, just above the anchor base.