If you’re in the mood for some updating around the house, don’t forget your ceiling. Many homeowners give their walls a fresh splash of color but leave the ceiling looking tired and faded.
Don’t take your ceiling for granted. It’s a big element in any room and has a huge impact on the look and feel of the space. If you’re thinking about painting a ceiling, it can be a little daunting. But there are ways to paint a ceiling that make it easier and safer.
Here are a few tips to ensure your painting project is a success:
1. Use Good Drop Cloths
Painting the ceiling can quickly turn into a messy adventure if you fail to do some preparation. Drips are a big issue when you’re painting above your head. Gravity helps those paint droppings land on your floors and your head if you’re not careful. Although there are ways to avoid unnecessary drips, some are inevitable.
Laying down good drop cloths is essential. You want to protect anything the paint could land on.
Choose a heavy drop cloth. Although these may be more expensive than some thinner varieties, it’s less expensive than replacing ruined furniture or carpeting.
2. Clear the Room
Take the time to clear the room before you start to paint. This gives you more room to work and prevents paint drippings on your home furnishings.
Moving everything out of the room is your best bet. If this is impossible, try moving items to the center of the room and covering them with a drop cloth.
Although moving everything out takes some effort, you’ll be glad you took the time to protect your valuables.
3. Think About Color
White paint always looks good. Light shades are classic and beautiful on the ceiling. But there are no color rules when it comes to painting your home.
Painting your ceiling with the right color can make a small room seem larger. A colored ceiling adds interesting contrast and can make a room with a high ceiling feel more intimate.
A darker ceiling adds definition to a large room. Jeweled tones are beautiful on the ceiling, and crown molding looks great framing an accent color.
Whether you want traditional white or a pop of color on the ceiling, consider your individual style and the look you want to achieve for the room.
4. Choose Ceiling Paint
You can use wall paint on your ceiling. But for the best result, choose a paint that’s made for ceiling applications.
You want to choose paint that dries slowly, doesn’t spatter, and has a flat finish. Flat and matte paint looks great and hides small imperfections on the ceiling.
Ceiling paint is thicker than traditional wall paint, and many times includes primer in the paint. This helps hide previous stains and watermarks and provides you with a smooth consistent finish.
5. Use a Quality Ladder
Painting a ceiling isn’t the easiest or safest home improvement task. So, if you plan to tackle it yourself, you should take some safety precautions.
One of the most important things you can do is to make sure you have a safe and secure ladder. This is especially important if you have high ceilings.
For very high ceilings, don’t take the risk. Professional painters use scaffolding and the latest painting techniques.
If safety is an issue, call a reputable painting service to do the job for you.
6. Find the Right Paint Roller
When you paint a ceiling, you want to get as much paint as possible on the surface while minimizing the chance for splatter. For this reason, choosing a quality paint roller is key.
A thick lambswool roller is a good choice for filling in grooves in the ceiling. If you need to use a telescoping handle to reach the ceiling, be sure to get the right size.
Using a handle that’s too short or long can be difficult and leave you with an uneven paint job along with a few aches and pains to contend with.
7. Paint Gently Over Textured Ceilings
Trying to Paint a textured ceiling can be a bit tricky. If the ceiling has been painted more than once, it’s probably safe to paint it again.
If it hasn’t, the water in the paint could loosen or damage the texture. This could lead to more expense for you.
Whether it’s safe to paint also depends on the quality of the texture on the ceiling. Try testing out an area in the closet or other inconspicuous spot before you begin.
If the texture loosens, you may want to spray the paint on or call a professional to handle the job. If you do roll on the paint, use gentle strokes to avoid damaging the texture.
8. Covering Flaws
Over time, rain, leaks, smoke, and other stains can ruin the look of your ceiling. These spots are hard to cover without repainting the entire ceiling.
Before you start painting your ceiling, consider using a stain-blocking primer first. This can make a huge difference and can save you some headaches as well.
For most ceilings, a white pigmented shellac looks great and completely covers water spots and other stains. For heavy smoke discoloration, you’ll need to roll the shellac over the entire ceiling.
9. Avoid Paint Freckles
Painting the ceiling can leave you covered in paint spatters. Some spatters are inevitable, but you can take measures to protect your skin and hair.
Always wear old comfortable clothes when painting. Wear an old baseball cap and safety glasses too.
Rub some lotion on your face, arms, and hands before you paint a ceiling. When you’re finished for the day, the paint washes off much easier.
10. Hire a Pro!
There’s a lot to consider before you tackle painting a ceiling. Following a few painting tips can make the job easier, safer, and more enjoyable too.
If you’re not in the mood for the messy job of painting your ceiling though, leave it to the professionals. We have the right tools and advanced techniques to make your ceiling look beautiful.
If you’re in the Austin area, we’d love to help you with all your painting needs. Schedule a free estimate today!