Use Cotton Drop Cloths Rather Than Plastic
Spills and spatters happen, regardless of how careful you are. Its a lot easier to prepare for them than to wipe them out of your carpeting or off your wood floor later. All it takes is canvas drop cloths in your work area.
The thick canvas stays in place, so you dont need to tape it, and you can use it to cover any surface. Plastic drop cloths are slippery to walk on or set a ladder on and dont stay in place. Even worse, paint spills on plastic stay wet, and they can end up on your shoes and get tracked through the house. Canvas is slippery on hard oors, so rosin paper is better over vinyl, tile and hardwood. Tape the sheets together and to the oor to provide a nonslip surface.
But even with canvas or rosin-paper drop cloths, large spills still need to get wiped up right away or theyll seep through. Clean spills with paper towels or cloth rags. Likewise, if you splatter paint on any other surface, wipe it up immediately.
How To Paint High Walls Without Scaffolding Or A Ladder
If youre the type who doesnt like ladders or a new ladder isnt in the budget, there is still an option for you .
As I mentioned above, you can easily roll out walls using an extension pole.
But, you can also cut in ceilings using an extension pole as well. By doing this, you can completely eliminate the need for a ladder.
Cutting in ceilings using an extension pole is tiring on the shoulder and quite difficult to get a straight line. So if perfection is the goal, this is not your best solution.
But, if you simply do not want to climb a ladder, it can absolutely be done.
Shur-Line makes the above brush holder that you can attach to your extension pole. It can work in a pinch but definitely takes some practice to get a straight line.
Once you are finished cutting in the ceiling, simply remove the brush attachment and screw on your roller frame and start rolling out the walls. No ladder or scaffolding needed.
This method can work anywhere, even in stairwells.
Hopefully, after reading this, you are more confident about how to paint high walls.
If you have any questions, stories about your project or comments in general, make sure to leave them below! I always answer every question.
How To Safely Paint High Walls
Looking to paint a high wall? When it comes to painting high walls, its all about safety and using the correct gear. You dont want to rush through this job and risk a major accident.
First things first: its important to go slow and be cautious in order to do a good job. Speed will follow later.
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How To Paint Hard To Reach And High Places If You Have No Ladder
Whenever you are up to any home renovation project that involves wall painting or applying paint onto other high surfaces , you might feel unsure whether you will manage to reach those or not. Especially if you suddenly find out that you have no ladder at your disposal!
Fortunately, we can provide you with a few rather simple and handy suggestions and tips on how to paint high exterior walls in your home without using a ladder.
Now some of you may think that you will need tons of different and complicated tools to do that, but relax and breathe out!
We have prepared the simplest and the quickest ways you can take in order to paint even the most hard-to-reach areas in your home!
But before we proceed to the detailed and step-by-step explanation, grab the list of tools you will need in order to reach high places in your house or apartment.
Without them, undergoing this painting procedure will turn into quite a challenging quest!
Now that you are fully equipped, it is time to prepare the area for the upcoming painting process. If you think that you can just get all the tools ready and rush painting all the walls around you, you are wrong. The very first thing you need to do , is to get the area ready.
There must be no stuff around that can prevent you from reaching the areas you need to paint. But let us explain everything in detail for you!
Getting The Room Ready
Preparation is essential for any paint job.
To begin, cover the flooring with drop cloths. On one hand, when painting standard-height walls, we recommend using a four-foot-wide drop cloth to catch drips. Now when painting high walls, the drops can travel further, therefore you should use a six-foot-wide drop cloth.
After that, tape off the trim and prepare the walls for painting.
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The Best Paint Colour Depths For Tall Two
LRV OF 60+
If you want a bright, fresh, airy look, youll want colours with LRVs approx. 65+. These colours are lighter, to begin with, and will lighten up AGAIN when exposed to natural/artificial light as their power to reflect light back is higher. Just remember, theyll also wash out when hit with direct light, so if your room is well-lit, be cautious.
Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray has an LRV of 60. Notice how light and soft it looks on the lower-level walls, whereas it looks that bit more shaded in the upper hallway.
However, if your room is DARKER, 65+ can help with the illusion of light and brightness, keeping in mind that NO colour will actually come to life without LIGHT. That being said, there will be LESS light for a lower LRV colour to bounce around which means youll get less wash-out.
LRV OF 50-60
If you have tall walls and high ceilings and above-average natural light, using paint colours with LRVs of approx. 50-60 will prevent too much wash out. Remember, the HIGHER the LRV is, the more a colour can wash out when hit with light as higher LRVs REFLECT more light back. Lowering the LRV will prevent some of this.
