The wall nobody can reach
The 2020 census counted 79,168 people in Bloomington. Whatever the size of the household, the stairwell is usually the room nobody wants to paint themselves. The wall above the stairs is tall, the floor below it slopes in steps, and a ladder can't stand on a stair the way it stands on a floor. That's why painting a stairwell, or a tall entry with an open wall, is priced differently from an ordinary room of the same wall area. This guide explains how, and quotes no prices.
Access is the first cost
The painter has to build a safe place to stand above the stairs. Common setups:
- An adjustable ladder set with one leg on a lower step and one on a higher step.
- A plank bridged between a ladder and a step, or between two ladders.
- A stair platform or small scaffold for the tallest walls.
Each takes time to set up, move and take down, and the crew has to reposition it several times to cover the wall. That time is part of the price whether the wall gets one coat or two.
Protecting the stairs
Stair treads, carpet runners and railings need covering. Drop cloths on stairs can slide, so painters often use non-slip runners or tape. If the stairs are the only route to bedrooms, the work has to leave a safe way through each evening. Ask how they'll handle that.
Patching and preparation
Stairwell walls take hits from furniture being carried up and down. Dents, gouges and dings at corners are filled and sanded. Long cracks where the wall meets the ceiling are common in tall spaces; they're usually cut out, taped or caulked, and primed. Our guide to drywall repair and surface preparation covers what's involved.
Ceiling and cut lines
In a tall space, the line between wall and ceiling is high and long. Cutting a crisp line from a ladder or plank takes care. Sloped ceilings over stairs add angles. If the ceiling is being painted too, it usually goes first, and the wall color is cut in afterward.
Handrails, spindles and trim
Painted handrails, balusters and stringers are slow work. Each spindle has several sides. Stained and varnished rails need masking if they're not being painted. Baseboard that follows the stair is cut in step by step. These details often take as long as the wall itself.
Choosing the finish
Stairwells get scuffed by shoulders and hands. A washable eggshell or satin finish on walls holds up better than flat and is easier to clean. Trim and rails get a harder enamel. See paint sheens and finishes.
Older paint on stair walls and rails
Under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in homes, childcare facilities and preschools built before 1978 must hold RRP certification, firms included, even sole proprietorships, and their workers must be trained in lead-safe work practices. Handrails and spindles are among the surfaces most rubbed by hands. If the house was built before 1978, sanding or scraping them disturbs paint that may contain lead, and the containment and cleanup add time. Ask the painter how they'll handle it on stairs, where dust can travel down to the floor below.
What moves the price
- Wall height and the access setup it needs.
- Number of times the setup must move.
- Patching and crack repair.
- Ceiling included or not.
- Painted rails and spindles.
- Keeping the stairs usable.
- Older-paint work practices.
Our interior painting page covers the steps of an interior job, and the pricing guide explains how painting prices are built.