It’s tempting to approach a painting job as if it is child’s play. Truth is, there are one too many things that can go awry with your interior decorating, especially if you do not do your research and properly prepare before you start. This is also the case if you lack the right tools, equipment, and experience to complete your redecorating project.
Create a checklist
Let’s begin by stating the obvious, you cannot do everything all at once, so arm yourself with a bit of patience and devote an entire day or so to various painting preparation tasks before moving on to the project itself. When it comes to redecorating at home,we will all have that basic checklist of materials we need before we get started; paint, brushes and rollers, dust sheets, masking tape, not forgetting a step ladder.
Ladders certainly make the job of painting easier but they must always be used with safety in mind. When using ladders for painting either inside or outside, there are a few helpful tips to give you better traction to keep you safe.
- Your ladder should be set up within easy reach and set just below the area that you are looking to paint
- Always keep one hand on the ladder whilst painting with your free hand. It is important that you never step above the top 4 rungs because one hand must always stay on the ladder
- The most convenient ladders for painting have a tool tray or hook that you can place your brushes and even hang a can of paint from. If your ladder isn’t equipped with a tool tray or hook there are a range of inexpensive accessories that may be able to help.
But what about when it comes to decorating those hard to reach areas such as high ceilings and stairways? In this instance, the general step ladder which most of us will have in our homes will not suffice. Online research into solutions for this will throw up plenty of ‘lash-ups’ using sections of of extension ladders, steps and scaffold board however it is recommended that you get something that is specifically built for the job.
Prioritise safety
If you are just painting with no wallpaper involved then you may be able just to get away with using an extended roller which might help you to get to those difficult to reach areas however it is always important to consider safety first and so the ideal solution would be a combination ladder which is designed specifically for this job.
Combination ladders can be set up in several different ways so that you can reach all parts of the stairwell safely. It can be a straight ladder, a stepladder with unequal legs, or a flat work platform if used with a short section of staging as a deck. Combination ladders also allow you to extend your ladder to a suitable safe working height so you should be confident that you can work safely up there. The beauty of a combination ladder is that they collapse down so they are small enough to fit into your car boot so transportation and storage is not a problem.
Choose the right ladder for the job
To reiterate an earlier point, it’s safety first when it comes to using ladders. Always check that there are no overhead cables, especially electrical cables, as you lift and move the ladder about, likewise, never work too close to cables where you may lean onto cables. Only one person should be on the ladder at a time (except if they are ‘footing’ it for you at the bottom) as ladders do have a maximum weight and exceeding this could lead to an accident. Finally, make sure the ladder is suitable for the job and in good condition, for example not broken or damaged.
