As a decorator, you spend a lot of time awkwardly trying to access difficult to reach places. Not only do you need a head for heights but, sometimes, you need to be a bit of acrobat.
Thankfully, there are a few products available that make life easier when painting these unwieldy areas…
Hi, can you offer advice on how to paint a high ceiling over a set of house stairs? and what tools would you recommend, Thank You.
Teresa
There are a number of situations where the DIY painter will find difficulty and high, awkward to reach areas are often the most problematic. The correct answer, of course, is to invest in the right kind of access equipment and ladders, etc or to employ a professional.
But, of course, you’re looking for a more economical solution and this is where a bit of improvisation comes in. You will still need some basic equipment but this can, at least, be viewed as an investment since you’ll be able to use it again and again for other painting projects around the house.
These days there are all manner of decorating tools available and some of them are very cheap. For a one-off job it may make sense to buy cheap tools that you’ll never use again but I will leave that judgement to you.
These are the basics you’ll need. I’m suggesting the better quality options although cheap versions are available…
Further tips…
- If you can, paint the ceiling and walls the same colour to avoid any problems ‘cutting-into’ edges where two or more colours meet.
- Where possible, finish one wall entirely before moving to the next area. It is more work but will help ensure you get a uniform finish with no obvious break lines. This is what’s known in the trade as ‘keeping a wet edge‘.
- Use a regular ‘matt finish’ on large areas since it won’t show where paint has dried at the edge (flashing) while you’re trying to cover a large area.
- Remove any fancy light fittings where possible or, if not, cover with a polythene bag to avoid being ruined by paint splashes.
- Cover the floor and stairs entirely with good quality dust sheets since it’s a messy job and you don’t need the added hassle of paint spills.