Painting your home’s exterior is often an arduous task due to multiple challenges one has to deal with during the process. Although a scaffold is often considered the ideal solution, as it offers easy access to several levels of the structure and also provides utmost stability. But just this reason does not always make it justified to use scaffolding, and instead, it would become a burden on the pocket. We’ll discuss the details in this helpful write-up, so let’s move on…
Identifying Your Painting Priorities
Whether you need a scaffolding for your exterior house painting depends on the following factors:
- Assess the Height: The height of your house tells a lot about whether you want a scaffolding for exterior painting or not. Have a multi-storey building? Scaffolding would provide a stable platform and prove much safer than ladders for reaching high areas. However, if it’s a single-storey house, ladder and extension poles would provide easy access, eliminating any need for scaffolding.
- Project Duration: Determine the scope of the project; how much time would it take for the exterior paint job? If it’s a small project taking less than a week, a ladder would be enough. If we’re talking multiple weeks here, scaffolding would prove to be more effective and less fatiguing than moving the ladders around.
- Safety Considerations: For any exterior or interior house project, safety is the top priority. Scaffolding ensures high-level safety due to more stability and better balance, which can diminish the risk of falls.
- Project’s Scope: Is it the whole exterior that you plan to paint or a certain area? If it’s a specific small area, a ladder might be enough to get the job done.
Safe & Efficient Exterior Painting Without Scaffolding
In modern times, you often have alternatives that prove as suitable as the original schemes. Same is the case for scaffolding. You want to paint the outside area of your house without scaffolding but, with same or better precision or outcome, our alternative is ladder. Let’s get into details on this:
There are some very major reasons for loving ladders. They are easy to set up, come in diverse sizes, and you can keep them for life. To discuss the details, a ladder takes less than a minute to set it up at the right place compared to scaffold that takes time to set up and take down.
Adding to this, you can find ladders in assorted weights and sizes, appropriate for your project scope. For instance, you can buy Aluminium ladders that are the lightest or wooden, the heaviest. Although ladders can be utilised for different purposes, they lack in specialties i.e., they are not made for one single task hence, don’t always capably serve a single purpose. For instance, you will have to step down and change ladder placement when you’d need to reach other exterior areas for painting.
The multi-purpose ladder is another alternative if you’re not still up for a scaffold. With the capability of reaching up to 4.75 meters of height, this state-of-the art ladder comes with joints on the frame, helping it bend into diversified shapes, including that of a pseudo-scaffold.
If you are working on a jagged ground and choose to work with ladders, tripod ladder is a great option, having a hind leg with a rubber grip or a spike
Are there high-climb areas you want to paint? The classic extension ladder is the perfect answer. Equipped with the robust steel-locking auto-clamps, the extension poles ensure a steady footing so you can safely and skillfully access the unreachable heights.
If stability is your priority while carrying out the exterior home paints, we suggest adding step platforms to your ladders. Functional and comfortable, step platforms come with tool placement spaces while providing you a strong footing so you can peacefully carry out your creative job without getting anxious about any sudden falls, jerks, or a strong gust knocking you off balance.
Essential Tools for Exterior Painting Success
When working on exterior paint jobs, you need specialised equipment to achieve high-end, error-free finishes. The most obvious and important tool for exterior painting jobs is an extension pole. It is ideal for reaching heights and perfectly carrying out the paint job without moving around the ladder much. Plus, you don’t have to worry about any risks while using an extension pole, as long as there are no electricity cables in the vicinity. Relatively cheap and flexible, the extension pole can be attached with different add-ons for diverse paint jobs. Here are a few examples to fully comprehend:
- A brush can also be affixed to conveniently clean the hard-to-reach areas or perhaps areas you’d rather not touch by hand.
- You can attach a paintbrush to do your paint jobs or apply an emulsifier over the exterior wood paint, if required.
- You can attach a roller extension at the end of the extension pole to reach a height of 16 ft. max.
