When decorating the home, ceilings often end up being neglected for two reasons. First of all, they’re far from the first things that catch the eye when entering the room. Secondly, painting the ceiling can be a uniquely challenging and infuriating experience.

Or at least, that’s how it’s viewed by most DIYers.

What Goes Up…

Why is the humble ceiling such a potential nightmare to paint? One word – gravity. The fact that what goes up must come down can make it problematic enough to paint walls and vertical surfaces in general. When attempting to paint the underside of a horizontal surface, things have a habit of getting very messy, very quickly.

Walls and Ceilings

In turn, ceilings are often left to their own devices and go untouched for years on end. In others, the job is rushed or brushed over to such an extent that the resulting finish is hardly spectacular. A shame, given that a well-painted ceiling really can have a positive impact on the entire room.

So with this in mind, what follows is a brief overview of just a few helpful tips and tricks, which could help you achieve a better result and retain your sanity at the same time:

Patch and repair only where necessary

First of all, you need to ask yourself exactly how meticulous you need to be when it comes to patches and repairs. On one hand, you’re definitely going to want to fix any enormous holes or rough spots. On the other, it probably isn’t worth getting too meticulous with the minor flaws nobody is going to notice anyway. As a rule of thumb, if you didn’t notice it prior to climbing a ladder and sticking your nose on it, chances are nobody else is going to, either. So there’s really no need to make the job even harder than it already is.

Avoid painting when it is hot and humid

The viscosity of paint is affected by heat and humidity. If you prefer to avoid unnecessary mess therefore, it’s worth timing your painting jobs for when it’s relatively cool and dry. The hotter or more humid it is, the easier it becomes for paint to drip from the ceiling and end up exactly where you don’t want it to be. So do yourself a favor and wait for an appropriate juncture to get started.

Use a fan

Along with keeping you cool while going about the job, positioning an oscillating fan somewhere in the room can help circulate fresh air about the place. Something that can help the paint dry significantly quicker, while at the same time helping disperse unpleasant fumes and odors. A simple yet effective tip that really can make an enormous difference.

Use small, light-weight foam rollers

It’s natural to assume that using bigger and heavier rollers will ensure the fastest possible results. Unfortunately, attempting to apply too much paint all at once will almost always make the job more difficult than it needs to be. For one thing, handling a heavy roller laden with paint is guaranteed to take its toll on your strength and energy levels pretty quick. In addition, larger rollers have a nasty habit of tripping and splattering all over the place. So don’t fall into the trap of thinking larger rollers are always better.

One small section at a time

Likewise, it can be tempting to at least attempt to blitz the entire ceiling in one go. At least in a physical sense, it could be a realistic possibility. Nevertheless, you’ll make such a mess in the process and have to apply so many additional touch-ups that it simply isn’t worth the risk. Instead, the best thing to do is focus on one small section at a time, before moving on to the next. Just be sure to do it in a strategic and regimented manner, in order not to confuse yourself as to where you’ve painted and where still needs your attention.

Use high-quality paint

Last but not least, there are two reasons why high-quality paint is mandatory for ceilings. Firstly, the higher the quality of the paint, the more easily it will go on. Faster, better and more even coverage with minimal drips and mess. Secondly, the higher the quality of the paint, the longer it will be before you have to go through this entire painful process once again. Cut corners on paint quality to save pennies if you like, but you’ll soon regret doing so when you’re back up the ladder for round two!

For more information on anything to do with home painting or to arrange an obligation-free quotation, get in touch with the Homm CPS customer service team today.