How To Paint A Ceiling

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  • Author Tim Lee
  • Published April 20, 2007
  • Word count 585

Painting ceilings can be very overwhelming especially if you've never done it before. It can be very interesting and fun. All you need to do is prepare for it and know and understand well what you have to do. Here are some tips on painting ceilings.

Before starting anything, you should know first what color to use. Know your basic color scheme. The color of your ceiling should compliment the color of your floor and walls. If you want a harmonious, unbroken look in the room, you could use the same color for the walls and ceiling. Imagine how your color will match to your furniture or furnishing.

Low ceilings sometimes give an oppressive feeling, while a high ceiling can give an airy and light feeling because of the large space. If you have a low ceiling but want to have it heightened, you could try a very pale color to make it recede, like the shades of sky blue. Use also a different but lighter color than what is used on the walls.

Usually, white is the color commonly used in painting ceilings. The main reason for this is because it reflects light very well and it goes with everything. But for a change, try to go beyond white. Choose another shade that will go with your decor and the rest of the room.

Contrary to the tradition, white can actually make a ceiling look more distant in rooms with lofty, high ceilings and lower with those who have low ceilings. If you have ceilings higher than eight feet, have a shade or two that are darker than the wall color. If it is eight feet high or lower, use shade or two that are lighter than your walls. This can add coziness to high-ceilinged rooms and give an illusion of space to rooms with low ceilings.

Before painting, make sure you cover your walls with a drop cloth. Remove also the curtains and pictures on your walls; surely you don't want them to be wasted. Remove also your furniture so you can have a clear access to the room in all points.

If you are about to paint the ceiling, start from the corner farthest from the door. Use a trim brush to apply paint on the ceiling edges along with the wall-ceiling edge. Try to finish the painting of ceiling in each room plane in one painting session. This is because if you allow sections of the ceiling to dry at different times, this may cause visible lap marks.

It will be simpler and easier to use a roller when painting a ceiling than using a large brush. If you have a low ceiling, you can just use a handler extender so that you won't need a ladder.

If your ceilings are textured, though it will take more time, be sure to have the area well covered. You can use a thick nap roller to ensure that you cover all the bumps and irregularities.

Most ceilings don't line up with the walls perfectly, this can make the paint-lines uneven especially if the ceiling color is different from the wall. If you have problem like this, use your wall-color paint to paint the strip along the ceiling where it meets the wall to conceal imperfection. This strip of wall-color paint will give an illusion that your walls and ceilings are line-up straight.

With these tips, definitely you will have a great ceiling in your room. Remember to enjoy and have fun while painting.

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