How to Paint Cove Ceilings

Tape off molding and trim, if applicable, with painter's tape.

Paint around the edges of the cove that meet the ceiling with a quality paintbrush. This is called "cutting in," and you must be careful not to brush over the taped trim, if possible, to prevent paint from leaking beneath the tape. Some cove ceilings feature no additional trim, and if this is the case, you may skip to Step 3.

Paint the ceiling and large curved sides with a paint roller. Start at the middle of the ceiling and roll outward to the four edges. When you reach the cove, roll from the top to the bottom of the cove, instead of rolling horizontally. Use only enough pressure to keep the roller on the ceiling; too much pressure can leave edge roller marks.

Roll right up to brushed-in edges. The paintbrush leaves a slightly different texture than the roller does, so roll over as much of the brushed-on paint as possible, without touching any edge trim.

Paint cove moldings last. If the details in the molding are simple, you can paint them by hand with a small paintbrush. If the moldings are large or elaborate or if they include deep detailing, you'll get better results if you spray the moldings with an airless spray gun.

Tape off the just-painted portion of the ceiling with painter's tape that comes with an attached, plastic drop cloth. Spread out the plastic over the ceiling and tape it in place, covering the ceiling.

Use a paint spray gun to spray a very thin coat of paint or enamel on the exposed cove molding. Let the paint dry and spray on one or more additional thin coats as desired.