The average homeowner is capable of painting her ceiling.
A well-painted ceiling highlights a room's decor and presents the space in an attractive way. Although some homeowners might feel intimidated by the task of painting their ceilings, this feeling is unwarranted. Giving your ceiling a fresh, more colorful appearance is well within the abilities of the average person. Knowing a few rules and tips for painting a ceiling makes the process proceed more comfortably.
Color
Paint colors can draw or turn away the eye of the viewer and create a mood or emotion. For instance, painting your ceiling with a light color entices the eye, while darker colors turn a person's attention back to other parts of the room. In addition, the size of the room affects how color is perceived. For example, brown paint might dominate a room with a low ceiling, but work well for room with a high ceiling.
Special
Although you can use the same paint on your ceiling that you use on your walls, some manufacturers make paints formulated especially for ceilings. Ceiling paint, which is thicker than typical wall paint, covers imperfections such as stains and marks better than other types of paint. Paints formulated for ceilings are not as durable as wall paints and should never be used on walls. Ceiling paint often performs better than wall paint on previously painted ceilings.
Using a Partner
Painting a ceiling with a partner makes the job much easier than doing it alone. One person, called the outliner, should paint the areas where the wall and ceiling meet, while the other person follows with a roller and paints the main portion of the surface. The person with the roller should follow the outliner as soon as she can. The roller should avoid allowing any paint the outliner has applied to dry before the roller applies his coat of paint, since this will result in lap marks.
Technique
The roller should start painting from the corner outward parallel with the longest wall and work in 3 or 4 foot sections, according to Dummies.com. When the roller reaches the end of the ceiling, he should go back to the opposite wall and repeat the process. Try to avoid using a ladder to roll on paint, which requires that you move the ladder constantly as you work. Apply the paint with a roller attached to an extension pole instead.
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