# Any tips for stairwells?



## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Just took a look at a job. Its a stairwell, 19' at highest point. There is NOT a back wall to lean a ladder on. The lady wants a grasscloth too, which is 36" wide. How would I position ladders to be able to reach the seam?


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## deadend (Aug 1, 2013)

...sounds like a Pivit tool with a telescoping/extension ladder situation...rough hanging off the side with a 36"...may have to do a dual set up and each finish a side...any pictures...?...this was only about 16' with a wall and a 21" paper...doesn't sound like it would work for you...


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Wont work for me. I have no side, or back walls to lean a ladder on. I think Ill need an actual scaffold, which will make it a pita to hang the bottom half...

I didnt take any pics. I just drew a picture with the measurements. Its not a normal stairwell either.. It extends past the landing on both sides by about 6 feet each.


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## Gwarel (May 8, 2012)

This is just a thought that may or may not help, but I have spliced grasscloth with a horizontal double cut in repair situations and it was undetectable. Of course, the type of material has everything to do with the success of it. If this were an option, tinted primer to match the background color of the material would be preferable.


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

Run Forrest run,


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## PPD (Mar 19, 2018)

Is there not a way that scaffolding could get you close enough?


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

PPD said:


> Is there not a way that scaffolding could get you close enough?


Thats what it would take. I havent heard back, and honestly, it wont hurt my feelings any if I dont get a response.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Scaffold all the way. Sounds dangerous. I hate stupid spots that aren't feasible to reach. Someone had to paint it originally so it must be doable! 

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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

finishesbykevyn said:


> Scaffold all the way. Sounds dangerous. I hate stupid spots that aren't feasible to reach. Someone had to paint it originally so it must be doable!
> 
> Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk


Painting stairwells is easy. Wallpaper is a whole other ballgame, especially 36" wide. Obviously, it just cant be done with a ladder. It would have to be a scaffold.


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## Gwarel (May 8, 2012)

Woodco said:


> Painting stairwells is easy. Wallpaper is a whole other ballgame, especially 36" wide. Obviously, it just cant be done with a ladder. It would have to be a scaffold.


I don't think I've ever hung a piece of grasscloth that long either, I hope you have a good helper.


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

I know of one poor soul who lost his life hanging 54" heavy vinyl in a hospital stairhall with drops over 20 foot long by his lonesome.
From what I gather, he was at the top of said wall, opened the fold and the weight of the vinyl caused him to fall off the plank, causing him to fall and fracture his skull.
I never heard what the outcome was but I'm hoping his family prevailed in the lawsuit that came after! Not that it did him any good, remember you've got only one life to give (live).


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

This is how I managed the last stairwell I did. But yours sounds maybe more complicated. Anyhow, thought I would share..









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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

finishesbykevyn said:


> Scaffold all the way. Sounds dangerous. I hate stupid spots that aren't feasible to reach. Someone had to paint it originally so it must be doable!
> 
> Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk



The problem with this is that when it originally got painted it was a construction site and hasn't been finished yet. No railings in the way, no finished floors to worry about. Just a bunch of raw drywall and plywood everywhere.


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## The Montana Painter (Dec 2, 2018)

Thought of ladder jacks with extension plank on top and using pivots on the stairs...or running a plank out to a ladder and laddering up from the plank...painter engineering, there's got to be a way !!


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## Ed From Mars (Mar 20, 2018)

Woodco said:


> Just took a look at a job. Its a stairwell, 19' at highest point. There is NOT a back wall to lean a ladder on. The lady wants a grasscloth too, which is 36" wide. How would I position ladders to be able to reach the seam?


A "Pivit Tool" would be your best bet, other than a self leveling ladder. 

I put the pivit on the step and use the ladder against the side wall. The pivit tool and dtep together are usually wide enough to safeley support the ladder. Carpeting can be an issue with this method.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Ed From Mars said:


> A "Pivit Tool" would be your best bet, other than a self leveling ladder.
> 
> I put the pivit on the step and use the ladder against the side wall. The pivit tool and dtep together are usually wide enough to safeley support the ladder. Carpeting can be an issue with this method.



I know how to lean a ladder against a wall in a stairwell.... Thats not the issue. The issue is, you cant hang wallpaper if theres a ladder where the paper is supposed to go.


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## Quan (Jan 18, 2017)

if you can get a ladder on the wall that you are hanging you will need to attach a standoff to the top of the ext ladder and hang the material between the legs


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Quan said:


> if you can get a ladder on the wall that you are hanging you will need to attach a standoff to the top of the ext ladder and hang the material between the legs


No way would I risk leaning a ladder extension directly on the piece I just hung.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Brushman4 said:


> I know of one poor soul who lost his life hanging 54" heavy vinyl in a hospital stairhall with drops over 20 foot long by his lonesome.
> From what I gather, he was at the top of said wall, opened the fold and the weight of the vinyl caused him to fall off the plank, causing him to fall and fracture his skull.
> I never heard what the outcome was but I'm hoping his family prevailed in the lawsuit that came after! Not that it did him any good, remember you've got only one life to give (live).


Damn!!! Well, If i do end up doing this job, I would paste the wall, so it wouldnt be that heavy. That ceiling I did yesterday was pretty sketchy. I was standing on top of a bakers scaffold. Not too high, but it wouldnt have been good to miss a step...


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## Quan (Jan 18, 2017)

well maybe this ones a little over your head, I have hung a few stairways using this method. You will need to make a shoe for your standoff so you won't damage the sheet you just hung.


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