How to paint Ceilings

Step 1: Ceiling Preparation

Move furniture and use a drop sheet to cover the floor.Remove any light fittings. If they can’t be removed, mask or cover them.

Stains such a grease, oil, smoke, dirt and dust will affect paint adhesion – so even if your ceiling is new or looks clean, wash it to ensure a perfect finish.Wash the surface using Sugar Soap, following the instructions on the packaging.To cover and block certain stains, use British Paints PREP 4in1 before applying the topcoat.

For plaster surfaces, a standard interior flexible filler is recommended for hairline cracks or holes and larger gaps.A gap sealant should be used for gaps around the cornice.Use a fine sand paper to remove any remaining filler.

Protect yourself with safety glasses and a dust mask.Apart from bare plasterboard, almost every surface must be sanded before painting.Small areas can be hand sanded but a pole sander will help save time. Always dust after standing.Don’t push too hard when sanding, let the grit do the work.

For previously painted surfaces, apply two top coats.Begin by cutting in on one side of the room. If the room has a window, start on that side.

Paint your ceiling first, then walls and then trim.

Always use a ladder when brushing and a pole when rolling.
Try and keep a wet edge as you go so a hard line doesn’t form where the paint overlaps.Roll on the paint in 1 metre bands, working parallel to the wall you cut in first.Don’t stand under the roller when painting ceilings. Any spatter will hit the drop sheet and not you.
Each time you finish a 1-2 metre section you need to lay off your paint. Do this by rolling the roller, without loading it up with paint, from one corner of the ceiling to the next in one stroke.
Then continue along the length of the painted ceiling taking care to slightly overlap so you don’t cause streaks.
Allow at least two hours drying time before applying a second coat.
Save time by getting one person to cut in while the other roles.