Patent ID: 8671542

Claim:
A method for padding a ladder for carrying on a shoulder, comprising: a. having a ladder with at least two rails, each rail having an outer side and an inner side, each outer side having a flat surface with protrusions, each rail outer side having a rail outer side width and being coupled to two flanges, each flange having a length, an exterior flat surface, and an interior flat surface, the exterior flat surface of each flange being perpendicular to the flat surface of the outside of the rail to which the flange is coupled; b. having a pad that is complete with all components for attaching to a ladder with a soft, resilient shoulder contact side and a rail contact side, the pad having a maximum width less than or equal to the rail outer side width, a length at least 8 inches, and a thickness between ¼ inch and 4 inches, the rail contact side of the pad having a perimeter equal to twice the length plus twice the maximum width, the perimeter being entirely in one plane; c. the rail contact side of the pad including at least one hollow in the plane of the perimeter of the rail contact side to receive at least one protrusion and allow the rail contact side of the pad to contact the flat surface of the rail outer side without extending beyond the width of the rail outer side while covering at least one protrusion, and none of the one or more hollows extends through the perimeter such that the entire perimeter of the pad contacts the flat surface of the rail when the pad is affixed to the rail; and d. adhering the pad with the adhesive to the outer side of the rail so that the pad covers at least one protrusion disposed within a hollow in the pad and there is no gap between the rail and the perimeter of the contact side of the pad and the ladder can be rested lengthwise on a horizontal flat surface with the entire length of one flange exterior surface of each rail held by gravity against the horizontal flat surface without the pad pressing on the flat surface.