How to Paint Swirls on Ceilings

Texturing your own swirl ceiling takes time and patience.

Textured finishes are a popular choice for ceilings today, and swirled ceiling textures are among the most desirable of all textured finishes available. Textured ceilings are created through the application of a special mud mixture painted onto the ceiling in a special pattern. A properly textured swirl ceiling can add an attractive look to the ceiling element, without overpowering the room or distracting from the space as a whole.

Things You'll Need

• Painter's dropcloths
• Painter's tape
• Premixed joint compound
• Painter's knife or trowel
• Clean rags
• Paint roller
• Ladder
• Water

Instructions

1. Clear the room as much as possible, and remove all rugs from the room. Cover whatever you cannot remove with a dropcloth. As a final preparation, thoroughly clean your ceiling by wiping it down with a clean rag.

2. Tape the walls where they meet the ceiling with painter's tape, so that your walls are protected from spills or misses.

3. Edge around the entire ceiling in the mixed texture compound, starting with the outer corners and working your way in, using the paintbrush. Don't be concerned with smooth finishes or perfection here, since the point of adding the swirled compound is for texture and visual interest.

4. Appy the texture compound to your ceiling using your trowel knife, working as before from the outer corners inward. Create the "swirl" or "fan" shape by loading your knife with compound, then moving your knife smoothly in a swift flick of the wrist from left to right (or right to left, depending on your preference). Imagine that your hand is a windshield wiper to get the desired effect.

5. Repeat this pattern across your entire ceiling, evenly spacing the swirls as you go (approximate spacing is fine--again, don't worry about perfection). Fill the entire ceiling space with the swirl texture.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice your swirl technique before you paint, using your knife on a piece of cardboard or heavy posterboard.

References

• Wall to Wall Details: Drywall Ceiling Swirl Finish
• Interior Design Guide: Paint a Ceiling
• Remove Popcorn Ceiling: How to Texture a Ceiling