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How to paint a ceiling - overview.Golden rule: Always paint the ceiling before walls or woodwork.As long as you don't have a lot of furniture to clamber over, painting a ceiling is fairly straightforward. Firstly sheet up everything which is in danger of getting paint on it. No matter how careful you are, paint splashes have a way of finding exposed surfaces. Use a stepladder, preferably one with a platform to hold tools or a paint container. If you haven't got steps, a strong plastic milk or beer crate or a wooden chair should be adequate. Another golden rule, whether using proper or improvised scaffold, is NEVER to over-stretch. If you are right-handed work from right to left and vice-versa. Painting a ceiling is easier if you use a roller, unless the ceiling is very small e.g. in a cupboard or toilet, especially with artexed(textured) or wood-chipped ceilings(i.e. any ceiling with a rough patterned surface). When painting with a brush, use a large flat brush 6 to 8 inches wide. You can also use a small brush 1 to 2 inches wide to get into corners, cut along the edge of the ceiling and for cutting round the light rose and any other awkward bits. Starting in one corner on the window side of the room, paint in sections about 2ft square. See the animation lower on this page. Work across the ceiling doing a strip at a time. When using a roller it is a good idea to use one with an extension handle. Most roller handles have an open end into which you can push an old broom handle which will do the job. Using a small brush (about 2" size will do) cut in all round the edge of the ceiling and round the ceiling rose. Starting in one corner roll about a metre square and work across the room in strips the same as with a brush. If you are using a long handle on your roller it means your paint tray or scuttle(a square bucket wide enough for your roller size) can be kept 
conveniently on the floor at all times. |
Painting a ceiling - in detail.Procedure.Type 1. A plain flat ceiling with or without ornament(i.e. coving; cornice, moulded panels, decorative ceiling roses(usually the ornament witch surrounds light fittings or chandeliers). The ceiling with the most ornate cornice, frieze, roses and other ornament will almost always be a flat smooth one.The flat ceiling area should be completed first, leaving all the ornament to be carefully cut in, if done in a different color. Occasionally the ornamental parts may be so intricate that it is necessary to spray them before painting the flat ceiling area. If you are painting the  ceiling with a brush, do not cut in the whole of the ceiling edges in one go; rather do a small bit at a time. A brushed finish is generally superior to a rollered finish.Many rollers leave a faintly textured finish known as orange-peel. This is often only noticeable where the area round swithches and other obstacles has been cut in with a brush. Ideally, you would like to remove all sockets and switches and roll theses areas too but it is often not practical. The coarser the roller sleeve is, the more pronounced the orange-peel. If you are decorating a newly plastered ceiling(naturally assuming that it has completely dried out)with a roller, it is unnecessary to wait for the first coat to dry completely. If it is a large ceiling, you can go back and start second coating just as soon as you have finished the first coat; otherwise have a cup of tea between coats on a small ceiling. Type 2. A shallow(for example a small stipple or broken leather effect) textured ceiling with or without ornament. This can usually be painted in the same way as a flat ceiling but is more difficult to paint with a brush. Therefore a medium roller is recommended. Type 3. A papered ceiling. Usually this means woodchip, anaglypta or some other embossed covering. Of course it may just be plain lining paper(blankstock) or a ceiling paper or some type of wall covering. Check the ceiling carefully for damage and especially for paper that appears to be coming loose. The most likely places for the paper to come loose are at the ends of the strip and along the edges. This is because the paste dries quicker at the edges and ends, so by the time the paper-hanger fixes it to the ceiling the edges and ends may be almost dry in places. The most important thing is to ensure all loose paper is stuck down and dry before you start to paint. Often, when you apply a coat of paint to a papered ceiling bubbles will appear in the paper; don't worry as these will shrink back as the paint dries. Type 4. A deeply textured ceiling with or without ornament. For this type of ceiling a heavy duty roller is recommended; in addition a small brush will be needed for deep ornament. Alternately this type of ceiling may be best painted by airless spray-gun if available; no brushes are necessary and the work can be completed in approximately one tenth of the time.  Type 5. A wooden ceiling. Even if painted before, this ceiling must be checked for gum or resin seepage and sealed before painting. Wooden ceilings are normally grooved and the procedure is to paint in the grooves first whether you are using brush or roller. Type 6. A tiled ceiling. This is more than likely to be of polystyrene or papier-mache. This type of ceiling can normally be painted as a type 2. If you decide to remove them, polystyrene tiles can be a problem to get off. If the tile comes off easily then the adhesive is left stuck to the ceiling, which has to be carefully scraped off. When the ceiling is cleaned off, filled and prepared, the procedure is the same as a flat ceiling. Things to look out for before you start.Water stains: these will come through all normal ceiling paints if not sealed properly. You can use a proprietary stain block spray or brush application; or you can treat it with a solvent based undercoat or gloss. A 50-50 mix is best.Whitewash. Usually only found in old buildings and farms. Paint will not stick to whitewash. The whitewash must be washed off and the surface sealed. Nicotine stained. This will come through all ceiling paints. Wash off and rinse down twice with sugar-soap and warm water. A sealer may also need to be applied. Alkali seepage. Caused by salts leeking from brickwork and concrete. This is more likely in commercial buildings and outhouses. If the ceiling has been previously painted you will see large flakes of paint peeling off. In this case you have to remove ALL the existing paint before applying an alkali-resisting primer. |
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