How To Paint High Wall? Best Technique For Every Tall Wall [2023]

Several steps are required to paint a high wall. You have to prepare the support, protect the part, apply the undercoat or fixer, prepare the paint and then apply it. Starting with the recapping and then applying it with a roller. To know how to paint high wall like a pro, follow the tips and steps in this tutorial.

Any surface to be painted must be sound, that is to say, it must not be damp, crumbly, or dusty. The wall should be clean, and if possible, free from all defects. Proceed as follows to prepare the substrate and the site as a whole:

1. Empty The Room Of Furniture

• Before you begin, take the furniture out of the room and if you have bulky furniture.

• Place it in the middle of the room and cover it with a tarp.

2. Protect The Floor

• Layout a protective tarpaulin on the floor that you hang with masking tape along the baseboards.

3. Fill The Holes

• Use filler plaster then smoothing plaster for finishing in the holes and other imperfections in the wall. 

• Sand with a sanding block between the two filler applications and for the finish.

4. Mask Off Areas That Are Not To Be Painted

• Apply masking tape to baseboards, doors, windows, electrical ducts, etc.

5. Disassemble The Accessories That Are Not To Be Painted

• Remove the covers from sockets, switches, remove or protect curtain rods, wall lights, wall shelves, etc.

6. Check All The Material

• Check that your roller is in good condition.
• That you will have enough paint. 
• Also, check if you have a mask, a painter’s suit if you do not have old clothes, etc.

Normally, if you have applied an undercoat, the application tools are available. Clean them before using them to paint the first coat.

1. Prepare The Roller

• Start preparing the roller, the rabbit’s foot, and the recoating brush.

• You can wash your roller to remove the remaining fibers from the production.

• It is important to wring it out well otherwise the remaining water will run on the wall.

• Alternatively, run a roll of tape over your roll to remove loose fibers. 

• Ditto for the recoating brush, it must be flexible, clean, and not lose its hairs.

2. Prepare The Paint

• Open your can of paint, and stir vigorously to the bottom of the pot with a spatula or a mixer installed on a drill. 

• The heaviest pigments fall to the bottom of the pot.

• A mixture allows to homogenize the paint well.

1. Clear Corners

• Go over corners, around electrical outlets, and all hard-to-reach places with your recoating brush and then with a rabbit’s foot or roller.

2. Paint The Darkest Wall First

• If you haven’t chosen the same color for all the walls in the room, finish with the darkest wall so that the dark paint covers the corner overhangs of the darker paint. 

3. Make Your Retrofit

• First, make your retract as close to the ceiling.

• If the angles are not right, do not try to reproduce the error but rather compensate by pulling straight with the rabbit’s foot and without following the fault.

• Continue with the trim on the sides of the walls but this time do not use the rabbit’s foot after the brush.

• Be at height to see the completed spray.

The quality of the final rendering is the combination of good preparation of the support. The application of the paint in the rules of the art, and of good quality products (paint and application tools).

1. The Removal Of An Underlay

It is not essential on all substrates, however, it is strongly recommended on the vast majority of them. The application of an undercoat allows to:

• Block the bottom or stabilize porous support;

• Reduce paint consumption because firstly, the base is blocked and secondly, the undercoat covers the support with a homogeneous and opaque white.

• Optimally reveal the color of the paint applied since the support is a homogeneous white, the conditions of application and color rendering are optimal;

• Facilitate the application of paint because the adhesion is better.

2. Prepare The Support

• It must be clean, free of dust, without roughness and not wet. 

• Depending on the condition, the application of a filler and then a smoothing compound as well as sanding or ginning are necessary.

3. Protect Surfaces Not To Be Painted

• Stick masking tape on baseboards, ducts, woodwork, and other surfaces that are not to be painted.

4. Make The Rechampi

• Apply the undercoat in the corners and other difficult accesses with a recapping brush and/or a rabbit’s foot. 

5. Apply The Undercoat

• Apply the undercoat with a roller, making vertical passes starting from the middle, then from the top to the bottom, and side to side.

6. Allow Drying

• Allow the necessary time to dry before the first coat of paint.

Painting high walls require knowing how to handle the roller! With today’s paints and handy tools, everyone should be able to paint easily. Even if you feel dizzy to climb the ladder to repaint the top of your wall, there is a magical prop called a telescopic pole.

There are also small telescopic rollers that allow you to wait for the few inches lost with your arms outstretched. With your feet firmly on the ground, put a brush or roller at the end of your pole and you’re good to go!

So, this was all from our side on how to paint high walls. Share your DIY experiences in the comments.

Travis Martins

Travis is a painter by profession. His valuable painting tips help customers know how to do painting hassle-free. He is an expert in handling painting tools and loves sharing his experiences with customers. Travis has been in the painting business for the past 20 years. He is now on the verge of early retirement, passing on the secrets.