Height is the hidden cost
A stairwell or a two-storey entry hall might hold only a few walls, but they're among the hardest interior surfaces to reach. The floor below isn't flat, the ceiling may be far overhead, and furniture and railings get in the way. Much of the price of this job is the time spent setting up safe staging, moving it, and taking it down. Here's what drives the cost. We don't quote prices; every stairwell is built differently.
Reaching the walls
Painters use a mix of equipment on stairs:
- Adjustable or multi-position ladders that can stand level on two different steps;
- Planks spanning from a step to a landing or between ladders;
- Small scaffold towers with leveling legs for open entries;
- Extension poles for rolling high walls from below.
Each setup protects the stairs and walls from damage and keeps the painter stable. Ask how they'll reach the highest point, and how they'll protect stair treads, carpet runners and the handrail.
The ceiling and what hangs from it
Stairwell and entry ceilings are often the tallest in the house. Chandeliers and pendant lights may need to be removed or protected; smoke detectors must be masked and replaced exactly. Ceiling cracks along drywall seams are common in tall spaces and need taping or flexible filler before paint. Ceilings usually get a flat finish to hide imperfections.
Walls that take a beating
Stairwell walls get scuffed by hands, bags, laundry baskets and furniture moving up and down. Before painting, the painter will usually:
- wash off hand marks and grime, especially along the handrail line;
- fill dents and dings from furniture;
- re-tape or re-mud any cracked corners;
- spot-prime repairs so they don't flash through.
Our drywall repair and surface preparation guide explains why patches need priming.
Choosing a finish that can be cleaned
Because these walls are touched so often, many people choose an eggshell or satin finish that can be wiped. Higher sheens show every flaw on a long, tall wall lit from above or from a window, so it's a balance. Our sheens guide walks through the trade-offs. A color change from dark to light, or the reverse, may need extra coats, and on a tall wall each extra coat means more time on the staging.
Rails, balusters and trim
If the handrail, balusters, newel post and stringers are being painted, expect that to be priced separately. Balusters are slow: each one is brushed on every side, and there may be dozens. Clear-finished rails being changed to paint need cleaning, sanding and a bonding primer. Ask whether the stair trim is in the proposal.
Drying with the heat on
NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals for the Vallejo station give 2,092.7 heating degree days and 867.6 cooling degree days in an average year. Heating degree days measure how much heating a normal year calls for, so interior painting often happens with the heat running. Warm, dry indoor air helps paint dry, but a heater vent blowing across a fresh wall can dry its edges first and leave lap marks. Ask the painter to manage vents and airflow while the stairwell dries, and to keep the stairs usable, or plan another route, while the paint sets.
The C-33 classification
California's Contractors State License Board issues a C-33 Painting and Decorating Contractor classification. If you'd like to know whether your painter holds it, ask; that's the one credential question this page suggests.
Questions for the walk-through
- How will you reach the highest wall and ceiling?
- How will the stairs, carpet and rail be protected?
- What wall and ceiling repairs are included?
- Which finish do you suggest for walls that are touched so much?
- Is the stair trim included, and how is it priced?
- How long will the stairs be out of use?
See our interior painting page and pricing guide for more.