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I am a newbie to this so please be gentle. I had some dried out bamboo lying around and for some reason, I decided to make a ladder out of it.

I got one of my measurements wrong and cut out a notch for the rung lower than it should have been. It was only when I put the rung in that I noticed it was skewed. So I cut another notch, higher this time in the right place, where it originally should have been.

The problem is that the bamboo is old and dried out. It is not as strong as fresh bamboo.

The question: How do I correct my error and restore strength back to the bamboo?

My thanks in advance to any and all who take the time to answer.

The Ladder The Two notches The extra notch

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  • I don't know that I'd worry about it since it doesn't affect the strength differently from the other notches. You could always attach a short piece of "rung" just to cover the hole (and put a matching one on the other side so it looks like you planned it that way), or put a full length rung across to make the bottom one a double.
    – fixer1234
    Sep 19, 2018 at 5:25
  • Thanks @fixer1234. Come to think of it, you might be correct. I am just wondering what the effect of having two notches so close together will be. Just for the comfort of my (OCD) mind, I would like to correct the mistake somehow. Maybe put in some kind of support?
    – Sky High
    Sep 19, 2018 at 5:57
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    Could use you use wood glue to put the piece you cut out back in?
    – Andrew Morton
    Sep 19, 2018 at 8:44
  • @AndrewMorton: Glue will only be a cosmetic fix. I need a solution whereby the load carrying capacity will return to normal i.e as if I never put a notch in.
    – Sky High
    Sep 19, 2018 at 10:52
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    I agree with @AndrewMorton - a good quality, outdoor rated wood glue, applied according to the instructions, is very strong. It may not be as strong as it was before it was cut, but it's probably the best repair you can make. Of course if you want full strength, you could just cut it off here and be happy with a shorter ladder :)
    – batsplatsterson
    Sep 19, 2018 at 12:12

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