How to Make a Contoured Ceiling

Place a stud finder against your walls and ceiling near the area where you want to create contours. Move the stud finder and mark the locations of studs and ceiling joists. Work on a ladder if necessary to reach the ceiling.

Measure the space around your contoured ceiling installation site, noting the distance between the location where you want the wall to start curving, and the point on the ceiling where you want the contour to meet the flat ceiling drywall.

Cut a piece of 2-by-4 lumber to the length you measured in Step 2, using a miter saw and miter box. Cut the wood with 45-degree angled ends.

Repeat Step 3 to cut additional 2-by-4 braces, one for connecting each of the studs and joists in your project area. Cut the 2-by-4s to different lengths if you want the contour to be uneven, following the measurements you took in Step 2.

For example, if the contour will only apply to one edge of a ceiling that runs along a 10-foot wall, you're likely to need a total of eight 2-by-4 braces, given the standard 16-inch spacing between studs.

Place your first wooden brace in the corner where you want to create a contour, against the locations of studs and joists. Drive 3-inch wood screws through the lumber and drywall, then into the stud or joist until the screw head is flush with the lumber.

Repeat Step 4 until you have wooden support braces for the entirety of your ceiling contour. Cut and screw in additional lumber as needed for supporting more complex contour designs.

Cut sections of metal mesh with metal snips. Bend them to form the contours of your ceiling. Screw the mesh to the ceiling and walls with 2-inch drywall screws, and to the wood supports with 3-inch wood screws.

Prepare a brown coat plaster mix by adding water to the plastic mix container, following the manufacturer's instructions for the right proportions. Mix the plaster with a plaster trowel.

Apply the brown coat plaster to the metal mesh with a hand trowel. Spread its surface to smooth it out using a hand float once the mesh is completely covered. Spread the brown coat plaster onto the ceiling and walls to create smooth transitions for your contour with the hand float.

Wait for the brown coat plaster to dry, using the manufacturer's suggested curing times as a guide.

Prepare a lime plaster mix for use as a finish coat, following the same procedure as for mixing the brown coat.

Apply the lime finish coat over the brown coat with a plaster trowel. Smooth the surface carefully with a hand float, eliminating any small bumps or irregularities in the surface.