Size a Sumner Lift for the Job

Five questions get you from "we need to lift something up there" to a specific SKU. Sales reps and rental-desk clerks: walk this with the customer on the phone; it takes 90 seconds and prevents the biggest source of returns (wrong-size lift for the space).

Q1 · What's the maximum working height?

Measure from the floor to the highest point the load must reach. Add 6″ if the load has to clear an obstacle before setting down.

Under 11 ftShort-lift family — move to Q2.

11 – 17 ftMid-lift family — move to Q2.

17 – 25 ftTall-lift family — move to Q2.

Over 25 ftSumner does not offer a material lift above 25 ft. Use an aerial-work platform or scaffold with a hoist.

Q2 · What's the load weight?

Use the maximum weight the lift will see over its life on this job, not the average.

Under 150 lb (a sheet of drywall, a light HVAC diffuser)Series 2300 is the only solo-operator option. Move to Q3.

150 – 400 lb (small ducts, ceiling grid, light HVAC)Series 2400 (400 – 450 lb) or 2300 + a second tech. Move to Q3.

400 – 650 lb (residential HVAC, medium electrical, most contractor work)Series 2100 (650 lb across all heights) is the sweet spot. Move to Q3.

650 – 1,000 lb (commercial HVAC condensing units, motors, mixed loads)Series 2000 (1,000 lb short, 650 lb tall — capacity drops with height; verify against Q1). Move to Q3.

Over 1,000 lb (pipe sections, industrial machinery)Roust-A-Bout (1,500 lb across R-100 / R-150 / R-250) is the only choice. Move to Q3.

Q3 · Where is the lift working?

Indoors, outdoors under cover, or outdoors exposed? Each has a different rule.

Indoors, tight corridors / doorwaysVerify base against Q4 (doorway). Reversed forks (Series 2100) and 360° head guard (Series 2400) help in overhead-obstruction environments.

Outdoors, temporary useDeploy outriggers and verify wind — Sumner rates lifts for stationary indoor use, and wind above ~10 mph reduces safe capacity (see the de-rate calculator).

Outdoors, permanent / coastal / high-humidityOrder the galvanized variant — Sumner offers 2010G, 2015G, 2020G, 2025G (2000-series), 2412G (2400-series), and R-180G, R-250G (Roust-A-Bout). The Eventer is aluminum-anodized (no galvanized variant needed). Standard-finish contractor lifts are NOT rated for permanent outdoor storage.

Stage / AV / theatricalEventer family — the black-anodized mast visually disappears against dark scrim and drape.

Q4 · Does it have to fit through a door?

Measure the narrowest doorway on the route, jamb-to-jamb, with the door open 90°. If the door has stops, measure between the stops.

Standard commercial door (36″ or wider)Any Sumner lift fits. Check the outrigger stow width too — some contractor lifts store at 30″ with outriggers folded but are wider extended.

Standard residential door (32″)Series 2100/2400 stow < 30″ and fit. Roust-A-Bout R-100 (32″ base) is right at the limit — measure twice. R-150 and R-250 (40″ base) will NOT fit a 32″ door.

Interior of a completed home (30″ door with stops)Series 2300 (drywall lift) is the only Sumner that goes through a 30″ door assembled. Everything else must partially disassemble.

Q5 · One person, or two?

If it's a solo installer, the answer converges on the drywall lift.

One person, must be handled solo, 99 lb body weight mattersSeries 2300 (99 lb, breaks down for transport in a sedan trunk). 150 lb capacity is the tradeoff.

One person, physical strength okAny 2100 or 2400 works — the 2118 (18′4″) is the "golden average": 650 lb, one operator, fits a service van.

Two peopleSeries 2000 and Roust-A-Bout are typically two-operator (one on the crank, one guiding the load).

The 30-second answer

"What lift should I buy?"

If you're a general contractor and you own only one Sumner lift, buy the Series 2118. 18 ft of reach, 650 lb capacity, outriggers standard, cable inside the mast, reversible forks, fits every service van. It handles ~85% of the calls a contractor will get.

If you're a drywall installer, buy the Series 2300. Nothing else lets one person set sheets solo.

If you're a pipe or industrial shop, buy the R-150. The R-100 is only right if you're rigging inside completed homes; the R-250 is only right if you're regularly at 20+ ft.

If you're a stage / AV crew, buy the Eventer 20. Best capacity-to-height ratio in the anodized-mast line.