How do you go about painting high walls? I have been asked to paint a living room in a friends house that has 22′ walls. It is a two-story house that is open to the living room from the second floor. She has hardwood floors and I don’t want to damage them.
This will involve a lot of work and quick rolling. Plan on two coats for the best look. Start by cutting in the walls first, to the ceiling and to the trim. Do this twice with ample dry time between coats. Then roll the walls starting at the top. Do the top down in sections working across the wall until you have a complete coat. Allow to dry then do it again.
You didn't mention the color. Dark or dramatic colors could cause application problems, like flashing. Plus the paint, its quality and sheen, can cause problems. Use the best acrylic paint you can afford and using an eggshell or low sheen will help.
You will need to use an extension ladder to cut in the high areas. A step ladder can be used on lower areas. A good extension ladder shouldn't scratch the floor. Double check the rubber pads on its feet. You can't set an extension ladder on drop cloths as it could slip, causing serous injury. I also recommend you have another person available to help stabilize the ladder.
For the rolling you will need several roller poles. At least one 8-16ft and 4-8ft.
