Painting a ceiling requires just as much love as the four other walls. Wanna make sure you do the best job? Here are 6 tips to ensure your ceiling looks pristine.
The ceiling is essentially the ‘5th wall’ in a room, so you need to focus on painting it as you would any other wall in your home. Not sure how to do the best job? Here’s how you can tackle the job when painting a ceiling.
1. Prep The Room
Doing any renovation work means doing prep work first, and this is no exception. You’ll need to do some work first before you can even begin painting a ceiling.
Firstly, remove as much furniture as you can before working on the ceiling, as this will avoid any paint damage to it. If you can’t remove the furniture, place drop cloths over it securely. Then, you’ll need to remove any dust or grime that’s clinging to the ceiling, as paint can’t adhere properly otherwise.
Check for any cracks or holes in the ceiling. Fill these in with caulk or spackle, so you can get an even finish when you paint. Finally, remove any fixtures such as lights by shutting off the power and placing them in plastic bags.
2. Cover The Floors
You may have already covered furniture, but you’ll also need to cover floors to protect them from paint. Overlap the cloths where they meet to ensure they get maximum protection. Tape the cloths to the baseboards with painter’s tape to keep them in place.
Don’t forget the windows and doors, too. If you won’t be repainting them either, then cover them with cloths and painter’s tape as needed.
3. Tape The Tops Of Your Walls
This is a step you’ll need to take if you’re not going to be painting your walls. Mask the tops of your walls or crown molding with painter’s tape, as that will keep paint marks off your walls. Go for a 2-inch tape, as that should be enough protection.
If you are going to paint the walls, then you won’t need to do this step. However, you should be sure to do the ceiling first and work your way down the room.
4. Prime The Ceiling
To get the best result with your painting, you should prime the ceiling first. A good primer gives you an excellent surface to work with and improves the finished result. Use a latex paint primer, as this helps hide any stains on the ceiling. If you have a deeper texture, then you’ll want to go with a high-build primer.
Before you get started priming the ceiling, use that primer to cut all the corners and edges. That will help cover any spots that you miss and give an even finish.
5. Start Painting In Sections
Once that primer is dry, you need to start painting a ceiling in sections. The best way to do this is with a roller. It gives even results and is easier on you. Work in areas of around 3 to 5 square inches, as that keeps the edges wet and allows you to see your progress.
If you have any drips or splatters, then you’ll need to wiper them quickly with a damp rag.
6. Add A Second Coat If Needed
In some cases, you’ll need a second coat of paint on the ceiling. For example, if you need a brighter shade of white, then a second coat will be required. Make sure the first coat is dry before you do this.
Once that coat is applied, you’re ready to start tidying up the room. Firstly, carry your paint trays and rollers to a garage sink, and wash them with clean water and soap. Squeeze out all the paint and allow them to dry. Then, remove any painter’s tape once the paint is dry to the touch, and reattach the light fixtures once the ceiling is dry.
Why Hire An Expert for Painting a Ceiling?
As you can see, if you spend a little time and care, then you can easily start painting a ceiling. However, there are lots of homeowners who choose to have an expert take care of it instead. Why is it that this is the preferred option of so many? There are lots of upsides to hiring a professional.
Save time: One of the best reasons to hire a professional is to save you time. There’s no denying that it takes a lot of time and effort to get the job done here. What with moving all the furniture, taping and covering everything, and then finally painting, it’s going to take a while. Who wants to spend their precious free time handling all that? It’s worth the money to have someone else take care of it.
They have the best tools: If you don’t have any painting tools already, you’ll have to go out and get some before you can start painting. They need to be of good quality too, as you want to get a good finish. That’s a lot of extra costs, and that’s even before you start buying paint. Using a professional means that you can get someone who has all the best tools already at their disposal and knows how to use them.
A professional job: If you’re someone who doesn’t do a lot of DIY, it can be difficult to get a good result when painting a ceiling by yourself. The best results come with practice, and that’s something that the experts have in spades. When you hire them, they’ll ensure that your ceiling looks perfect once they’re done with it. They can deal with any tricky situations, too, such as getting a good paint job on a popcorn ceiling. That’s worth the money.
Conclusion
Now you know how to paint your ceiling, step by step. If you have the time to get it done yourself, it’s a rewarding job. If you don’t want to handle it, though, you can reap the rewards of hiring professional painters to handle it for you. Whatever you decide, you’ll have a ceiling that helps the rest of the room pop.