DIY Tips

Ceilings may be at the top of a room, but updating them is rarely at the top of a DIYer’s to-do list.
PA Feature HOMES Homes Column.PA Feature HOMES Homes Column.
PA Feature HOMES Homes Column.

Perhaps it’s because we notice them less than our eye-level friendly walls, or perhaps it’s because clambering on a ladder to sort out any damage we do notice seems like too much hassle. Either way though, it’s not an excuse.

Cracked, stained or peeling ceilings can give a room an overall impression of being tired and unloved, and it’s essential you give them as much care as any other painted surface. ‘Normal’ household wear and tear, like water leaks, candles, light bulbs, and smoke from real fires, can stain ceilings.

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Scrubbing the stain and repainting sometimes works, but you often need to use a solvent-based stain-block paint first to prevent the stain from coming through again.

A base-coat emulsion may work, as some are designed to block stains, but they’re not as reliable as stain blocks.When using a solvent-based paint on a ceiling, it’s essential to wear protective glasses or goggles in case the paint gets in your eyes.

In fact, wearing goggles and a shower cap is always a good idea when painting a ceiling because the paint will splatter all over your face and hair. You can minimise this by attaching your paint roller to an extension pole, so you paint standing on the floor, rather than at the top of a ladder.

This is easier, but it does make it harder to get a good finish because you can’t see the roller lines.

The easiest paints to use on ceilings, are semi-solid ones, which splatter and drip less.