Is your ceiling looking a little dingy? If you’ve decided to paint it there are ways to make it easier! All Painting & Restoration has prepared a quick guide with lots of helpful tips.
Tips for Paining a Ceiling
– Use a stain-blocking primer to cover flaws. Leaky roofs, sinks that overflow, smoke or spills can all leave stains behind that regular paint won’t be able to cover. Cover these stains with a coat of stain-blocking primer so the paint will cover them easily. You can get the primer in a spray can or just brush it on.
– Sand before you paint. As layers of paint buildup on the ceiling so will bumps and crud. Sanding it prior to painting will make the paint bond better and gives a smooth finish. For an untextured ceiling it’s a good idea to use a pole and sand it with 100-grit drywall sanding paper. Use a damp sponge when you’re done to remove all the dust.
– Cut in before rolling. Doing this will ensure better coverage of brush marks with the roller. Do this is sections and alternate with rolling. This will help the paint blend better because sections won’t be dry by the time you get to them, plus it’s less boring.
– Roll in both directions. To get a smooth finish, make sure the paint along the edge doesn’t dry before you roll the next section. Try and work in 5 or 6-foot square sections. The best coverage will come when you reroll each section at a right angle to the first direction you rolled. This is called “keeping a wet edge” and will avoid lap marks.
– Buy the right paint. Use paint that is formulated for ceilings. This paint won’t splatter and has a long open time which means it dries slower and is flat rather than glossy.
– Use a thick, premium cover. This is a good tip for all paint projects but more for ceilings. To get as much paint on the ceiling as you can in the shortest amount of time and to minimize splatter you need to use a ½-in.-nap lambswool cover. They cost more but are easy to clean and will last a log tome if you take care of them.
– Roll onto textured ceilings gently. Textured ceilings can be difficult to paint. If they have been previously painted it will be pretty simple but if it hasn’t been painted then you may have the water in the paint getting the texture loose and cause it to fall off. Test in a closet first to see what will happen. Spraying the ceiling may be easier than rolling but if that’s not an option then be gentle and don’t overwork the paint.
Feather paint out to avoid lap marks. It’s impossible to paint large areas in continuous strokes so to avoid lap marks make sure you feather out the paint along the edges that you can’t keep wet. When you create the thinner, feather coats of paint you can avoid lap marks.
Painting Services in Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside, Gilbert, Fountain Hills, Greer, Springville, Eagar, McNary, Alpine, Heber/Overgaard, Payson, Snowflake/Taylor & White Mountains Area of Arizona
Don’t be afraid to add a little color to the paint. Color can make a small room feel bigger, or a room with a high ceiling seem cozy; not to mention it’s more fun! Contact All Painting & Restoration with any paining questions you have.
