Home Improvement DIY

Painting the ceiling is probably one of the most awkward jobs when painting a room.  Drops of paint will fall onto your face and the floor, the angle you have to work at is uncomfortable and you may need to balance on top of a ladder.  Even the lighting can be different.  To make matters worse, ceilings are often texture coated too.  So how can you overcome these problems to get a good looking paint job?

Paint Selection - First of all you need to make sure you have the best type of paint as they come in various types.  The broadest categories of paint are oil and latex.  Then there is the type of finish – high gloss and matt are the two main types.

But choosing paint for your ceiling can be more complex than that.  There are specialist paints used for certain types of ceilings such as texture coated or acoustic tile.  Acoustic tiles are often used for rooms which are used for listening to music or watching films.

Textured Stucco-Like Ceilings - For ceilings with stucco-like plaster you won’t be able to use a brush or roller because the texture will crumble off.  Therefore the only option you have is to spray.  For this process you’ll need good ventilation and skill.  Sprayers may look easy to use but they take some practice.  If the paint is at the wrong consistency then the sprayer will either clog up or spay out a watery paint.

Do You Need Primer?  If you are painting on a new surface then a primer is essential otherwise you would need a lot more top coats.  The primer can help hide discolorations that can show through regular paint.  Additionally it’ll help give a good surface so that the layers of paint adhere.  Thus reducing drips.

How to Reduce Dripping Paint – Make sure that the paint is the perfect consistency.  You can easily test this by painting a bit on a vertical surface.  If then paint runs then you’ll know that if it was applied to the ceiling you’d end up with drips.

Don’t work your roller too fast otherwise paint will splatter around the room.  For tall ceilings a roller with an extension pole will make your work much easier and prevent neck strain.  Also, don’t over-load the roller with paint.

If you have the pole extended out at a slight angle you will find this more comfortable and you’ll be able to avoid paint splattering all over you.  Just make sure you don’t have the pole extended too far out as it will feel much heavier to use.

Luckily most ceiling are fairly pain-free as they have a smooth surface and not many fixtures.  Most ceilings won’t require too many strokes of the roller.

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