# Painting Exteriors: best use of ladder(s)?



## steve-in-kville (Aug 30, 2006)

I've painted many exteriors before but I had it spoiled. We had either a boom lift or scissors on the property (commercial/industrial setting). I'm doing my first multi-story (3-stories) residential next week, and I will using ladders. I always thought the most useful arrangement for painting was using two extension ladders and planks, but another painter tells me that using a single ladder is less work and a painter can move just as fast on a multi-story home. I understand that the stablizing brackets that attach to the ladder and rest against the house are a big asset.

I thought of scaffold but I'm limited on space around the building.

Any help or guidance in this area would be appreciated. I've spent too many years spoiled my new technology:whistling

steve


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## Brushslingers (Jul 28, 2006)

Listen to your painter friend Steve... ya a walkboard makes "certain" things less hassle/work, but for the most part... most can move just as fast on a single.

Besides, I know you are alone... you will need a second to setup a walkboard.

Oh and, we call em bullhorns


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## steve-in-kville (Aug 30, 2006)

The other thing that wonders me is... once ladders, jacks and planking are up, there comes a certain safety hazard lowering the jacks and planks. I can just see a ladder slowly drifting off to the side...

I don't see how these one-man-band masons and spouting guys effectively (and safely) use ladders and planks. Must have special powers... or a bigger pair of balls than I do!!

steve


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## KellyPainting (May 30, 2006)

Single ladders.....


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## Workaholic (Feb 3, 2007)

Single ladders, take advantage of your full reach, and you will alright. Many novice ladder jockies just paint in front of them, don't let this happen to you.


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## steve-in-kville (Aug 30, 2006)

Maybe an easy answered question... coming from the electrical contracting background we always used fiberglass ladders for the insulating qualities. Why do most painters I see use aluminum? Lighter weight? Cheaper in price? Last longer?

I haven't had to buy an extension ladder in years... I own three fiberglass ladders in various hieghts, plus a collection of step ladders. Inquiring minds want to know!!

steve


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## Brushslingers (Jul 28, 2006)

Lighter and cheaper.

Ever pick up a fiberglass class 3 40?


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## steve-in-kville (Aug 30, 2006)

What about durability? Stand up just as well as fiberglass?

steve


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## Brushslingers (Jul 28, 2006)

Ehh, both get really funky after being run over by a truck.... but I can say I have a large collection of metal ladders and still use them.... 15 years or more later.. one in particular is 42 years old.

But on the other hand, union and state jobs won't allow metal ladders.....


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## Paul_R (Jan 22, 2007)

I vote for single ladders. Carrying a plank up and down the ladders would be somewhat cumbersome by yourself. Been a while since I have been up that high, always was fun when the ladder started the wave-like movement as I got up about half way.:whistling:

Happy painting, Paul :wheelchair:


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## Dave Mac (Jan 30, 2006)

i like to line up as many ladders as posible and hop froom one ladder to the next, so you dont have keep going up and down, saves a lot of time.

dave mac


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## Brushslingers (Jul 28, 2006)

Oh Dave, i'll wish upon a star you don't get caught.  Course, i've stood on a ladder and had a guy climb up over a roof line a few times, can't say i'm not guilty either......


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## paint_booger (Jun 15, 2007)

Dave Mac said:


> i like to line up as many ladders as posible and hop froom one ladder to the next, so you dont have keep going up and down, saves a lot of time.
> 
> dave mac


Geeze Dave! I'll visit you in the critical care unit. Let me know your room #.


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## Da Vinci (Jun 24, 2007)

Single ladders are quicker if you are doing just siding or stucco/eaves. But if you have a 12 light french window that needs epoxy/filler and reglazed, you'll lose time.

I've done single planking by myself in years past though I have a couple of crews now. Here's how I've done it...

Set up your 2 ladders, but not too far apart- unless you have a second guy to help. Get a short plank- 10'-12'. Place ladder jacks on the ladders 8 rungs up. Now, lean one end of plank on first one, grab the other end and place it on both your arms as you begin climbing the other ladder. Once there, lift it up and over onto the jack.

Progress like this a little at a time and you can go as high as you want. It's slow, but doable.

Obviously best with 2 people.

Bay Area Painting Company


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## DelW (Jul 7, 2005)

Brushslingers said:


> Lighter and cheaper.
> 
> Ever pick up a fiberglass class 3 40?


Not by myself I haven't:laughing:


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## MakDeco (Jan 17, 2007)

I agree the single use ladder has its pluses. If I am by myself i will single ladder it down to a safe height for me to use the plank w/ jacks. Now if its just soffits etc then single use of ladders is fine. but for lap cedar sidings its nice to have a 24' planks there to do the big side nice w/o any laps.

The house across the street from where I am now was painted a few weeks ago the HO said she asked me " look at he big side what are all those lines?" The were where a one man guy put his ladder up and painted all the siding all the down to the ground then moved over and did the same thing all the way down say about 35'. So he reached up to what 6' wide or so in every section prolly with the sun beating on him and you can see the laps all the way!


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## ModernStyle (May 7, 2007)

Lap marks are usually a rookie mistake, I did it like that on my first exterior 14 years ago. My boss let me do it, then showed me what I had done wrong and made me paint it again.
I know some crazy Mexicans that had 2 40' ladders, but they werent tall enough, so they tore one ladder apart and tied half of it to the other ladder and sent the lightest guy up the ladder. I have seen the same guy scale the side of a house using pretty much only the downspout. He is the fastest guy I have ever seen on an exterior and is pretty much fearless, I get nervouse just watching him.


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## BASE Painters (Feb 16, 2007)

We do this sort of thing all the time and is our specialty. If there are good anchors on the roof then a person experienced in rope work will suffice and save a lot of time. Of course this is for commercial buildings and some residential. Depends on the job.


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## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

ModernStyle said:


> Lap marks are usually a rookie mistake, I did it like that on my first exterior 14 years ago. My boss let me do it, then showed me what I had done wrong and made me paint it again.
> I know some crazy Mexicans that had 2 40' ladders, but they werent tall enough, so they tore one ladder apart and tied half of it to the other ladder and sent the lightest guy up the ladder. I have seen the same guy scale the side of a house using pretty much only the downspout. He is the fastest guy I have ever seen on an exterior and is pretty much fearless, I get nervouse just watching him.


how do you avoid lap marks?


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## ModernStyle (May 7, 2007)

by running about 4 boards down the length of the house at a time, fanning out the paint before moving down and staggering the spot where I stop painting so that it is not a stright line down all 4 boards.
The only problem I usually have with paint lapping is semi-transparent stain, i hate that stuff.
Moving fast helps also, dont do a section move your ladder get a drink of water, run to the van, talk to another contractor and take a leak before going back to your 4 boards. You have to run the boards all the way down before stopping.
I never really had a lap problem with latex, oil stain is where I used to have a little trouble. Mautz latex will lap pretty easy, but I dont know if that is a national brand or something local, we just used to repaint these 2 brothers houses the same pumpkin orange every couple of years with the stuff and it would lap if you didnt hustle.


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