When you’re seeking to refresh the look of your home and look above, you could notice that the ceiling is looking a little tired, so to speak, and might need a fresh coat of paint.
Though some people are unaware, a ceiling, like any other wall in your home, needs to be painted on a regular basis to maintain its appearance. After all, what is a ceiling but a wall over your head?
With that in mind, here are 7 Things To Do To Prepare For Ceiling Painting in Newtown, PA.
1. Get Rid of The Furniture
You might be asking what the furniture in the room being painted has to do with the ceiling being painted, and you’d be right.
When you’re painting the ceiling, you want as few items in your way as possible, which includes any furniture that you might trip over.
The best thing you can do is remove the furniture before you begin painting, or if that isn’t possible, move it as far to the center as possible and cover it with a drop cloth to protect it from paint splashes.
2. Select Your Paint Carefully
Not all paint is created equal, and you don’t want to use just any paint when painting your ceiling.
There are some paints specifically designed for painting ceilings; these will have advantages such as less drip, which is a plus.
Given the tendency for paint to drop downhill due to gravity, this is a positive thing.
Another thing to keep in mind when picking a ceiling paint is that you want something that won’t peel or split easily.
3. Pick a Color
Sure, you could go with plain white or even an eggshell hue, but why restrict yourself to those options when you can have your ceiling painted in almost any color you choose as long as it meets your tastes?
The only restriction on the color of your ceiling is your own personal preference; don’t let someone tell you that you can’t have a certain hue because they believe it looks ugly.
4. Get the Room Ready
The easiest method to prepare a room for painting is to consider anything in the room that you don’t want to be painted over, and then either remove or cover those items with a drop cloth.
For example, the floor should be covered with a heavier drop cloth so that when you move around and travel from place to place, you don’t accidently displace it and expose the floor to the pouring paint.
Light switch covers and electrical outlet covers, for example, can be removed and replaced with painter’s tape for the duration of the painting project.
5. Cover Flaws With a Stain-Blocking Primer
Roof leaks, overflowing sinks, cigarette smoke, and large spills can all leave unsightly stains or dinginess on the ceiling that are impossible to cover up with regular paint.
However, if you apply a coat of stain-blocking primer to the stain, your problems will be solved.
White pigmented shellac is the classic preference.
You can get coloured shellac in spray cans, but it’s usually easier to apply using a brush.
Just make sure you have some ammonia or denatured alcohol on hand to clean your brush.
If you’re painting over a yellowed ceiling caused by smoke, apply a coat of shellac to the entire ceiling before applying latex paint.
6. Sand Before Painting
Bumps and grime can stick to the ceiling over time as the layers of paint pile up.
Starting with a fast once-over sanding with 100-grit drywall sanding paper on untextured ceilings is a smart option.
This improves paint bonding and ensures a completely smooth paint job.
A sanding pole is the most convenient tool for this.
After you’ve finished sanding, wipe the dust off the ceiling using a damp sponge.
7. Get the Ceiling Ready
The final step in the painting preparation process is to prepare the ceiling.
This entails washing the ceiling thoroughly and ensuring that it is as smooth as possible before beginning the painting process, which may include a light sanding if possible to make it even smoother.
You should already have the paint on hand at this point, but if you don’t, it’s a good idea to calculate how much you’ll need before buying it so you don’t end up with too much.
If you need professional help with your interior/exterior painting project, PAINT Philadelphia can help.
Our home interior/exterior painting services are available in Newton, Holland, and Richboro, PA.
Call us today at (267)682-8377 for a FREE painting estimate.
Related: 7 Tips For Cleaning Your Ceiling in Newtown, PA
7 Tips For Painting Your Ceiling in Newtown, PA
Andrew Tomasetti is not just a painting contractor, he is the owner of Paint Philadephia; a painting company in the greater Philadephia area that services the Holland, Newtown, Churchville, Yardley, Richboro areas.
Paint Philadephia is an interior, exterior and cabinet painting company that offers their customers top-notch services and their exclusive “On Time, On Dime” guarantee. They take a holistic view to all of their paint jobs offering free color and design consults, test samples, free touch ups on all painting projects, and warranties on all of their work.
Andrew Tomasetti is both a veteran and an engineer. His passion for hands-on work comes from his father and uncle and runs deep in his veins.