Painting over fragile roof (House) - need advice please

tommytee

Howdy all,
looking for advice on how best to paint the white over the polycarbonate roof,
I would not be comfortable putting sheeting down on roof and trying to distribute my weight (14st :mad: of it), plus its sloped and that brings in more problems,
The walls from left to right are 18.5 ft apart and would be ideal if I could get something that could span this width,
No side entrance so limited with access.



any ideas ?

thanks
Tommytee

doubtfir3

The only thing I can think of is a ladder.. if you have two lengths you could put them side by side and then lay a thicker board across them for a safer work platform.

The general suggestion would of course be a cherrypicker, but with no access its out!

Maybe a roller with an extending long pole reach would work? A problem for cutting in or course!

my3cents

Is there anyway that the polycarbonate roof panels will slide out easily?

Jimmy_M

Awkward one alright
Its a bit on the dangerous side. But Can you stand out on those window sills? Might be a squeeze but looks like you could get out either of the windows. to paint the bits between the 2 windows with a poll and roller - might get a bit of cutting in done there too.
Can you also stand on that wall on the right to do the other side of the drain pipe - left doesnt look too bad but most of it could be got from the window?.

tommytee

ladders> could do that, i have a set but they not long enough, will chk with local plant hire...
how long could to timber planks come in? I have flat roof to left side and (neighbours to right) so I can up and over stuff on that easily enough,
roller is definitely out as I want to remove all the old flaky stuff first and I'll have to get up close and scrape off :mad:

remove panels> I could try and remove panels and then go with ladders- just hope they go back in easily enough.

Jimmy_M

Thinking right out of the box - You (or someone into that kind of thing) could ab-sail from the chimney

Cerco

If you cannot remove some of the roof panels then I would think a scaffold would be the solution.

endacl

I'm sure you could rig some sort of scaff supports out through the windows, leaning on the sills? Then lay your work surface across those?

After Hours answer: Use a small child to do the painting. Tie a rope around his/her ankle so he/she doesn't slide off the roof. Send them out the window.

tommytee

sugarman wrote: »

Would you not just get a ladder and get yourself up onto the side walls and use an extendable arm and a roller / tray? Something like below.

nope, because I need to scrape off all loose paint and do it right
i think i'll be taking off a couple panels and running ladder upwards

red sean

Unlikely you'll get a ladder 20+ft long in one piece which is what you need to go across that gap.
Very tricky one. Looks to me the only safe route is remove a panel or two in the conservatory. (Not sure how difficult that is)
Let us know what you decide!

my3cents

One obvious answer is if the conservatory roof wont support your weight is to make a frame work up underneath the roof that will support the roof so it will take your weight. Acrow props are an obvious choice but not idea as they are awkward and heavy.

I'd start with scaffolding type plank thats long enough to cover the 5 roof beams and support it under the beams on the inside of the conservatory with a timber, acrow props or two small scaffolding towers. Once thats in place you can put a couple of planks across the roof beams close to the roof to walk on.

The only problem will be stopping the planks sliding down the roof so you might want to put some wood working clamps on the glazing bars to act as stops.

5T3PH3N

I wouldn't try to remove the panels, what if you have to seal them on top when you put them back in, you will need to get up on them to do that.

You could rent 2 scaffold towers and set both up in line with each window, get them level with the sill. Then buy 4 6x3's (2 4.8mtr and 2 5.4mtr) and set the 4.8m from each scaffold tower to each sill, then the the 5.4 6x3's could be lifted onto the scaff tower and rolled out to the correct position, about 1 foot away from the house and then ply them out.
Downside is that the part of the sill that the 6x3 is sitting on can't be painted.
About €100 for the 6x3's and whatever your local hire place charges for scaffolding.
6x3's could be treated and used for raised beds or something like that in the garden. All depends on whether you can get 5.4 lengths through the house.

Could also buy 2 5.4mtr 6x3's and 1 4.8mtr 6x3, cut the 4.8 in half and splice it onto the 5.4 mtr using bolts and roll them into position on the walls, and again ply them out. Cost is about 100, add around €20 if you need them delivered.

Whichever way you go, make sure you put down old bed sheets/curtains etc below you before the scraping starts.

tommytee

thanks lads some good suggestions there,

@5T3PH3N does your 2nd way mean no scaffold needed? would two decent bolts suffice in each pair? and I guess have the joint on one pair on the left side and the remaining pair have its joint on the right side, seems this way would be cheap and also as I would be renting scaffold it could run into a few days hire know our ****ty weather

splice like this OK ?
But they would be rotated 90deg from the way shown in the pic - so bolts would be vertical when in situ???

tom

Dozer Dave

Hire out superboard staging, anything else will only result in a trip to the a&e.

ifah

Open both windows
8' scaffold planks from wall into each window (level either window or wall so planks are level) - make as wide an angle as possible - double up on the boards also
Scaffold planks between the space (at least 3 boards wide to build a platform)
Ensure it is all braced together (screw / nail ...)
If you leave a space out from wall you should be able to get access to full wall

wait4me

ifah wrote: »

Open both windows
8' scaffold planks from wall into each window

It looks as if the only the top of the windows open......

Jimmy_M

Yes looks like the top only opens to me. but it got me thinking...
Whats the depth of the conservatory?
Could you screw/clamp a fillet to the window sills to make the windowsill level so that you can run a board or 3 off it to a tower in the back garden or (more preferably) the walls either side (although it doesnt look like the sills are quite level with the walls)

Its a shorter span than the 18 ft across.

ifah

wait4me wrote: »

It looks as if the only the top of the windows open......

yeah - sorry - thought they were casement windows.

just run into the window sill then - just make sure to level it out - or just nail a 2" batten to bottom of plank parallel to the window and use that to level it across its width on the window sill.
You need to be extra sure of the bracing to avoid slippage.

Dozer Dave

Can you still buy sky hooks as they would work well here also.