- If you want to ground a super bright room, but worry about it looking too dark in the evening, an LRV of approx. 50-60 can offer a nice balance.
- An LRV range of approx. 50-60 can help a big room feel cozier, without adding too much visual weight to the room.
Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan has an LRV of 64
LRV OF 40 OR LOWER
Things to think about
Picking The Right Ladder
In most cases, a ladder will suffice to complete the task. Multi-function ladders or 6 or higher are ideal for the job. You can even choose bigger stepladders to make the task more comfortable. In any case, avoid using a ladder that forces you to overextend yourself constantly such ladders are too short. Purchase a new one.
Here are some pointers to consider when selecting a ladder:
- It is not advisable to stand on the top two or three steps of the ladder. Standing on the topmost step is never a good idea because it can lead to a fall.
- Make sure you measure the height of the walls and pick a ladder that is suitable for your surroundings.
- At all costs, avoid purchasing ladders that are too short. This will force you to overextend constantly, and youll feel the consequences the following day.
- However, you should avoid picking ladders that are too high. It would not be easy to stand on them comfortably. This is a distraction, so select a ladder thats just right. Of course, youll need to measure first.
- Its always a good idea to get an adjustable ladder if you arent sure of the height of your walls.
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The Removal Of An Underlay
It is not essential on all substrates, however, it is strongly recommended on the vast majority of them. The application of an undercoat allows to:
- Block the bottom or stabilize porous support
- Reduce paint consumption because firstly, the base is blocked and secondly, the undercoat covers the support with a homogeneous and opaque white.
- Optimally reveal the color of the paint applied since the support is a homogeneous white, the conditions of application and color rendering are optimal
- Facilitate the application of paint because the adhesion is better.
Roll Paint Along The Edges For Consistent Texture
Corners and areas next to trim that are painted only with a brush have a noticeably different texture than the surrounding paint. To ensure the finished texture will be consistent in these areas, brush on the paint, then immediately roll it out before the paint dries.
Use a 3-in. roller with a nap thats the same thickness as the roller used for the rest of the wall. Roll as close as you can without bumping the opposite wall or slopping paint onto the trim. Finish brushing on the paint and rolling it out in one area before moving on to the next section.
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Use A Ladder Clip To Save Time
If you are painting tall walls around your home, you can use a ladder clip to save time. This device attaches to your paint bucket and allows you to pour paint directly onto your roller without having to go down the ladder.
This can save you a lot of time, and it also helps prevent any accidents since you wont have to hold a paint bucket with one of your hands as you try to paint the interior of your home.
Let The Paint Dry Then Cut The Tape Loose For A Perfect Edge
Once the paint is dry, you cant just pull the tape off the trim. Paint forms a film between the wall and the tape and removing the tape tears pieces of dried paint off the wall. So before pulling off the tape, cut it loose.
Wait for the paint to completely dry, at least 24 hours, then use a sharp utility knife or box cutter knife to slice through the film. Start in an inconspicuous area to make sure the paint is hard enough to slice cleanly.
If you cut the paint while its still gummy, youll make a mess. As you cut the paint, pull up the tape at a 45-degree angle.
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How To Paint A Room: 10 Steps To Painting Walls Like A Diy Pro
All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Learning how to paint a room properly is essential for beginning DIYers, new homeowners, and veteran home improvement experts alike. After all, its pretty painless, relatively inexpensive, andshould something go horribly wrongeasy to fix. But before you grab your roller and get started with your first coat, its essential to have a plan of attack. So we asked a handful of experts for their best painting tips and tricks to get you started. Read on to learn how to paint a room and see step-by-step what youll need to do to make sure your project is a success.
Invest In An Extension Pole For Cutting In
While a ladder is going to do half the job for you, you’ll still have trouble reaching the highest corners and edges above the stairs without the appropriate tools. And no, taping a brush onto a broom handle isn’t the best method.
A paint brush extension pole will help you to cut in where your wall meets the ceiling, a step that’s especially important if your walls are a different color to the ceiling. In fact, with the right extension pole, you might not even need a ladder at all if your ceilings aren’t too high. A brush and roller extender tool, like the one from McCauley tools , will help you to reach the highest points of your stair walls with precision.
‘If you’re careful, you can use an extension pole with a brush attachment to paint where the wall meets the ceiling and in the corners where two walls meet, without climbing all the way up there and doing it by hand,’ Devon explains. ‘It will take a bit longer but it’s a bit safer.’
He adds: ‘We generally paint about three inches down from the ceiling with a brush so that the roller doesn’t have to get too close to the ceiling when we begin doing the full wall paint.’
