A common problem we see in people's homes is where you can see roller marks and lines on the ceiling after painting. It's such a common problem that people seem to accept the issues rather than fixing the problem.
In this article we'll look into which products to use, how to apply them and look at some potential problems and resolutions along the way.
Ceiling Paint
The most important step in this process is choosing the right product. We usually concentrate on the correct preparation and process but, the product in this instance makes all the difference. The paint we are going to recommend is only a ceiling paint which may seem strange to get paint only for your ceilings. It will however make your life alot easier and get better results.
The paint in question is Tikkurila Anti Reflex 2. It's a trade paint although B&Q have just started stocking it. You can purchase it from good independant decorating shops. The reason why we like the paint is that it's easy to work with, never leaves roller marks (flashing) and 95% of the time only requires one coat (when going over a previously painted ceiling.
One thing we really recommend when using this paint is to water the paint down by at least 5%. With this being a trade paint it's a lot thicker than a standard consumer paint. Water down so brushing and rollering will feel much easier.
How to use Anti Reflex 2 Paint for Best Results?
Follow these steps to ensure you get the best finish possible.
Fill and sand any lumps and bumps you already have on the ceiling. Make sure you leave any filler plenty of chance to dry before painting.
Use a 2-3 inch brush to cut in the edges of the ceiling. You don't need to be careful AT ALL when cutting in your ceiling edges. We recommend going down the wall by around 10mm, so you can then cut in cleanly when you paint the walls.
Also when cutting in the edges. Make sure you apply a thick layer of paint. It will help cover and smooth the transition when you come to roller.
Time to roller. When rollering a ceiling it's always recommended to roller toward a window. With the Anti Reflex paint this isn't really required, however we still do this as it's best practice.
One coat is all you should need. Unless you have a very bad condition ceiling, one coat will usually be enough for great results.
Problems When Painting the Ceiling
If you're having problems when painting your ceiling? See below for possible solutions.
Roller marks - This is easy. Use the Anti Reflex paint and this will get rid of the roller marks. If painting over paper, you will still see roller marks for a few hours. Leave it to dry over night and these will disappear.
A band around the edge of the ceiling - This is called "Halo-ing" and can be caused by a few things. In this case it's either from not having enough paint on your brush when cutting in or, letting the paint dry from cutting in, to roller-ing. Ensure you roller as soon as you have cut in the edges keeping a "wet edge".
Bubbling paint - If you have bubbling paint after roller-ing, then the most important thing is to do nothing and leave it for at least 24 hours. Don't touch the bubbles in any way. They will usually disappear. If they don't, you will unfortunately have to scrape and fill the holes before repainting.
It might seem strange to purchase extra ceiling paint but take our word for it, you won't regret it. Give it a go and be amazed by the results. Happy decorating.
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