What Is the Stipple Effect For Textured Ceilings?

The Heart of Stippling: the Brush

• They’re not cheap, but since the brush is at the heart of any stippling project, you’ll need the best one you can find. These brushes are so popular that they come in myriad styles, widths and bristles, and you’ll discover a variety of exotic handles that give you the all-important comfortable grip that’s required to achieve this ceiling effect.

Two Types of Paint

• You can’t make a stippled ceiling without putting down two coats of paint -- a base coat and the stippling coat. Cover your ceiling with any type of base coat in the usual manner. Make sure the second coat of paint is composed of a thick medium since your stippling blush will sweep the pattern across the undercoat to leave the distinct pattern behind. Some contractors recommend a lightweight drywall ceiling compound mixed with water for the second coat so the stippling lines are more extreme and have more dimension.

The Stippling Technique

• Place the stippling brush at a right angle to the surface, and in one continuous stroke press down and sweep the medium across a 3- to 4-foot section of the ceiling to start the pattern. Maintain even hand pressure at all times and don’t lift your hand until you complete a swipe. Repeat the strokes to produce an unusual light and shadow effect. Stippling can’t be rushed, so if you’re impatient, hand your brush over to someone else. Your goal is to methodically lay down a uniform pattern from one end of the ceiling to the other.

Devil’s in the Details

• Overloading a stippling brush can keep you from creating a uniform pattern, unless your intention is to do it as part of your design plan. Take this tip from stippling professionals -- dip your brush into the paint or drywall compound, swipe the brush across a rag and then apply each stroke. This will help you avoid cleaning the brush, eliminating chances of affecting the uniformity of the paint application. Keep an eye on the strokes as you lay them down so they create a harmonious continuation of the pattern.

Protect Your Investment

• Every paintbrush deserves proper cleaning, and this is particularly important for the health and well being of your pricey stippling brush – particularly if you intend to tackle another ceiling down the road. Remove paint from the brush with water, turpentine or another medium recommended by the paint manufacturer once you’ve completed the ceiling. Next, wash the brush in a mild castile soap, working the sudsy water into the bristles. Use a dry cloth to remove moisture and hang it, bristles down, so your stippling brush keeps its shape when it’s off duty.