An Interior Painter's Checklist for Getting Ceiling Painting Right
Ask an interior painter the most challenging part of their job, and you can be sure painting the ceiling will be the response. It is, indeed quite the challenge, and not just because the ceiling is hard to reach.
So, how does a professional interior painter ensure they get it right? Here are among the top best practices experts employ with ceiling painting jobs.
Using Top-Quality Paint
While the final choice of paint comes down to preferences and budget, an interior painter can advise you on the best options. You can never go wrong with premier-quality, ceiling-specific paint, which dries relatively slowly and doesn't splatter as much as other types of paint.
Again, you can look forward to the best results with products that have a flat finish in latex, or matte finish. Such are not as reflective, like paints with a glossy finish, which can be quite detracting. The exception to this is the kitchen and bathroom areas where a semi-gloss finish would do quite well.
Using the Right Tools for Paint Application
Rollers do not require extensive preparation and give a great first coat, as it covers stains better. The interior painter will also waste less product while using rollers. On the other hand, sprayers do require extensive preparation but are perfect for fast application. Sprayers also waste more product but are better for applying paint in the nooks and crannies.
An interior painter will consider several factors when choosing the paint application tool to use for the job. Is your ceiling stained? How much product do you have? How quickly do you need the painting job completed?
Proper Surface Preparation
As with the walls, surface preparation is crucial to ensuring you get the best results. An expert interior painter will do most of this prep work, except for repairing severe damages; in which case, you may have to call in a professional who specialises in drywall repair.
For less significant repairs, the painter will use a small knife to plaster over the cracks and holes. After drying, the painter will sandpaper the spot to make it smooth. Your interior painter will sand the grit away and scrape off any flakes before cleaning the ceiling. Cleaning helps the paint to adhere better. The painter will also use strong cleaning agents to remove stains which would otherwise look really bad if they seep through the paint layers.
Looking at what it takes to do a good ceiling painting job, you can now appreciate why it is always the best option to hire a professional interior painter instead of doing the job yourself.