Perhaps the hardest part of a house to paint or work on is the exterior of a multi-level house, mostly because of the height and disproportional nature of surfaces. Some homeowners and even some painting contractors shy away from painting difficult-to-reach exteriors of houses because of the fear of heights and the fear that using ladders may hurt them.
Many times, homeowners opt to look for professionals to do the painting for them. We are going to discuss in detail how to paint your home’s exterior using ladders. There’re a few steps and guidelines to follow before you embark on doing this project. This is for your own safety and to ensure that you have achieved the best results at the end of it.
1. Preparation.
The success of any paint job depends on how you prepare for it. Start by getting the right equipment in place in readiness for the task. Ladders come in different grades, including 3, 2, 1 and 1A. The grades are an indication of how durable and strong the ladders are. You must get the right ladder for your job and grade 2 ladders are generally the most recommended because they are not as heavy as grade 1 ladders and not as light as grade 3 ladders.
The size of the ladders will depend on the number of storeys you will be working on. For instance, a 2 storey house will require a 28′ feet long ladder while a 3 storey building will require a 32′ feet long ladder. If the house is more than 3 floors, then you will require at least a 40′ feet ladder. The ladder will easily help you to access the hard-to-reach places for painting.
You must learn how to operate and use your ladder before you get to work –your safety should be a number one priority. When setting up your ladder, ensure that it’s on a level ground, if the ground is dirty or has grass planted, then make sure the ladder is well inclined to prevent it from slipping and falling.
Your ladder should be just below the surface that you will be working on for easier access. Include ladder stabilizers as you set up your ladder. Remember to do a thorough inspection of your ladder before using it –check out for dents, cracks, breakages, and bends.
Use a tool holding belt to carry all your tools so that you can avoid going up and down the ladder. Keep your balance by positioning yourself well on the ladder by facing it every time you go up or come down. Additionally, set your primer, painting brush and rollers, paints and any other requirements that you may need before you start painting, to minimize up and down movements on the ladder.
2. Painting.
This is actually hard to do and a little tedious because you will be balancing between holding the ladder and painting, and it’s even trickier for homes on a slope. Your hand must be firmly holding the ladder at all given times to avoid falling. Use a can paint hook to help you in holding the can as you paint. You may also need someone to help you around with the work. For difficult to reach places like the dormer above the roof, you may need to use the ladder stabilizer for added safety.
If you’re painting near electric wires, then your choice of a ladder should be one made of fiberglass and not aluminum to avoid electrocution. Always remember, your safety comes first.
For the difficult-to-reach places that cannot be accessed from the ladder, you can always buy a brush extension to use for painting.
Check with your local weather updates on the best days to paint, windy days are not ideal. A cool day that is not too hot is the best day to do your painting. Lastly, choose beautiful colors that will give your home a feeling of warmth, elegance, and class. And most importantly, have fun while at it.
How to Paint Hard-to-reach House Exteriors Using Ladders
