Most of us don’t really know exactly the correct process for painting a ceiling.  We will admit we have jumped in with little or no plan on how to accomplish this task.  And the results were less than stellar.  We ended up with a lot of paint all over the place and the paint we were able to get on the ceiling didn’t actually look that great.  It was a lot of effort put forth for less than anticipated results.  So we wanted to chat with a professional painter to see what kind of tips or tricks they could give us.  Let’s discover together what Painters Enterprise told us on this subject.

We have to make sure, before starting this project, that you have done all your prep work for the area.  Not taking care of this important step will result in a real mess.  It may seem like a pain to do all of this but, trust us, just do it.  Get everything off the walls.  Roll back any floor coverings or rugs.  If you can, move them out of the area completely to avoid paint damaging them.  Move out any furnishing that can be placed elsewhere temporarily.  Move what needs to remain in the space into the centre and cover everything with a plastic drop cloth.  Again, this is meant to avoid damage from spills.  If you are concerned about the flooring, you can also put a drop cloth down to protect that as well.

Now, you will have to grab your painters tap and tape off the room.  Tape off all the ceiling’s corners and any light fixtures or ceiling fixtures as well.  Make sure you press down to firmly apply the painters tape so that paint does not bleed through underneath. 

Once you are satisfied that all necessary corners etc. have been taped off well, you can move into the actual painting.  Just like with any wall you are painting, you will “cut in” the ceiling space.  Use an angled edge brush to get in around the corners.  Then you can grab your roller and being to apply the paint to the interior of the ceiling.  When you are rolling the paint with the roller, first apply paint to the roller but don’t overcoat it.  This will cause paint to drip down or splatter.  Be generous with loading the roller, however, because you don’t want to have to stop and reload it during the same pass over with the roller.  This will help keep the paint evenly applied.  Once you have the first coat applied, let it dry and then you can apply the second coat.

Once the second coat has dried, you can begin to remove the painter’s tape.  Pull the tape off in one direction, avoiding getting any paint on the walls. It should come off clean and, if you have done a good job in taping it, there should not be any paint that has bled through onto the wall.

Now you can move everything back into place.  Roll back the carpet or floor covering, arrange the furniture the way you want it, and rehang or add new artwork to your walls. 

We asked Painters Enterprise what the trickiest part of all of this, because it really isn’t that hard actually.  They said that most people run into issues with not properly prepping the room to start.  They often try to work around furnishings or don’t think they need to put the drop cloth down.  This causes more spills and paint damage than you would get if you just did the prep correctly to start.

Also, pay attention to the taping you are applying.  Make sure it is adhering correctly.  If not, take it off and try another piece. 

It isn’t easy for some to paint overhead.  There can be some aches and strains for some people.  Using a ladder can be difficult to maneuver around.  And extension poles can be awkward to handle for some. 

If you think this task is going to be difficult for you because of your room size or maybe your physical condition, you can always hire a professional painter to take care of it.  And know that in the end, you will get professional results.