Hallway, stairs and landing painting

Why the hall and stairs are a job of their own

The hall, stairs and landing are usually one continuous space rising two or three storeys, and they take the most knocks from bags, buggies, bikes and shoes. In many period houses in Ealing, Acton and Hanwell, the stairwell wall is the tallest in the building, with a drop to the floor below that no stepladder can safely span.

It is also the one space everyone has to pass through. Planning how the household gets up and down during the work matters as much as the painting itself.

Reaching tall stairwells safely

A stairwell is painted from a staircase platform or a tower with adjustable legs that stands level on the treads, sometimes with boards bridging to the landing. This lets the decorator reach the full height of the wall, and the ceiling above the stairs, without leaning out from a ladder.

Victorian and Edwardian houses often have stairwells that turn at a half-landing and rise to a top-floor ceiling high above the lower flight. The access equipment is part of the quote, which is why photos of the stairwell taken from the hall and from the top landing are so useful.

Spindles, banisters and handrails

Staircase woodwork is the slowest part of the job. Each spindle has four faces, and turned spindles have curves that must be sanded and brushed by hand. Handrails need a hard finish because they are touched constantly, and newel posts and strings collect scuffs.

A varnished handrail can be kept natural and re-varnished while the spindles are painted, a traditional look in period hallways. If you would like old paint stripped back to bare timber instead, say so at the quote stage: older paint layers may contain lead, which changes how they must be removed. The woodwork painting page has more on finishes for doors and trim.

Finishes that stand up to wear

• Walls: a scrubbable matt emulsion that can be wiped down without polishing up.
• Below a dado rail: a tougher finish, or a darker colour, to hide scuffs where they happen most.
• Skirting and strings: satin or eggshell trim paint, which wipes clean and resists knocks.
• Handrail: a hard-wearing satin or gloss, or a clear varnish on natural timber.

Keeping the stairs usable

Stairs can be painted without cutting off the upstairs. Walls and ceilings come first, with the stairs covered by dust sheets and non-slip protection. The woodwork is then painted in stages, such as alternate treads or one side of the balustrade at a time, so there is always a dry route up and down.

Water-based trim paints are touch-dry within hours, which keeps disruption short. It helps to find somewhere else for coats, bikes and post while the hall is being worked on; our guide to getting ready for decorators lists what else to move.

What does hallway and staircase painting cost?

Doing the hall, stairs and landing in one go is the most efficient approach, because the access equipment only has to be set up once. As an example, the hall, stairs and landing of a two-storey house typically comes to £1,530–£2,610. A third storey, painted spindles, several panelled doors off the landing and a lot of crack repair all add to that.

Add your stairwell to the Instant Quote with a couple of photos to see an indicative range; a decorator reviews it and confirms a fixed quote.