Working Safely Over a Bathtub

This vintage tub is super cool , and period-appropriate to this 1926 home in the Woodland Heights neighborhood of Houston . But if you need to get wallpaper on the walls around and above it, it’s really tricky . A ladder won’t fit in the tub , nor straddle it, and might damage it as well.
So I keep this handy piece of plywood in my van . It’s a standard 2’x4′ size, and 1/2″ thick. That’s thick enough to distribute and hold my weight, but still light enough that I can carry it into homes and up staircases .
It’s been sanded and then primed with white KILZ , to look a little nicer bringing into my clients’ homes, and also to reduce the chance of it leaving a mark on surfaces .
The board is a perfect size for placing over various types of bathtubs or other items – as long as their top is flat. Note that I have cushioning and non-slip material between the board and the tub.
In this case, I’m also using a one-step Rubbermaid step stool to boost my height.
This might look a little scary, but it’s all actually very safe . I just need to be sure that my weight is distributed over the tub, and not over that unsupported section on the right.
The stool does add a little more interest to the balancing act. But it’s all doable and safe if you just pay attention to your weight and movements. It did help that this family gave me plenty of peace and quiet while I was working .

Don’t Do This When OSHA Is Looking

The ceilings in this powder room were about 10′ high, and it was difficult for me to reach the areas high up over the 20″ deep vanity top. So I got a little creative.

Usually, the 5 gallon bucket is high enough. But today I had to add a sturdy box on top.

There was enough room on the vanity top to hold the bucket securely, without toppling over the edge or into the sink.

Note that I used this get-up for balance only, and only placed one foot on it. The other foot stayed safely planted on the ladder. I never set my full weight on the contraption.

I like to put non-slip material under the bucket, but found that it was leaving marks on countertops, so hence the bucket on the bare granite.

Tall Walls and Awkward Spaces

This home office in a new, contemporary home in the Sunset Terrace / West University neighborhood of Houston has walls that were nearly 11′ high. In addition, there were bookcases and desks that I had to lean over in order to reach much of the wallspace.

My solution was to bring my 6′ ladder in addition to my usual 5′ ladder. By placing the shorter ladder on top of the desk counter, I was able get close enough and high enough to do the wall behind the desk.

I’m not quite 100lbs, so my weight and its distribution on the counter was not a worry.

To reach the area over the bookcases to the left, I had to do a combination of balancing on the 5′ ladder, and stepping onto the very top of the 6′ ladder, then leaning precariously, and placing a foot onto the shelves – without putting too much weight, because they were not securely attached.

You can be sure that I had to keep mindful of my center of gravity, how close the ladder was to the edge of that counter, how far I had to reach, how much backward torque that placed on the ladder, how stable the ladder was on its surface, and a whole lot more – all while also concentrating on getting the paper straight, trimmed, and smooth on the wall.

Accessing Walls Over a Bathtub

When I have to hang wallpaper in areas over “garden bathtubs” or similar, it can be difficult to reach the walls safely. I don’t want to fall, and I don’t want to scratch or damage the homeowner’s tub.

So I use this piece of plywood to cover the tub. The 2’x4′ size is sufficient to bridge most all tubs. And the 3/8″ thickness is enough to hold my weight (not quite 100lbs) and distribute it across the span of the board / tub. And it’s still light enough that I can carry it easily back and forth to my work truck.

I coated it with KILZ Original primer, so it looks better, and so it won’t leave marks on the homeowner’s tub or tile.

It’s hard to see, but I have placed some blue textured shelf-liner between the board and the tub/tile. This will cushion the weight and prevent scratches to the homeowner’s tub and tile. And it’s non-slip, so it makes the arrangement safe for me to climb up and move around on.

With my ladder on top of the plywood, I can easily and safely reach the walls over the tile.

While working, it is important to be aware of my weight distribution, and to not put my weight, nor the ladder’s legs, over that part of the board that is hanging over the tub.