How to Paint a Ceiling & Skimcoat It

Paint is an affordable and effective means of decorating a home. If you are trying to incorporate color in a room, painting the walls and ceiling is a great place to start. Painting the ceiling may seem intimidating. However, once you learn the techniques, you will see that it is not a difficult project. Learn how to paint a ceiling and skimcoat it to produce attractive and professional results in your home.

Things You'll Need

• Flat ceiling paint
• 2-inch wide sash brush
• Paint roller frame
• Paint roller cover (longer ceiling nap)
• Extension handle
• Paint tray
• Tray liner
• Ladder
• Drop cloths
• Portable fan
• Vanilla extract (optional)
• Stir sticks
• Water
• Liquid soap
• Rags and paper towels

Instructions

1. Determine how much paint you will need to paint your ceiling and purchase the paint. Generally, 1 gallon of paint will cover 400 square feet of surface area.

2. Cover the entire floor area with drop cloths.

3. Open a window and turn on a portable fan to keep the room ventilated while you are painting.

4. Open the paint can(s) and stir the paint with the stir stick. Place the tray liner in the paint tray and pour paint into the paint tray.

5. Position the step ladder at a corner of the room and climb up several steps so that you can comfortably reach the ceiling. Do not climb higher than the second step from the top of the ladder to be safe.

6. Begin to paint around the perimeter of the ceiling with the sash brush. Load the brush with approximately 1/2-inch of paint and carefully paint a 2-inch border around the edge of the ceiling. Reposition the ladder as needed and paint around the entire perimeter of the ceiling with the sash brush.

7. Place the paint roller cover onto the paint roller frame. Attach the extension handle onto the paint roller. Extend the extension handle to the necessary length to reach the ceiling. Load the roller by rolling it in back and forth in the paint tray.

8. Begin painting the ceiling with the roller in a corner of the ceiling. Make "W" motions with the paint roller, applying the paint in one 4-foot area at a time. When you have completed one 4-foot area, move to the next area and apply the paint in the same fashion. Blend the working areas together while the paint is still wet.

9. Skimcoat the ceiling when half of the ceiling has been painted. Roll the paint roller across the entire ceiling with very light pressure to smooth out the paint on the ceiling and remove any excess paint.

10. Paint the second half of the ceiling in the same fashion and skimcoat the second half of the ceiling after you have applied the paint.

11. Allow the paint to dry for approximately 4 hours. Apply a second coat of paint in the same fashion, if desired.

12. Clean your tools and supplies with water and liquid soap. Store any leftover paint in a sealed container.

Tips & Warnings

• Stir several drops of vanilla extract to the paint before applying it to the ceiling to help neutralize paint odors.

• Be very careful when climbing step ladders. Never climb higher than the recommended step.