Painting Paradise
Prepping to Paint
Interior Colors - Which are right for you?
Painting a Ceiling
Unless you are Michelangelo, painting a ceiling isn’t going to be a work of art. But it is necessary and relatively simple to do, if you have patience. First remove the furniture from the room to be painted and lay several drop cloths on the floor. Then get ready to vacuum the ceiling. Yes, vacuum the ceiling! If you have a textured ceiling, the dust and dirt clinging to it has to be removed before painting. If your ceiling is non-textured, just wipe it with a damp cloth.
Cut In
Paint around the perimeter of the ceiling with a paintbrush that is two inches wide. This prevents ceiling paint from getting on the walls – vital if you’re using accent colors! This is called “cutting”. If you have any light fixtures to paint around, use the same brush to cut around them as well.
To cut, apply paint on the paint brush and apply it to the ceiling edge. When you’re finished, you’ll have approximately a two-inch band around the perimeter of the ceiling. For best results, cut your ceiling twice.
Roll the Ceiling
After the second coat of cutting has dried, you’re ready to tackle the majority of your ceiling. Use a nine-inch roller affixed to a pole-length handle. You can use the standard roller short handle, but you would have to move your ladder every time you move to a new area.
Starting in a corner of the ceiling, roll paint onto the ceiling in long, even strokes. Your strokes should be three to four feet in length. Make sure you thoroughly coat the area before moving on to the next. Repeat the process until the entire ceiling is covered.
Let your first coat of paint dry thoroughly. Once dry, apply a second coat.
Painting your own ceiling will probably leave you with tired shoulders and a sore back, but it will definitely give you a sense of accomplishment.