How to Roll Textured Paint on the Ceiling

Paint a ceiling with textured paint to add another level of interest to a room's decor. Acoustic paint, also known as popcorn paint, has textured sandlike material mixed within the paint. Orange peel paint has a finer grain of textured material that provides a more subtle, pebbled texture. Roll textured paint onto your ceiling to give a room more depth and distinction. Gather the right materials to make your job easy and painless. Use textured paint as a base to add a three-dimensional look to a color top coat.

Plastic drop cloth
Masking tape
Ladder
White-pigment shellac aerosol spray cans
Paint stir stick
Orange peel or acoustic paint
Thick-napped roller
Roller handle
Paint tray
Roller extender
Damp towels
Latex paint
Floor fan (optional)
Hat (optional)
Paint clothes (optional)
Split foam roller (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Cover the floor with a plastic drop cloth. Tape off where the wall meets the ceiling to protect against paint splatters on the wall. Line the masking tape up horizontally against the seam of the wall and press into place. Cover light fixtures or ceiling fan openings with masking tape.
- 2
  Climb a ladder and spray the entire ceiling with white-pigmented shellac. Hold the can 8 to 12 inches from the ceiling surface when spraying. The shellac will prevent the popcorn or acoustic paint from sliding off after the application. It also allows the textured paint to become more water resistant. It may take two or more cans of shellac to cover the ceiling. Allow the shellac to dry for at least 24 hours or until the shellac does not feel tacky to the touch.
- 3
  Thoroughly mix your textured paint. Use a painting stir stick to mix the paint. The paint should have no separation in color or material. Pour a quart or two of paint into the paint tray.
- 4
  Slide the thickly napped roller on the roller handle. Roll the brush into the textured paint and thoroughly coat the roller. You should be able to lift the roller with minimal paint dripping from the edges.
- 5
  Screw on the roller extender. Begin rolling the paint on the ceiling, with long, even strokes. Lay the paint thickly on the ceiling. Paint in small areas to ensure even coverage. Avoid repainting the same ceiling section with textured paint because going over painted sections repeatedly can cause the textured paint to move around or lay improperly over the ceiling. Repeat until the ceiling surface is covered. Work in small 2-by-2-foot sections for easy application. Use a ladder to get to hard-to-reach parts of the ceiling.
- 6
  Allow the paint to dry thoroughly. Textured paint may take at least 24 hours to dry. Acoustic paint has a dull, gray hue, while orange peel paint has a slightly orange hue. Paint over the textured paint with flat latex paint to finish the ceiling. Give the textured paint enough time to dry before adding another color of paint for the top coat.

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