Are you accident prone or overly cautious and just a little bit intimidated by the prospect of painting your own home? Maybe you are painting a single room or maybe you are painting the entire exterior. Whatever you may be doing, you can take steps to ensure that there are few to no accidents and that you are kept safe while you are painting your home.
We have some tips that even the painting experts use to help them avoid accidents and ensure that they get the work done in a timely manner. A few of these may slow you down a little bit from the pace you may be used to painting at, but they will prevent slips, falls and other accidents that can slow you down even more.
Use a Small Bucket
We can’t stress enough how important it is to use small tools that are easy to handle, especially if you are going to be up on a ladder. At some point, you will likely want to paint something that is farther up than you can reach. Even a roller brush may not be able to paint ceilings or high up on the outside of your house.
You may need to stand on a ladder to get where you need to paint. When you do that, be sure to use a small bucket. This will prevent you from carrying something so heavy that you end up dropping it or knocking yourself down while trying to move it. The best size of bucket to use is something that can rest comfortably and stably on the ladder that you can carry in one hand without being overburdened and that can be transported up and down a ladder safely.
Stabilize the Ladder
When you use a ladder, be sure that it is kept stable. That may mean that you need to prepare the surface you are setting the ladder on. Or you may need to lean it against the house. It’s always best to place it on a flat, stable surface, and putting it in the grass is usually a bad idea. It can also help to have people hold the ladder and stabilize it for you, especially when you are stepping off it or stepping back onto it.
When you set up the ladder, be sure you test it by trying it shake it gently to see if it rocks. Then just keep adjusting it until you find a place that is stable and that makes your goal accessible. You don’t want to have to reach too far from the ladder to paint, so be sure to put it nice and close to where you will be painting.
Work with a Buddy
You should not paint alone, especially if you will be using a ladder or a stool. You need someone near by who can help you if you do have an accident and who can watch out for you and point out potential hazards.