Ceilings are probably the last thing on your mind when renovating. You might have even overlooked this part of your house unless the staining and bulging have started to show. Here are tips on how you can have a superb painting job on your ceiling.
Your ceilings deserve just as much attention as your walls because it can affect the feel of your home. The light-colored ceiling opens up any living space and makes it feel bigger. On the other hand, dark-colored ceilings make high ceilings feel more intimate and cozy. Regardless of your ceiling paint color choice, the last thing you want when you look up is those unsightly dark patches and holes on your ceilings.
Read Dress Up Your Ceiling with Paint.
Step 1: Repair or Replace?
If you’re renovating the ceiling, consult a construction professional to repair or replace them. More often than not, damaged ceilings are caused by other house problems like leaky roofs.
Step 2: Get your supplies!
Choose paint with a flat finish when painting a ceiling because it will mask the flaws and imperfections on the surface.
Wear protective clothing! It’s a must to wear a cap and safety glasses in case the paint drips.
Step 3: Prep the room.
Before anything else, you have to prep the room for painting. Move your furniture to another room. If that’s not possible, cover them with thick drop cloths or old newspaper. Don’t forget to lay drop cloths on the floor too to prevent paint drips or stains.
If you’re not painting your walls, apply painter’s tape or masking tape on the corners and edges. You can also remove light fixtures or socket covers to avoid painting on them.
Step 4: Prep the surface.
Clean the ceiling by removing cobwebs or dust particles. Then, scrape off all the loose, scaling, peeling, or flaking paint. Next, lightly sand the surface to ensure an even finish. Wipe the surface with a clean damp rag before applying primer.
If there’s mildew growth, you have to treat it first. Use a bleach solution (one-part laundry bleach to three parts water) to kill the mildew. Wait for 24 hours before wiping it off thoroughly. If you skip cleaning the surface, you run the risk of the mildew eating away the new paint film. Wait for it to dry before painting.
Skip those instructions if you replaced the whole ceiling. Just sand the surface lightly to get a smooth finish and to help the paint to adhere better on the surface. Wipe the surface with a clean rag to remove dust particles.
Step 5: Paint.
When you’re done prepping, you can start priming bare surfaces. If you have a dry wall ceiling (gypsum board or fiber cement board), you can apply Boysen Permacoat Flat B-701 on the surface. You should also use Boysen Gypsum Joint Compound B-711 putty when covering minor surface imperfections and hairline cracks. However, a wooden ceiling needs a Boysen Flatwall Enamel and Boysen Plasolux Glazing Putty B-311. On another note, metal decking requires a Boysen Red Oxide Metal Primer or a Boysen Primeguard as primer. Finally, apply the topcoat.
Boysen Topcoat for Your Ceilings
Painting ceilings: Tips and Techniques
- It’s preferable to use rollers when painting big areas like ceilings. Use a paint roller extension so you won’t strain your neck.
- Paint rollers cannot reach the edges of the ceiling so before using them, cut in with a medium-sized brush along the edge of the ceiling to get a cleaner painting job.
- Plan your approach when painting large areas like ceilings. Divide the ceiling into small sections so the wet paint will blend smoothly on the surface to avoid paint streaks
- Know where the light is coming from, then, paint against the light. This step prevents lap marks and hide shadows and waves on the ceiling.
- Ask help from a construction professional if your issue is hiding joints and preventing cracks on the surface. You can try to cover those imperfections by using the proper paint system on your own. However, the pros are more thorough with their approach. They make sure that they install the ceilings properly and get the right thickness of the wood to avoid collision between ceiling boards.
Subscribe to this blog to get painting tips and ideas from Boysen paint experts. If you need help with your painting project, don’t hesitate to talk to our technical team by calling this number (02) 363-9738 local 417 to 418 during office hours, or write an email to ask@myboysen.com.
