Painting a ceiling

[Stuberry]

Does anyone have any tips for painting a ceiling?

Particularly, is there a good way to see where you've been and the bits you missed?

[Eggbert]

Paint helps

[Eggbert]

Sorry but I'm on the beers son

[Hayley_Trim]

Roland has painted all the ceilings upstairs in our house now. At least twice. It's not easy. Roller and good quality paint seems to be the way forward. Paint pads were not clever. A bright halogen floodlight helps to show where you have been. Systematic lines doing a half overlap each time was the general approach.

[Neil C.]

Some companies like Dulux make a magic pink marker paint. I've tried it and it did actually work. When you paint it on it's pale pink, so you can see where you've been. When it dries it goes pure white. Use a roller on the end of a broom handle, but don't overload it or you'll end up with paint all over the walls and floor (and you).

[Graham Bridle]

Get someone else to do it, GB top tip.

[phil_kirk]

Having also painted a few ceilings recently I would support the systematic approach.  If like me you need a stool or a ladder to reach the ceiling you can ensure that you cover the whole thing by systematically moving the ladder around the room.   You usually need to do a second coat so the probability is that most areas will get 2 coats and some bits may get one.

You never generally look at ceilings closely unless you are painting them so i wouldn't worry too much.

[Hayley_Trim]

You never generally look at ceilings closely unless you are painting them so i wouldn't worry too much.

Although Stu (or his guest(s)) might plan to spend some considerable time lying on their back - and you'd hate to get distracted by a badly painted ceiling

[ross_burkin]

Might be to late, but wear a hat.

[simon_jones]

Stu, why paint when you can have mirrors?

[Stuberry]

Thanks for all your helpful suggestions, and you too Ben.

So the paintings done, well the ceiling and walls in all the downstairs, up the stairs and on the landing. Quite a job, 3 days work from morning to night.

I looked at the magic paint that goes from pink to white, but they didn't do it in the "right" white. Any budding chemists, do you know the additive, something that's pink when wet and colourless when dry, yet is soluble won't effect the properties of the paint?

I went with a system of filling the roller and painting a strip, then spreading that out by rolling perpendicular to the 1st strip. Then re-filling and painting another strip overlapping the previous and spreading again. And repeat and repeat and repeat... I have still ended up with patches! Can I just cover those bits or do I need to do the whole ceiling again?

[BenR]

It is usually a halochrome pigment that reacts with oxygen or carbon dioxide to turn white. The actual additive is probably an industry secret.