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Paint The Ceiling Before The Walls
Skip this part if you aren’t painting the ceiling. But if you are, always paint the ceiling before you paint the walls. This way it won’t matter if you drip a little paint on the walls in the process. If you were to paint the walls first, and the ceiling last, you would have to protect the walls with plastic and also brush in the ceiling paint upside down to the wall edges, which is more challenging.
How To Tell If High Walls Are Ready For Paint
Before you get started, even with painting prep work, the first step is evaluating the existing paint and whether the wall is ready for painting.
Ask yourself these three questions before you get started.
Is It The Texture I Want?
If the texture isnt right you might need to sand the walls or apply a different finish to the wall before you get started. Checking on this before you get started is one of the best ways to make sure youre happy with your finished walls.
Is The Color One I Can Cover Easily?
If youre working with a darker color or a brilliant gem tone you might need to prime the walls before you paint them a new color.
Alternatively, you might want to get a color opposite the one currently on the walls to help cancel out the bright tone before you apply your final color.
Are The Walls Clean?
A lot of people think that they can just paint over first, scuff marks, and other signs that the walls are dirty, but all that mess can affect the final paint job.
Even worse, grease and dirt can sometimes soak through the new paint and create permanent dark patches you cant really clean up later.
If the walls are showing any signs of dirt, its a good idea to give them a quick wash and let them dry before you apply new paint of any color.
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Paint Walls After The Ceiling
If youre not painting the ceiling, this point will be irrelevant. If you are, make sure that you paint the ceiling before moving onto the walls.
If you paint the ceiling first, it wont matter if you spill paint onto the walls, as you can cover it up later. If you painted the walls before the ceiling, youd need to paint the ceiling upside down.
Youd also need to cover the walls with plastic to prevent any spills, which can be an arduous task.
Final Thoughts On How To Paint High Walls
Painting tall walls can certainly be challenging, and sometimes dangerous if youre not careful.
Its important to have the right tools and equipment to paint safely and get the best finish possible.
This means, youll want to have extension ladders, extension poles, and sometimes even scaffolding to stand on while painting.
If you dont feel comfortable painting yourself, you can always hire a professional painter to do the work for you.
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How To Paint Rooms With High Walls
High ceilings are impressive. They make a space look airy and open and give a sense of grandeur to a room. Painting the walls in a room with extra high ceilings, however, takes some planning and is a big undertaking. There will be ladders, possibly scaffolding, and a lot of paint. Its intimidating even to the handiest homeowners.
What is Considered High?
First, lets define exactly what high walls are. In most modern homes, the walls are nine feet, while eight-foot ceilings used to be the norm and are still not uncommon. Anything over nine feet tall is considered a high wall. Usually, high ceilings measure 12 to 14 feet high. The highest walls are often found in an entryway.
Tips for Painting High Walls
The laborious task of painting a room with extra high ceilings is like most projects. Its all about the tools. A step stool or standard ladder is not going to cut it in a room with 12-foot or higher ceilings. While a simple extension pole, you can get some of the rolling done and a lot of the surface area covered, but its not conducive to detailed trim work.
Dont forget the drop cloths. When painting up high, paint tends to splatter and drip more. Youll want to make sure you cover the floors and furniture with plenty of drop cloths to protect them.
Best Paint Colors for High Walls
The Easiest Way to Paint Very High Walls
About Flowers Painting
Come See How To Paint Tall Walls And Ceilings The Easy Way
I have been avoiding the stairway remodel for way too long. Why avoid such a small room? Because I was afraid to paint those tall walls and ceiling! Its silly I know, but those 20 walls just intimidated me.
But no more will I shrink from a big painting job. Today I am showing you how easy it was and sharing How to Paint Tall Walls with the HomeRight EZ Twist PaintStick.
Thank you to HomeRight for sponsoring this post. I only share products that I use and love, and all reviews are 100% honest. This post may contain some affiliate links for your convenience. Clicking these links will help support this blog so I can keep creating things to share with you, but you will never pay more by using an affiliate link.
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I know painting tall walls can be a huge pain. We have a vaulted ceiling in our living room that peaks at 14 on one side. Ive already painted this room twice . I would lean the ladder against the wall.
Then load my paint roller and climb the ladder. A couple rolls later, I was back down the ladder, then up, then down. It was a good workout but I hated it.
So when I thought about building scaffolding in the stairway to paint those tall walls and ceiling, all I could think about was going up and down reloading that dang roller! I wasnt thrilled to be on scaffolding in the first place.
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