Ever paint your ceiling?

[Anonymous]

The living room in our house has a putty-colored ceiling, which I'd like to make white. I'd rather not hire a painter, but I'm wondering how much of a pain in the a$$ it is to paint a ceiling. Any advice?

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's really hard, as long as you are a good prep person. You can get a roller on an extended handle, and they usually have a cover that helps prevent drips. Don't go cheap on paint, either. Definitely tape the walls if you aren't painting them the same color, and make sure you have a waterproof tarp to lay over a good sized area below where you are working. But honestly the quality of paint has improved significantly over the years, and I find it doesn't spatter anywhere near as bad as it did when I was first out on my own and painting.

[Anonymous]

Have you ever painted before? If not then it will be a pain in the but because you are just learning. If you are an experienced painter, DIY it is not a hassle. I have never just painted ceiling no walls. Usually paint ceiling first, walls second, trim third.

[Anonymous]

I'm in the process of painting a hallway area/laundry room and kitchen. I finished the bathroom a few months ago. Really the hardest part is cleaning the ceiling because the more you wipe the muddier and dirtier you realize it is. Once you get it clean enough to paint, it's not so bad. Not a picnic, but not the most horrid experience of my life. (Though to be fair the rooms are fairly small and it's taken me since last summer and I'm still not done. Procrastinater...)

[Anonymous]

painting a ceiling requires major arm strength. I once did a bathroom ceiling and it brought me to tears even with an extended handle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:painting a ceiling requires major arm strength. I once did a bathroom ceiling and it brought me to tears even with an extended handle.

Agreed. Plus, your neck hurts like hec for days afterwards. I don't know how Michaelango painted the Sistene Chapel. It took me three weeks to do the hallway ceiling (and it's not a long hallway).

[Anonymous]

Painting is the easiest task that one can do with no experience because if you get a little paint somewhere it's easy to fix. So go buy some good rollers (ask the people at the paint store or home depot or whereever) and get some painters plastic...comes in a huge long roll and just unfold it over your furniture and carpets (I'd group all the furniture into the center of the room and then cover it) and then go to town. You'll have to tape off the walls so the white doesn't get onto the walls but it's super easy. Buy and edger (they are like 3 or 4 bucks and that'll make doing the edges easy and fast). My husband and I always do all our painting. Good luck. PS. We've never cleaned our ceilings before painting them...just painted two coats.

[Anonymous]

Buy ceiling white paint. It is formulated to control glare.

[Anonymous]

It will look so much better and brighten up the room so much!

[Anonymous]

Agree with 22:29. I re-painted my living room ceiling, which had become dirty over many years from the fireplace, dust, etc. The extent to which it brightened up the room made up for all sore muscles.

With all painting jobs, the time is spent on the prep and the edges. The rolling part in the middle is just fun and easy. Agree with PPs who say to not cheap out - thick coats and high-quality paint important.