Things are Looking Up, So Make Sure Those Ceilings Look Great!

NOTE: if your home was built in the 1970s or earlier, it is wise to research the safety precautions required when dealing with lead paint. You can find more information here.

A fresh coat or two of paint on a room’s ceiling can dramatically freshen or update a room. Ceiling paint can dull over time, or you may see the ghosting of your rafters on ceilings. Ghosting is often the result of gas or wood fireplaces and stoves, candles, and high humidity levels in the home. As time passes, a permanent stain that follows the paths of the ceiling joists often becomes evident.

Preparing to paint your ceilings requires four primary things:

1. Choosing the right paint and primer and securing the needed supplies
2. Prepping the room for the project
3. Prepping the ceiling for paint
4. Painting

1. Choosing the right paint and primer and securing the needed supplies

If your ceiling has any former water damage or cracks or other damage has been repaired, it will be necessary to prime those areas before applying the first coat of paint.

Benjamin Moore offers exceptional premium interior primers. Their Fresh Start line of primers is available in acrylic or alkyd formulas which deliver superior adhesion, holdouts, and stain suppression and create the foundation for smooth, premium topcoats. They also offer other specialty primers that may serve your specific project needs. Your Cardinal Home Center Benjamin Moore experts can guide you toward choosing the right choice and amount for your projects.

There are several options when considering the best Benjamin Moore paint for your ceiling projects.

The Benjamin Moore Aura series provides the best in color depth and richness performance, featuring their excluding Color Lock® technology. The Aura series is also available in a specialty formula specifically designed for high-humidity environments such as bathrooms and wet areas. The Aura Bath and Spa Paint has a luxurious matte finish and is available in unique colors.

Budget-conscious painters will be happy to know that Benjamin Moore’s ben® Interior Paint is user-friendly for flawless results and puts premium color within reach.

A visit with one of the three Cardinal Home Centers paint centers’ experts will help you identify the ideal Benjamin Moore selection for your project.

Get the right tools for the job! Cardinal Home Centers offers a comprehensive selection of top-quality and budget-focused brushes, rollers, paint sprayers, masking tapes and tools, tarps, extension poles, ladders, and so much more. Our experienced and caring team will help you choose the right tools for your job and answer any questions.

2. Prepping the room for the project

Now that you have your paint and tools, it’s time to get this project rolling (or brushing or spraying).

Painting a ceiling requires the understanding that, much like birds in flight above your head, painting above furniture and flooring runs the genuine risk that messes will happen.

First, remove as much furniture from the room as possible. Any remaining pieces move to the center of the room and cover with a tarp. Have a drop cloth available to place against the wall and cover the floor below the areas you are painting.

You will want to use bright project lights, especially ceiling ones. Having a well-lit view of the project will assist in finding existing issues that need attention and problems you may create as you paint the ceiling.

3. Prepping the ceiling for painting

Note: if you have any cracks or uneven spots, they need to be repaired first. If they are small, they can be an easy homeowner project. If they are large and more than you want to take on, contractors often have specialized sanders with vacuums attached to take on this project and may be worth the investment.

You will want to mask off the walls from the ceiling to create a crisp edge. Equipped with two ladders, someone assists you in running a straight line of 3M tape along the top edge of the wall. Press it for complete adhesion when the tape is precisely along the edge. Move along the entire length of the tape to ensure it is securely against the wall so the paint doesn’t seep behind.

You will want to begin with priming any areas where you have had water damage repaired. Follow the specific directions on the can of primer you are using. Typically, you will apply the primer with a roller covering the repaired areas and then feather the primer out in diminishing strokes around the perimeter of the repair to minimize visibility after the paint is applied.

4. Painting

In most cases, you want to begin a ceiling around the edges. With your masking in place and firmly adhered to the walls along their lengths, you will use a quality brush to paint a 3 to 4-inch wide edge around the entire ceiling. Be sure not to apply too much paint with each coat and use long and smooth strokes. Use as many coats as recommended on the can to cover the previous color completely.

Once all coats of edging have been applied, paint the remainder of the ceiling with a roller or sprayer. Using an extension pole with your roller makes the job more manageable. Work in consistent directions, careful not to apply too much paint with each coat. It’s better to use too little paint and apply additional coats than applying too thick of a coat of paint.

Quick Tip: Between coats of paint, you can use a latex roller locker or wrap it in a length of Press’n Seal Wrap; you can wrap your brushes and cover your roller pan with the wrap too.

When your edges are completely dry, 12 to 24 hours, it’s time to remove your masking tape. Remove it slowly and straight over itself, to ensure it doesn’t pull any wall paint.

Final Inspection

Before calling your project complete and putting all of your supplies away, and pulling away the tarps, it’s time for your final inspection. Equipped with your project light, survey all parts of your project, and look for areas where the color isn’t completely covering your previous color, inconsistent thicknesses, and other imperfections. In many cases, using the paint already on your roller will be adequate for correcting areas requiring attention. Use long diminishing strokes to avoid making edges where the touch-ups were made.

Quality painting requires patience and consistency. Combining this with quality Benjamin Moore paints and the right tools and equipment will make the project a great success lasting many years.

Happy Painting! If you need help or advice, feel free to stop by any of our locations.