How do you paint a stairwell?

[nonconformnmom]

Has anyone done this? I need tips! We have stairs from the main level to the lower level where the family room and laundry room are, and the walls around the stairs desperately need to be painted. The walls rise up about 16 feet from the lowest stair. Actually, we have to strip the horrid wallpaper off first and then paint, so I have to figure out how to reach up to the top to strip the wallpaper off and how to get the paint rolled on that high. I can't very well seat a ladder on the stairs, and there is a LOT of wall up there that has to be dealt with. How do people do it?

[Periwinkle]

We just painted our basement stairwell too. You need a ladder that is meant to be used on the stairs - I think Home Depot rents them. And a telescoping paintbrush.

[Irishmommy]

Hire someone!!

If that's not possible, you can rent scaffolding that will work. We did that before, but I still couldn't do it - not safe enough feeling for me, but I'm a wimp.

[nonconformnmom]

I would love to hire someone but it has been impossible to find anyone to do handy-man type work in our town. The construction business is booming and anyone who wants to work has more than enough to do; no one will even bother to return our calls for painting work (both interior and exterior), new roof, or anything like that. Much less come to the house to do an estimate. It's very frustrating!

[Throkmorton]

Put a chair rail up, and just paint below that.

No? That's what I would do because I suffer a horrible fear of ladders, and our old house had a 22' rise in the stairway. Last time we painted, scaffolding was rented.

A ladder specially made for stairs and a telescoping roller is probably your best bet.