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Top 10 ceiling paint tips

Top 10 ceiling paint tips

Wanting to paint your own ceiling but don’t know how where to start, what colour to choose or how to do it? Below are a couple of handy paint tips when painting your ceiling.

  1. Prepare the room
    Remove all the curtains, light fixtures and light furniture from the room. Heavier furniture can be moved towards the center of the room and cover it with high quality drop cloths like canvas or paper based plastic.
  2. Prepare the surface
    Inspect the ceiling for cracks, dents and loose plaster. For smaller cracks use suitable fine filler and for larger holes and cracks use suitable strong filler. Try and leave a smooth finish when filling by filling it slightly proud of the surrounding area and sand down with sandpaper until level. If the ceiling and walls have water stains you will have to brush a primer or stain blocker on it first.
  3. The ceiling height
    If your ceiling is low, use a colour that is one or two shades lighter than the walls to create height. In contrast if your ceiling is high use a colour that is darker than the walls to congest the height between the furniture and ceiling.
  4. The colour paint
    The most preferred colour paint for a ceiling is white. Although this is a good colour paint for a ceiling think carefully before making a final decision. There are many different hues of whites from a warm tone to a blue tone. Choose a hue that compliments the colour paint of your walls, your furniture and accessories by bringing a colour swatch to your home first before your purchase the ceiling paint. You don’t have to paint it wait, as long as the ceiling paint colour compliments the content of the room. It is an easy way to bring excitement to the room!
  5. Create contrast
    People tend to paint the ceiling and crown modeling the same colour, white which tends to make the ceiling seem lower.  Instead accentuate the trim’s architectural detail by painting the ceiling a different colour complimentary to the rest of the room.
  6.  Cut-in before you start painting
    Cutting in refers to the areas that cannot be reached with a paint roller and needs to be painted with a paintbrush before you apply the paint with the roller. When you start rolling, you should roll to the cut-in edge and overlap slightly.
  7. Use a paint roller
    Use a paint roller with a long extension handle to paint the ceiling. It is easier, less time consuming and saves you from standing on a ladder all the time allowing for a more steady paint endeavor. Be sure to squeeze out the excess paint so you don’t waste any paint.
  8. The number of paint coats
    If you are using a primer you only need to give the ceiling one coat of paint, but if you are not using a primer; paint two coats and let the first coat dry before applying the second coat. If you don’t let it dry your paint will start peeling and flaking. 
  9. Paint in sections
    Work in small sections, by painting a “W” across your section. Start at the right edge and work your way across the ceiling. Go back over the paint working your way easily across the section.
  10. Are you painting walls and the ceiling simultaneously?
    If you intend to paint the walls and the ceiling the same colour it is easy but if you are painting them different colours use painters tape where the ceiling meets the wall to prevent the ceiling and wall paint from blending with one another. But if you are painting them the same colour start with the ceiling and paint downwards. Make sure you remove or cover light fixtures, pictures etc.

Now that you are fully armed and informed on how to paint a ceiling you can contact Warrior Paints to assist you in choosing the best colour paint for your ceiling that compliments your room height, wall colour and furniture.

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