RenovateKC

We have some pretty serious scaffolding erected to help paint the house, especially considering that it is a small one-story bungalow. How did we end up with this monster scaffold, what makes it so posh, and where is our sense of adventure? Shouldn't we just use a tall ladder, after all? All these questions, and more, answered below:

How did we get it?

It's good to have a handy family. The two sections planted in our side yard were in storage at the family business, we just needed to supply new planks. The scaffolding looks big up against our small house, but it's just the perfect heigh for reaching up to the very peak of the roof, and I am glad we have it. Had we not found these two sections lying around, we would have gladly rented the equipment from Home Depot for a very reasonable sum. They can rent scaffolding on a monthly term when necessary, and I believe it would be less than $200 for a month.

What makes it so posh?

See how there are four planks at each level, plus two planks leading up to the upper level, plus a (not so sturdy) 2x4 "guard rail"? Subtract the guard rail, the two intermediate planks, and two planks from each level, and then we'd have a standard scaffold setup. (Click the picture for a larger image.) That's actually what we had after the first evening, but that's where things get a little interesting. Dad and I set up the scaffold without issues, and then Kate arrived on the scene. She said things looked good, and Dad broke into some facts and figures about job site safety. He teaches the OSHA class for his union, and he had no trouble telling us that falls and falling tools are two of the leading causes of death on the job. We even got a personal anecdote: his first foreman was killed on the job after falling only 4 feet on to some rather pointy equipment. Kate was now convinced that the standard scaffolding was a death wish waiting to come true, and I was left wondering if she really wanted me to rent a scissor lift. That would be ridiculous, I thought. Fortunately, after some extra planks and wire made the scaffold more novice friendly, she gave her blessing for work to continue. I haven't seen her climb to the top yet, but she has been on the middle level.

Where is our sense of adventure?

Isn't renovating a house that contains a small assortment of hazardous materials enough adventure for right now?

Why Not a Ladder?

Several reasons:

• The scaffolding is free in our case.
• We don't own a tall enough ladder, although we did budget for one.
• The Silent Paint Remover is tough to wield from a high ladder. Remember, don't be cheap, get the handsfree device.

Be safe, or at least pretend to be safe. "I told you so" never sounds nice, but I suspect it stings a little extra after sustaining a fall.