When it comes to remodeling or restructuring a house, there are specific safety standards to ensure risk management is effective. Ladders are undoubtedly helpful in smaller DIY projects, i.e., fixing lightbulbs around the house, for example, where it isn't as time-consuming or requires more than two people.
However, painting a house (interior & exterior) is a large project in itself because you're dealing with doing multiple tasks. You would have to consider the scope of and measure the materials used to cover to paint the house, i.e., painting tools like brushes, paint buckets, sprayers, rollers, tape, paint tray, etc.
Using scaffolding makes sense because of the ease and safety of moving along the entire side of the house exterior while painting.
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Types of Scaffolding To Paint House Exterior & Interior
There are three types of scaffolding you can invest in to paint a typical two-story house.
Double-Scaffolding, usually called independent scaffolding because it doesn't require to be mounted next to a wall, is an ideal type to use.
When you hire contractors, they usually provide you with patented scaffolding ready-made depending on the project’s requirements.
Another reliable type is steel scaffolding, which is considered the safest and most comfortable to dismantle.
Painting Home Interior With Scaffolding
Painting indoors is similar to painting the house exterior. Scaffolds provide the versatility of being installed over kitchen tops or places where wall support isn't easily accessible. Ideally, it is simpler to have a structure to mount. Scaffolding can make painting the ceiling much easier.
While ladders certainly provide the access, they're usually reasonably unstable. Scaffolding provides that same access, along with a safer base. Working alone is also easier with a scaffolding structure in place.
Tri-fold ladders provide equal accessibility to that of a scaffold but still lack the legroom and base structural stability that a scaffold secures.
A big takeaway when it comes to deciding between ladders or scaffolding is assessing the size of the painting project. Covering large surface areas like high and extensive walls would not only prove to be more cost-efficient, not to mention safer, using scaffolding.
Safety Tips When Using Scaffolding
Before preparing to assemble any form of scaffolding, it's imperative to equip yourself with PPE (personal protective equipment).
Standard PPE includes hardshell helmets to protect from falling debris, safety gloves for abrasive protection and grip, harnesses, steel-toe boots (non-slip is essential).
Prior inspection of scaffolding material is also crucial to the safety and maintaining the scaffolding’s structural stability, keeping in mind that all parts are designed for each other. Mismatching scaffold parts pose a risk to the structure of a raised scaffold.
When you install scaffolding, it's essential to understand the project beforehand to ensure that load limits are measured for scaffold platforms used. Ensure the right bracings, fasteners, and guard rails are used from quality manufacturers. Once you raise the scaffold, it's always good to double-check that it is structurally ready to utilize for work.
Other factors to consider include the weather conditions, heavy vehicles around the vicinity of the scaffold, and making sure people operating within the scaffold maintain a 3-point contact to avoid accidents.
It’s important to point out that it's not always wise to obtain and handle scaffolding yourself unless you have prior construction experience. Hiring licensed and experienced professionals ensures safety and quality structures that last the duration of any project.