- If you want to get rid of the old paint, then a scraper could also be attached.
Ladders for Exterior Painting: A Buyer’s Guide
A proper, usable ladder is imperative to achieving exquisite, superior-quality finishes without a scaffold. Here’s how to choose the right one:
- While selecting a ladder, search for one that offers features like a secure locking system, modifiable height, and non-slip feet.
- The adjustable height features allow you to conveniently move around different parts of the wall without repositioning it.
- The non-slip feet feature works well for providing stability, especially when the surfaces are rough and jagged.
- The secure locking mechanism ensures your safety at all times while you mindfully carry out your paint job. Any sudden accidents like unexpected shifting or collapsing of the ladder can be prevented, allowing you to do your work without getting anxious about your own safety.
- Talking about additional features, a platform or paint tray attachment features take your painting job to maximum convenience.
- You can conveniently stand on the platform in a balanced manner and efficiently stroke your brushes to achieve durable and envisioned finishes.
- The paint tray attachment allows you to conveniently place your painting kit and use it accordingly without having to hold it in your hand at all times or uncomfortably position it on the ladder.
The Potential Pitfalls of Scaffold Installation
See, it goes without exaggerating that everyone would love scaffolding installation for any relevant job including exterior paints, but this only until you receive a quote.
- Paying a handsome amount (often in the hundreds) for a temporary structure would be heavy on your pocket. Plus, you’d have to look for the labour, materials, and the maintenance costs.
- Frames, platforms, braces, and safety features, all these scaffolding components not just drain your pocket but you’d also have to consider the space they’d take. It might be feasible if you’re carrying just exterior paint job. But if it’s a large project with several other large machines and materials taking up space, you’d have to re-consider installing scaffolds.
- With scaffolding, you’d also have to look for bad or severe weathers. Strong winds and rains can threaten the stability of the entire scaffolding structures.
- Working with scaffolding is not any layman’s job. You’d require certified professionals who can skillfully and securely navigate through the scaffolding structure, while efficiently performing their tasks.
Platforms for Safe & Efficient Painting
The question remains, what could be the best platforms for reaching difficult heights other than scaffolding? The answer is, there are a few good options.
Starting with access platforms, these come in different shapes and sizes and offer different levels of access. Some prove reliable and practical for low-level access and also offer a stable surface for smooth finishes. Combined with an extension pole, they work magic.
A scaffold tower is another great alternative. First, answering the question that is quite obviously raised in your mind, yes, scaffolding and scaffold tower differ from each other in numerous ways. A scaffold tower is a vertical tower on wheels, while scaffolding comprises a series of intertwined metal poles and wooden boards, set in a static arrangement.
The position of the scaffold tower can be easily adjusted to carry out external house painting jobs. You can conveniently maneuver the platform both vertically and horizontally for error-free and stress-free painting.
And before you imagine, no, it’s not difficult to set up, assemble, and disassemble a scaffold tower. Nothing more than a DIY project. No instructions, no intricate tools for installation. But if you need instructions, they will be available with the scaffold tower package.
Schedule a Pro Painter with Scaffolding Support – Get Started Today!
Painting is a creative endeavour and a labourious task that requires utmost attention and specific skills to achieve high-quality finishes. When the area to be painted is broad and at height, the difficulty level multiplies. Other than expertise and stamina, there are safety issues involved, which become more of a concern when doing exterior painting on heightened surfaces. Doing it yourself might cost you your precious time, energy, and money, and even after that, you might not be able to get the output you envisioned. Therefore, involving a professional is the only right way.
If your professional needs scaffolding support, Baloshi Scaffolding is the trusted name you’re looking for. Our scaffolding support is all you need for stress-free exterior paint jobs and fine-tuned results. Call today at 01344 444929 or write us at info@baloshiscaffolding.co.uk to acquire your support today. Because support from below allows for creativity from above.
