Painting a ceiling is never fun. However, it is essential to give a room a new look if you are renovating, if you are refreshing the colour of the walls or after water damage that has left stains on the ceiling. It would therefore be a shame to skip this step, but also to botch it: because if a spotless ceiling brings a nice luminosity to the room, unsightly traces or drips inevitably attract the eye and give a neglected look to the whole.
To succeed in painting a ceiling with ease, it is necessary to be well-prepared. Indeed, the preparation phase of the room is essential. Then you need to protect your furniture and the room. Also, make the right choice of paint. Here are all our tips!
Prepare the surface to be painted
Before painting the ceiling, you must protect and clear the room where the operation will take place. This means removing all furniture and protecting objects that cannot be removed (while covering them with plastic sheeting). Thus, your interior will not be stained by the paint.
But it’s not just the furniture that needs to be protected; your floor, as well as your mouldings, fireplace and radiators, should also be protected from paint stains. If you don’t have enough tarp, then use newspaper or cardboard.
Cleaning the ceiling to be painted
The goal is to have a smooth, streak-free ceiling so that the paint can easily blend into the surface to be painted. To do this, dust must be removed so that it cannot mix with the paint. To do the cleaning, simply use a damp sponge or brush. Wait until the ceiling is completely dry before proceeding to the next step.
In case there are still imperfections, then you will have to fill them with a special filler. It is the same with the cracks. Then use very fine sandpaper for sanding the area after applying the filler.
Apply a first coat (base coat)
This step is not mandatory, but it is still highly recommended. It gives a much better result. Indeed, the paint is not always absorbed in the same way. You’ve probably already noticed this if you’ve done any painting before.
Sometimes the brush slips easily on smooth areas and full in areas with very porous materials. In this case, it is necessary to apply a primer. Thus, the result will be more regular. It also makes the work easier.
Making the right choice of paint
Before choosing, you should know that there are two types of paint:
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- The one of poor quality, but less expensive: and therefore not suitable for your ceiling
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- The one is of very good quality.
To know which one to choose, you should focus on paints that are easy to apply, that limit traces, and avoid drips.
Choosing between glycerol and acrylic paints
You should focus on your choice between glycerin paint and acrylic paint. But to know which one to choose, it is important to know their characteristics. The first one can be cleaned and is very resistant. However, its application is quite difficult. In addition, it contains some toxic solvents.
The second is not washable, but it is still easy to apply. So choose the one that meets your needs, knowing that acrylic paint cannot be applied over a glycerol primer.
Choosing between satin and matte paint
The choice between matte and a satin paint depends mainly on your surface. However, you should know that a matte finish allows you to hide any defects. On the other hand, a satin finish is the most suitable if you want to paint in a wet space.
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