We’re Australia’s experts in Spider Lift technology

How on Earth are you going paint that? With a spider lift of course!   

We’re often asked how are going to reach into all the little crevices of a complex multi-storey building when we turn up to quote.

The answer is – with our spider lifts.

Spider lifts are revolutionising the construction industry in a variety of ways.

Offering unprecedented access to work areas, they allow for greater precision and efficiency when working in hard-to-reach or hazardous areas.

Grant Painters has one of the largest fleets of commercial painting spider lifts in Australia.

We’re the country’s experts in this technology, which is why we’re known throughout the industry as The Spider Lift Crew.

In this article, we’ll explore what we mean by a spider lift and its advantages over other, traditional forms of boom lifts including cherry pickers. We also discuss why they’re ideal for the refurbishment of multi-storey buildings, especially in areas of high public access and vehicular movement such as resorts and shopping centres.

On this page:

• What is a spider lift?
• How wide is a spider lift?
• What are the advantages of spider lifts over abseiling when it comes to painting multi-storey buildings?
• What are the advantages of spider lifts over scaffolding?
• What industries use spider lifts?
• How much noise do spider lifts make?
• How high can a spider lift go?
• Are there different types of spider lifts?
• How much do they weigh?
• Spider lift fast facts

What is a spider lift?

A spider lift is one of the most versatile of all elevated work platforms (EWPs), enabling people to work safely at heights. The operator works from a “bucket” at the end of a telescoping boom, which is mounted on wheel tracks and stabilised by four individually-controlled “legs”.

Unlike other EWPs such as cherry pickers, spider lifts can typically fit though narrow spaces such as small gates and even doorways. Often used in place of costly and time-consuming scaffolding, another major advantage is their stability on sloping ground.

They can also be dismantled quickly and stored away inconspicuously on site each day, which is extremely beneficial when working in public and high-traffic areas.

Spider lifts are providing the construction industry with greater flexibility and convenience, while ensuring safety and cost savings – which is why Grant Painters has helped pioneer their use in the commercial painting industry in Australia.

How wide is a spider lift?

People can hardly believe it when we tell them that a spider lift can fit through door openings.

Believe it or not however, the base of a spider lift is barely wider than a lawnmower – as you can see in the video above!

The images below meanwhile capture the versatility of one of the babies in our fleet –  a Gold Wing spider – highlighting its ability to squeeze past a narrow pathway before extending up and outwards over trees and shrubbery to enable the painting of an apartment building on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Versatility plus: From negotiating narrow walkways to clearing objects such as trees and build-outs, spider lifts have been a gamechanger for commercial painters.

Spider lifts also come into their own when painting interiors of buildings with expansive atriums including office blocks, cathedrals and even cinemas.

Check out these photos from the interior of a former church we painted in Mackay, Queensland.

Through the front door: No more need for scaffolding.

Perfect fit: At work inside a former church.

What are the advantages of spider lifts over abseiling when it comes to painting multi-storey buildings?

Spider lifts offer several advantages over abseiling.

One of the main advantages is that they provide more stability for workers undertaking tasks at heights.

Secondly, because the operator is working out of “bucket” they can carry a full complement of tools and equipment. A painter for instance can take several pots of paint, a roller tray, masking equipment, as well as a variety of rollers, attachments, brushes, sandpaper, sealants and so on.

For the same reason, they’re also a perfect option for various clients on our maintenance programs. The platform allows for thorough exterior washing to remove contaminants from walls to extend the life of the paint.

Spider lifts also provide better visibility for workers, allowing them to see their surroundings more clearly.

Additionally, spider lifts can be used in cramped or narrow spaces. Finally, spider lifts are often more cost effective than abseiling, as they require fewer personnel, equipment, and time to complete a job.

What are the advantages of spider lifts over scaffolding?

Sloping terrain … Unlike scaffolding, spider lifts handle this sort of territory with ease.

For one, spider lifts are more versatile and can be used in a wider range of locations and environments, such as sloping terrain.

They are much more manoeuvrable and can access difficult-to-reach areas more easily than scaffolding. They also require less set up time and can be quickly repositioned without the need for dismantling, making them ideal for tight deadlines.

In areas of high visibility and public access, they can also be a better option. Because  they can be dismantled in minutes, as opposed to hours, they can be stored away on site at the end of each day.

For places like resorts, this can be a huge advantage. Guests don’t have to put up with unsightly scaffolding. Additionally, there’s no possibility of unauthorised people climbing up onto an elevated structure in the event of the site being unsupervised.

What industries use spider lifts?

When access is an issue … Grant Painters were called into remove curtains as part of a cinema refurb in Adelaide.

Spider lifts are often used in multiple industries, including construction and painting, landscaping, electrical, telecommunications, arboriculture, window cleaning, and more.

They are useful for reaching difficult-to-access areas and can be used to complete a variety of tasks, such as installing lighting and signage, trimming trees, and cleaning windows.

Spider lifts are also used often in the entertainment industry, where they can be used to hang lights, speakers, and other equipment.

Because of our expertise in using spider lifts in indoor settings, Grant Painters was called in to remove indoor cinema curtains as part of an interior paint refurb, above.

Note how the spider lift has been carefully set up on the carpet – without causing any damage.

How high can a spider lift go?

Our biggest spider lift, the Celo 350, extends to approximately 33 metres high (or about 12 storeys).

The “baby” of our fleet – the Hinowa Lightlift – is less than 80cm wide, but can reach 14 metres high (around four storeys) at full extension.

Are there different types of spider lifts?

Yes. And at Grant Painters we have a spider lift to cover just about any situation.

The booms (the telescopic shafts) come in different configurations – from “straight stick” to “knuckle”.

A knuckle boom allows the bucket to pivot horizontally, which is ideal when painting roofs or manoeuvring in between buildings.