Tips for Painting Ceilings

Painting ceilings. We know it’s everyone's least favourite thing to do. At Concordia Painting we are here to help you get them right. With the proper techniques you can make painting ceilings easier and achieve a good finish. 

Preparation

Many people don’t take the time to prepare the room. But when you are looking up trying to just get the job done, nothing is more frustrating than bumping into something or not being able to get at the right angle. Worse is when you splatter paint on your heirloom desk or upholstered bed frame.  

The first step is to remove everything from the room. If you are not able to then try to move the furniture away from the wall but give yourself room to be able to move between the items left behind. 

Next, make sure you cover and protect everything. When you are painting the ceiling, paint will drip and splatter as you roll no matter how careful you are. Cover the floor and make sure whatever you use will not be a tripping hazard. If you have furniture left in the room, make sure to cover the top surfaces of those as well. 

Products

On a ceiling you want to use a matte paint. A matte paint will absorb light and hide any issues with the ceiling. They do make ceiling paint that you can just pick up. This is typically white but you can get it tinted if needed. 

Repairing

Make sure to repair any dents or damage to the ceiling. For most dents or scratches they are small enough that you can use spackling. Smooth it over the dent and then wait for it to dry. Once it is fully dry you can sand it with a fine grit sandpaper until smooth. 

Painting

The easiest way to paint the ceiling is to paint it before you do the walls. It is much easier to touch up the walls than it is to touch up the ceiling after it has been painted. You do have two options to cut in. The first, you can use an angled brush to cut a straight line on the edges and corners and then feather it out so it covers the first 2 inches of the perimeter. This will take a little more time and expertise but is important to do if you don’t want to get any ceiling paint on the walls. The second is quicker, easier, and will offer a smoother finish with a mini roller. If you get a 4-inch mini roller and attach it to the end of a regular painter's pole, you can get the roller right into the edge of the ceiling and cut in that way. The one thing to be aware of with this is that you will have to be careful to also smooth out the paint that will get on the first inch of the top of the wall from the edge of your roller. Typically this is not a huge issue as long as you don’t load up the end of your roller. 

Once you have cut in the edge of your ceiling, it’s time to roll the rest of it. Many people will roll in front of them to slightly behind them, however this is harder to control and incredibly hard on your back. Instead stand with your feet slightly apart and roll from left to right and right to left. This is easier on your back and will give you more control over your roller. Take it section by section.

Repeat the process for your second coat. You may need to do another coat if there was paint you are trying to cover up on the ceiling or damage. 

If you’re struggling with a ceiling, or have a more complex ceiling job, contact Concordia Painting. We are here to take care of the headache for you and leave you with a flawless finish. We use professional quality paint and tools. Contact us today for a quote and to get more information.