Scaffold Planks
 

I have a hall, stairs and landing to paint. The ceilings are 9 foot high so
the highest point of the landing ceiling is 16 feet from the stair tread
directly below it, if you see what I mean. Due to a bannister rail and
spindles I cannot get a ladder across the stairs from the landing area. I
am thinking of using ladders and a plank or two to reach this part. Will a
scaffold plank supprt my weight (14 stone) over a 7 foot span and also where
can I get a plank from without resorting to nicking one from a building site
;^)? I live in Leeds.

Cheers

John

John wrote:
I have a hall, stairs and landing to paint. The ceilings are 9 foot high so
the highest point of the landing ceiling is 16 feet from the stair tread
directly below it, if you see what I mean. Due to a bannister rail and
spindles I cannot get a ladder across the stairs from the landing area. I
am thinking of using ladders and a plank or two to reach this part. Will a
scaffold plank supprt my weight (14 stone) over a 7 foot span and also where
can I get a plank from without resorting to nicking one from a building site
;^)? I live in Leeds.

Cheers

John



I am sure that the regulars will all laugh at me for this but I have
recently painted the landing ceiling. I didn't have a ladder tall enough
to reach and I would have needed boards to do some parts any way. Rather
than go through all that messing about I zip tied a paint brush to an
aluminium pole and painted it that way. You can't tell that I did it
like that and the cutting in is perfect. If I ever had to do it again
that is how I would do it. The only thing I would recommend with this
approach is that you put the lighter coat (probably the ceiling) on first.

John wrote:
I have a hall, stairs and landing to paint. The ceilings are 9 foot high so
the highest point of the landing ceiling is 16 feet from the stair tread
directly below it, if you see what I mean. Due to a bannister rail and
spindles I cannot get a ladder across the stairs from the landing area. I
am thinking of using ladders and a plank or two to reach this part. Will a
scaffold plank supprt my weight (14 stone) over a 7 foot span and also where
can I get a plank from without resorting to nicking one from a building site
;^)? I live in Leeds.

Use a couple of lengths of 4x2 with some ply, OSB or similar nailed
to the top. Cut to lenght so that there's only a small gap between the
support nd the stair riser and end wall. Nail or tape some padding to
the ends. Keep the thing in the garage or somewhere for future use.
You could even consider making a hinged contraption specially for the
job.

On Fri, 11 Mar 2005 10:13:13 +0000 (UTC), "John"
wrote:

I have a hall, stairs and landing to paint. The ceilings are 9 foot high so
the highest point of the landing ceiling is 16 feet from the stair tread
directly below it, if you see what I mean. Due to a bannister rail and
spindles I cannot get a ladder across the stairs from the landing area. I
am thinking of using ladders and a plank or two to reach this part. Will a
scaffold plank supprt my weight (14 stone) over a 7 foot span and also where
can I get a plank from without resorting to nicking one from a building site
;^)? I live in Leeds.

I got some from Jewsons, they told me they hadn't sold any in years.

I've had a span of more like 11' between 2 ladders using 2 boards
thickness to reduce springyness.

My decorators at my old house did exactly what I think you are
describing to paper the wall to the side of the staircase.

Bit risky of course.

"John" wrote in message
...
I have a hall, stairs and landing to paint. The ceilings are 9 foot high
so the highest point of the landing ceiling is 16 feet from the stair tread
directly below it, if you see what I mean. Due to a bannister rail and
spindles I cannot get a ladder across the stairs from the landing area. I
am thinking of using ladders and a plank or two to reach this part. Will a
scaffold plank supprt my weight (14 stone) over a 7 foot span and also
where can I get a plank from without resorting to nicking one from a
building site

A hire shop. You can also hire scaffold tower parts there, to make up a
proper stairway platform, if you want.

Colin Bignell

"John" wrote in message
...
I have a hall, stairs and landing to paint. The ceilings are 9 foot high
so
the highest point of the landing ceiling is 16 feet from the stair tread
directly below it, if you see what I mean. Due to a bannister rail and
spindles I cannot get a ladder across the stairs from the landing area. I
am thinking of using ladders and a plank or two to reach this part. Will
a
scaffold plank supprt my weight (14 stone) over a 7 foot span and also
where
can I get a plank from without resorting to nicking one from a building
site

Besy place to buy them is a hire shop as they have to replace them every so
often to meet some reg or other. I'd put a couple on top of each other for
your weight.

"John" wrote in message
where can I get a plank from without resorting to nicking one from a
building site
;^)? I live in Leeds.

Cheers

John

I've got two outside my front door - help yourself if I'm not in. I live in
Liverpool.

ZD

John typed:

I have a hall, stairs and landing to paint. The ceilings are 9 foot
high so the highest point of the landing ceiling is 16 feet from the
stair tread directly below it, if you see what I mean. Due to a
bannister rail and spindles I cannot get a ladder across the stairs
from the landing area. I am thinking of using ladders and a plank or
two to reach this part. Will a scaffold plank supprt my weight (14
stone) over a 7 foot span and also where can I get a plank from
without resorting to nicking one from a building site ;^)? I live in
Leeds.

Available from most good builders merchants for £20 ish, alternatively
length of 8x2 x3Mt is about £8.

--
Mark§

On Fri, 11 Mar 2005 10:13:13 +0000 (UTC), "John"
wrote:

I have a hall, stairs and landing to paint. The ceilings are 9 foot high so
the highest point of the landing ceiling is 16 feet from the stair tread
directly below it, if you see what I mean. Due to a bannister rail and
spindles I cannot get a ladder across the stairs from the landing area. I
am thinking of using ladders and a plank or two to reach this part. Will a
scaffold plank supprt my weight (14 stone) over a 7 foot span and also where
can I get a plank from without resorting to nicking one from a building site
;^)? I live in Leeds.

Cheers

John


It will support you, but will sag, better to use 2, one on top the
other.

However the easiest thing to do is to buy a 14 foot 3 *8 (or similar)
and cut it in two, it will more than hold you .......

Rick