Paint ceilings – how to, step by step

Protect the floor

Place cardboard or plastic sheeting on the floor, to protect against paint splashes.

Wash away stains and dirt

Before you start painting, wash away any stains and dirt with a mild detergent.

Once the ceiling and mouldings are clean, it’s time to mask and start plastering.

Cover doors and windows.

There may be some splashing when painting ceilings, so put some plastic sheeting over doors and windows. Also cover the walls if they are not to be painted.

Tip!

Use our filling knife with grip to smooth over small holes and imperfections.

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Smoothing joints and gaps.

Use jointing compound to cover any gaps in the coving, and to fill in gaps between the cornice and the ceiling.

Filling holes and unevenness.

Smooth over holes and unevenness in the moulding. Use a small filling knife – it has a flexible blade that’s easy to use on smaller surfaces. When the putty has dried, sand and brush off the sanding dust, for example with a microfibre cloth.

Now it’s time to paint the first coat of paint.

Paint the mouldings with a brush.

Paint the coving first. Use a brush. Start a bit inside on the moulding and work out towards the corners. This makes it easier to distribute the paint evenly. If the walls are also to be painted, it’s fine to paint outside the moulding and a little way down on the wall.

Paint the ceiling with a roller.

Then paint the ceiling with a roller. Paint two to three roller widths at a time, from wall to wall. Remember to paint in the same direction at all times, and make sure you have plenty of paint in the roller. Otherwise, the result may be patchy.

Tip!

To get a really even result, always paint in the direction of the light, i.e. from the window inwards. If the room has several windows, start with the one that lets in the most light.

Paint the mouldings and ceiling once more. Use a brush for the mouldings and a roller for the ceiling, just as before.

Remove the masking tape

Remove all masking tape before the paint has had time to dry. Otherwise, the paint may peel.

Done! Now you’re ready to continue with the walls. Read more about how to do it in our guide: Paint walls – how to do it, step by step