DIY Network

Painting a Stairwell From "Ask DIY Home Improvement" episode DADH-208

Q: (George in Austin, TX): My wife can’t take it anymore. She says the stairwell needs to be painted now. I don’t even know how to start. Can you help get me out of the doghouse?

A: (from DIY painting expert Gary Lord): Painting in a stairwell is something that needs to be done in every home. A lot of people are afraid of it because of the high ceilings, narrow confines of the wall and the steps that you have to work over. Here are a few tips to paint your stairwell...and, to do it safely.

advertisement

Materials:

20 ft. extension ladder
Step ladder
Walk board
C clamps
Paint

Steps:

1. Make sure that your walls are free of any dirt, grease or wax. Then, you need to patch and sand any rough spots...and you need to prime the walls before you do your base coat of paint.

2. Get help to bring in the tools you’re going to need. Use two ladders with a walk board in between. Place a 20-foot extension ladder on the stairs and against the tall wall (figure A). Put a step ladder on the landing at the top of the stairs. Place a walk board on the rungs and slide it through to the other ladder (figure B). You can rent a walk board or use a 2 x 12 piece of lumber. To keep it secure, attach the board to the ladders using "C" clamps (figure C).

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

Figure D

3. A tool that will make your job easier is ladder mitts. Ladder mitts go on the ladder to protect your wall surface (figure D).

4. Once you have all the tools in place, painting a stairwell is pretty much like painting any other wall area. Just cut in around trim and roll on the paint.

Figure E

5. One problem with painting a stairwell is you really can’t have much help. You only want one person on the walk board at a time and you don’t want anyone standing underneath (figure E).

6. It usually takes about 24 hours for your base coat to dry. Then you can add a decorative treatment. One reason to do this is to hide a lot of wear and tear.

Rag Rolling

1. Use a latex base paint that’s two-shades darker than the wall.

2. Dilute that paint with 20% water. You’ll want to wear gloves.

3. Wet a cotton rag and ring it out (don’t want drips) (figure F).

4. Work in a small area, only as wide as you can comfortably reach while standing still.

5. Dip the rag in the diluted paint and then pat the rag on the wall (figure G). Work in a random pattern...pressing lighter at first and heavier later as the rag empties of paint.

Figure F

Figure G

6. Re-fill the rag as necessary. Keep dabbing until you like the way it looks.