Stairwells combine two problems other rooms rarely have together: working safely at height above an open stairwell, and finishing a surface that gets touched, kicked and knocked more than almost anywhere else in the house. Both need planning before the first coat goes on.
A standard ladder is often the wrong tool over an open stair — the angles do not work and the fall height is real. We use stair-legged towers or podium steps sized to the actual stairwell rather than improvising, which also means the finish at the top of the wall is done properly rather than rushed from an unstable position.
Painted spindles get gripped constantly and show wear fastest at hand height. We specify a harder-wearing finish for handrails than for the wall above them, and where spindles are stained or varnished rather than painted, we match the existing sheen rather than defaulting to satin.
The stairs are usually the only route between floors, so we never close them off completely. Work is done in sections with a clear, dry route left at all times, and any wet-paint areas are marked and given a realistic time before they can be touched or leaned on.
Yes, we section the work so there is always a safe, dry way up and down, and we tell you which side to keep to on any given day.
For genuinely tall or unusual stairwells we use purpose-built stair towers rather than standard scaffold, sized to the exact rise and going of your stairs.
Hands transfer oils and grip constantly, which breaks down a standard wall finish faster than a door-grade eggshell or satin designed for handling.
Send a photo of your stairwell and we will confirm the right access equipment before quoting the job.
Stairwells need proper access equipment and a tougher specification at hand height, not a standard wall approach.
Speak to a Hampshire commercial decorating contractor that turns up, communicates clearly and delivers a finish that lasts.
