Ceilings at home
Domestic ceilings tend to show cracks along plasterboard joints, around light fittings and where old repairs were never quite flattened. These are raked out, filled and sanded before painting so they do not reappear straight through the new coat. Most home ceilings are painted in a flat matt, which hides small imperfections best. Furniture is moved to the middle of the room or out, then everything is sheeted, because ceiling work drops more spatter than walls.
Office and commercial ceilings
Office ceilings are often large and broken up by lights, vents, sprinkler heads and smoke detectors, all of which need masking. Fire alarm detectors should only be covered with the building manager’s agreement and uncovered at the end of each day. Work is usually planned out of hours or floor by floor, as ceiling painting means desks have to be cleared or covered underneath.
Spraying large ceilings
On a big, empty ceiling, airless spraying lays down an even coat much faster than rolling from a tower, and avoids roller lines that can show in raking light from windows. It does mean thorough masking of walls, windows and fittings. In furnished rooms, or on a small ceiling, a roller is often simpler.
Water and smoke stains need blocking first
A brown water mark will usually bleed straight back through ordinary emulsion, however many coats go on. The cause has to be fixed first, then the stain is sealed with a stain-blocking primer before the ceiling is painted. Smoke and nicotine staining is treated in a similar way, after washing down.
Textured and Artex ceilings
Textured ceilings can usually be repainted without changing the texture. Some older textured coatings may contain asbestos, so they should never be sanded, scraped or drilled until a suitably qualified person has tested them. We do not carry out asbestos testing. If you are thinking of removing or skimming over a textured ceiling, arrange the test first.
Suspended grid ceilings
Many offices have a grid ceiling with lift-out tiles. The metal grid can sometimes be painted, and tiles can be painted in some cases, though paint can change how they look and how they perform, so replacement may be the better option. We are happy to look at it and talk through the choices with you.
Preparing and protecting the room
Ceiling work starts with clearing as much of the room as possible. Whatever stays is grouped in the middle and covered completely, as fine spatter from a roller falls further than people expect. Floors are sheeted edge to edge, light fittings are loosened or masked, and the top of the walls is protected if they are not being painted. Cobwebs and dust come off first, and any loose or flaking areas are scraped back.
Cracks and joints that keep reappearing
Cracks along plasterboard joints, especially those running across a ceiling from wall to wall, often come back after filling because the boards move slightly. A flexible filler, or reinforcing tape over the joint before filling, can help. Long cracks that keep growing, or a ceiling that sags, should be looked at by a builder or plasterer before decorating, as they may point to a problem above.
Choosing a paint for ceilings
Flat matt white is the usual choice because it reflects light evenly and hides imperfections. Kitchens and bathrooms may benefit from a paint made for humid rooms. Some ceiling paints go on slightly tinted and dry white, which shows which areas have been covered. In offices, a contract matt is often used for large areas, while washable finishes suit kitchens and breakout spaces.
Ceilings alongside new wall colours
If the walls are changing colour, the ceiling is normally painted first so any marks at the edge are covered by the wall colour. A crisp line where wall meets ceiling makes a big difference to how finished a room looks, and it is cut in by hand even when the ceiling itself is sprayed.
Arranging ceiling work
Tell us roughly how many ceilings, whether rooms will be empty and about any stains or texture. Call Eric on 07872 324935 or use the form on this page.