What Kind of Paint Techniques Can I Use to Disguise a Bad Ceiling?

Techniques

• A fresh, smooth finish requires a lot of preparation work, including filling cracks and sanding before painting with a latex paint. If you are happy to live with the blemishes, you can apply a faux paint effect, such as marble, sponge, color-wash or combing, which will make the surface look as though the lumps, bumps and cracks are part of the design. Alternatively, if you have an artistic bent, you can go for a complete fantasy finish like a cloudy sky or make a feature out of the cracks by creating a humorous trompe l'oeil "hole" in the ceiling, revealing a portion of blue sky from which cracks radiate. If you aren't artistic, perhaps a simple all-over stencil design is the answer.

Preparation

• The more effort put into preparation, the better the finish will be. Before you begin, put on protective goggles and a face mask, and clean the ceiling to remove dust and deposits. Occasionally, once stains and yellowing are removed with a good microfiber cloth and some mild detergent, the ceiling looks 100 percent better and may not need any further work other than a single application of latex paint. Carry out any necessary repairs; fill cracks and sand them, scrape off loose paint and rub the surface smooth with fine-grade steel wool. Wash again and let dry thoroughly before painting. If there are stubborn stains, use a stain-blocking primer to prevent them from reappearing through the new finish.

Paint

• When choosing ceiling paint, be aware that a flat (matte) latex finish is less likely to show up on an uneven surface than a semi-gloss or eggshell finish. However, a shinier surface reflects more light and depth and is better for finishes like marbleizing and color washing. While white is the choice of many, a room will look more spacious if you paint the area above the cornice and the ceiling itself the same color as the walls but several shades lighter.

Equipment

• Each paint technique requires its own tools and equipment. For example, a faux marble finish needs several sizes of brushes, lint-free cloths, mineral spirit and feathers. Research your chosen technique, and gather the required equipment. Additionally, ensure you can actually reach all these items while painting.

Application

• Practice your chosen paint technique on a horizontal surface, knowing that you will be applying the same technique in an awkward position. If you can use a decorator's platform instead of a ladder, the job will be much easier as you can lie on your back. Be prepared for aching arms and shoulders, and pace the work accordingly.

Further Suggestions and Tips

• If you have a textured ceiling finish that you want to remove, use one of the new "smooth-out" paints, which are available at your local hardware store. In essence they are simply another textured paint that you apply over the existing lumps. For a bedroom ceiling, use a luminescent paint, which is invisible by day but, if applied correctly, will light up like the night sky with stars, planets and galaxies. Make a quick and cheap cover-up textured paint by adding clean sand to regular latex paint. Add the sand gradually, testing on heavy card until it reaches the desired consistency, and apply with a brush.