Painting 17 foot foyer with extension ladder??

[Steven L Umbach]

I am going to some day paint the ceiling and the walls in our 17 foot high foyer and replace the light fixture. Home Depot has reasonable rates on ten foot scaffolding but there is a section that I can not reach with the scaffolding. We have four steps up to a landing and then a right angle for the rest of the steps to the second floor. I could use extension poles, etc to do that part which is above the stairway but I was wondering about using my 16 foot extension ladder there. My concern is will the wall be able to support the ladder and me [I weigh 230 lbs] without damage or even breakage? The walls are standard half inch drywall on 2X4 spaced every 16 inches. The ladder has the usual rubber boots on the end. Thanks. --- Steve

[wannabe]

I would think a 10" step ladder would be nice.

for cutting in at the very top, I used a broom... it worked really nice and quick.

[wannabe]

The walls will hold you.

What about your ceiling light, you would need to be able to reach 17' right.

If you can reach light from extension ladder, then that would be better than step ladder.

You can always turn around on the ladder, sorta sit down, and paint the opposite wall. AND fix the light.

[Steven L Umbach]

Thanks. I do have a ten foot step ladder but the scaffolding is a must to change the light fixture. At our previous house I did duct tape a paint brush to a pole to get the awkward spots. --- Steve

[Steven L Umbach]

Thanks again. I thought the walls should hold. The light ceiling box is four foot from the nearest wall so from what I can tell and extension ladder is out. A step ladder would need to be 14 foot for me to do it comfortably. HD said $22 a day for the ten foot high scaffolding so I think I am going to try that as it should also be easier to use to paint the ceiling, particularly at the edges than the 14 foot step ladder and also allow me to change the light fixture. --- Steve

[Joseph Meehan]

Gee, I don't think a 10 inch step later would help much. :-)

I have a 17+ foot area and I used an extension ladder to hang wall paper. No damage to the walls.

[ameijers]

Other tools are better choices, but a carpet-covered 20" board lashed to the top of the ladder, such that it prevents any hard edges pressing on the drywall and spreads the load, would probably keep the drywall safe. 2 or 3 cable ties laced through holes on the board before you wrap and staple the carpet scrap, should hold it in place. (don't use duct tape- the gray rubs off) Doesn't need to be strong, just not shift around. I'd be more worried about bottom end of ladder slipping on polished floor or loose carpet and hopping down a step- find some way to jam-fit a block, or tie it off, if you can. And like any high work, never work alone- you want somebody to call

911if you fall or get upside down with a leg through the rungs. (Hey, it happens to people who work on ladders every day.)

aem sends....

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I used mine for just that (twice now) and I have 20 pounds on you.

[Dennis Turner]

I painted my 20 foot high foyer from an extension ladder with no damage to the drywall. I did have one rather frightening moment, however. The floor was marble tile at the time (since redone in hardwood), and as I was painting I felt the ladder begin to move down the wall. My mind was filled with visions of myself splattered all over that hard marble. Fortunately, however, the ladder stopped slipping when it fell off the 6 inch step down into the living room and reached carpet. I was certainly shaken, but not splattered.

Be aware that those rubber feet on the ladder don't necessarily grip well on very slick floors.

[Steven L Umbach]

Thanks for sharing that - yikes. Luckily where I need to use the ladder the feet will be on the stairs and blocked by the back of the stairs. --- Steve

[Steven L Umbach]

Thanks for that info. I feel a bit better now. --- Steve

[Steven L Umbach]

Great idea on creating a backplate. Luckily I will be in the stairway so the feet of the ladder will be on a stair. I try not to do anything that could be dangerous alone! --- Steve

[maradcliff]

Take a 3 foot piece of 1X4 or 2x4 and fasten it across the top end otf the ladder, so the board leans against the wall with the ladder rungs against it. If your ladder is wood, just screw it to the ladder. If the ladder is metal or fiberglass, you'll have to be creative with duct tape or clamps of some sort to keep it attached to the ladder. You can even put a scrap of carpeting or foam onto the board to prevent scratching the wall. Doing this means the ladder weight will be spread evenly across the walls and likely catch 2 studs, unless you have spacing over 16".

[maradcliff]

What kind of duct tape do you use? I never had that happen !!!

[maradcliff]

I must admit you got me laughing reading this.... I could just picture it.... Why people put in slippery floors like that I will never understand. You are correct about the rubber feet on ladders dont work the best. I had a ladder slip down a round pole in my barn. It went all the way down. I just stayed on the ladder till I was looking at the floor. Then I used some words I could not post on the internet, and stood the laddetr back up. This time I tied the bottom of it to the post on both sides to prevent slipping. This occured on concrete that was wet. (I was raining and I only had half the roof on).

[maradcliff]

Take a 3 foot piece of 1X4 or 2x4 and fasten it across the top end otf the ladder, so the board leans against the wall with the ladder rungs against it. If your ladder is wood, just screw it to the ladder. If the ladder is metal or fiberglass, you'll have to be creative with duct tape or clamps of some sort to keep it attached to the ladder. You can even put a scrap of carpeting or foam onto the board to prevent scratching the wall. Doing this means the ladder weight will be spread evenly across the walls and likely catch 2 studs, unless you have spacing over 16".

[tonysi21]

If you have access to the attic above the light fixture in the foyer you may be able to do what I have done. I moved the electric box a few inches over in the ceiling from the attic, and lowered a rope that is used to pull up my light fixture to the ceiling. The fixture's chain is fastened in the attic using a thin pipe put into a link in the chain that then rests between the rafters. Nice and secure. Finally I connected the wires to the electric box. The hole in the ceiling is covered by attaching the fixture plate cover to the chain before I pulled it up, so that it ended up flush with the ceiling, covering the hole. When a light needs to be changed or the fixture needs to be cleaned I simpley disconnect and lower.

[chickenwing]

you mean you ain't done yet?

This thread is 2 days old...

I figure you would have done finished painting hehehe