Using An Extension Pole

Trudy asked 10 years ago

Hi, I have found many tips for painting techniques but none about how to use an extension pole correctly. I use to know but I forgot. Years ago a pro painter showed me how to handle the extension pole so the job is done not only well but with minimal effort. I am exhausting myself due to my mishandling of the tool.

2 Answers
Crowder Painting answered.

Until I received your question I never put much thought to using a roller pole. I dip the roller and go. But, today I tried to pay attension to what I'm doing with the roller pole and why.

Today I rolled 8 foot walls with a 2-4 foot pole mostly extended. I noticed I grab the pole near the bottom with one hand and the other is positioned near the center. I push the paint roller up the wall with the lower hand and use gravity on the way down. I also pivot the roller with the hand near the center. The hand near the center also applies a little pressure to the roller.

I also noticed that I'm not stretching, most of the time. The rooms I painted have a lot of furniture, so I often adjusted the length of the pole to accommodate the obstacles.

Ceilings are the same basic idea. The lower hand holds the roller at the ceiling and provides a pivot point. While the other hand moved the roller pole back and forth.

Anonymous answered.

Thank you for your answer. It helps. Funny but correct handling of the roller extension pole makes painting and painter better…:)
Someone else also advised me not to do more than 2 feet in front or away from me , so there is minimum stretching, especially when doing ceiling.