How to Paint a Ceiling With Drywall Mud

Clear the room of all furniture. This prevents accidental drips of joint compound onto the furniture.

Mix the drywall joint compound with water inside a bucket according to the instructions on the package. Using a mixer attachment on a drill to mix the joint compound saves time and effort.

Climb a ladder and use the straight-edged float to quickly skim the joint compound onto the ceiling. Cover a section about three feet by three feet so the texture can be applied before the mud dries. Drywall mud dries quickly. At room temperature (72 degrees Fahrenheit), a section that size will dry in about 20 minutes. If you think you can't complete the texture within that amount of time, work on a smaller area.

Run an old paintbrush or other texturing tool over the wet drywall mud to create texture. You can use your fingers to make interesting curves in the texture. Do this promptly, because once the mud dries, you can't change the texture without removing the dried mud and starting over.

Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until the entire ceiling is covered.