It is believed that painting the ceiling in an apartment with water-based paint is not difficult. But in order to achieve an excellent result and high quality repairs, you should study the technology for performing preparatory and basic painting processes. It is important to choose the right material and tools that will be easy and convenient to work with. Then painting the ceiling with water-based paint with your own hands will not cause any problems and the result will please the eye for many years.
Choice of paint and tools
Water-based paint has replaced chalk and lime, which until recently was used to whitewash all ceilings in apartments. This finishing material is good because
- dries quickly;
- generates little spatter;
- practically does not smell;
- absolutely safe, does not poison the air with toxins and other harmful substances;
- suitable for all types of surfaces.
The best material for finishing the ceiling and walls with your own hands is not found. It is easy and pleasant to work with him both for a professional and a simple man in the street.
[smartcontrol_youtube_shortcode key="Ceiling paint selection" cnt="2" col="2" shls="true"]Manufacturers of these paints produce compositions of different quality characteristics. There are several types of water emulsions: silicone, silicate, acrylic and latex. All of them create excellent whiteness, but differ in hiding power, different ability to abrasion, resistance to moisture and price. For kitchens, bathrooms and rooms in which surfaces require frequent wet cleaning, it is recommended to choose washable compositions with a dirt-repellent effect.
Before you paint the ceiling with water-based paint, you need to make the necessary calculations in order to buy the required amount of material. Since the color may vary slightly in different containers, it is recommended to purchase a jar of a slightly larger volume than required. The rest of the paint can go to the wall decoration.
In some cases, creating perfectly white ceilings is not required. Then a color scheme of a certain color (usually blue) is added to the paint and the necessary shade is obtained.
In addition to the main material, you need to stock up on tools and improvised means with which it will be convenient to paint. For finishing work, you will definitely need tools:
- brush, thin, flat, no more than 10 cm wide;
- roller with an average pile of 18-25 cm in width;
- tray with ribbed insert;
- telescopic handle;
- ladder.
When making repairs with your own hands, pay special attention to the roller, as this is the main tool for the job. On the market, they are sold assembled and in separate parts, of which there are two: the roller itself with a textile or foam rubber coat and a clasp, or handle.
If the pile is too long, the tool will be heavy. If it is short, you will have to drive over the same place several times before it is painted over. The foam pad wears out quickly and needs to be replaced.
The handle, the clasp, must be stable, not hang out, move freely. A rubber insert is necessarily attached to it so that the tool is firmly held in the hand.
Preparatory work
In order to paint the ceiling with water-based paint and achieve the perfect result, first examine the condition of the surface. It is necessary to deliberately eliminate all defects, level and smooth the base, otherwise they will appear under the paint. The process of preparing the surface with your own hands consists of the following activities:
- peel off a layer of old paint or wash off whitewash;
- clear and plaster large seams;
- then, with the help of putty, small cracks are covered;
- be sure to putty the junction of walls and ceiling;
- the entire surface is leveled with a special mixture and smoothed;
- at the end cover with a layer primers.
When painting the ceiling with water-based paint, you can reduce material costs and ensure better adhesion to the surface. To do this, you need to prime the base to create a dense layer and close all the pores. To do this, use a liquid primer or a mixture made by hand from PVA glue and water.
Usually ceilings are painted before walls are finished. Therefore, splashes are not dangerous for them. But it is better to cover the floors with polyethylene or old newspapers, paper. So it will be easier to wash them after work.
Do-it-yourself ceiling painting technology with water-based paint
When the preparatory work is completed, and the surface becomes perfectly smooth, you can start painting the ceiling with your own hands.
- Having opened the container with the paint, it is well mixed with a wooden stick to achieve a uniform composition. During the work, this is done several more times to avoid the formation of sediment.
- The brush and roller are soaked in water for several minutes. So they will become softer and will not be able to absorb a lot of paint. When they are taken out, they are allowed to drain moisture. The roller is carried out several times on the board, pressing it to the surface. This is necessary so that it becomes only slightly moist.
- An aqueous emulsion from a large container is poured into a smaller jar for brush work. She walks along the walls, painting over the corner joint. The distance from it should be at least 3-4 cm so that the paint does not fall on the wall.
- With a brush, paint over hard-to-reach places, ledges, any relief that is on the ceiling. It is important to make smooth strokes so that they are almost invisible.
- Then a special tray with a ribbed slope is filled with paint, along which it should be carried out with a roller, removing excess paint.
- A telescopic handle is attached to the roller so that it is convenient to work with the tool while standing on the floor. There is no need to buy a special device, you can use the usual wooden holder for a chopper or broom that is in the country.
- We paint the ceiling with water-based paint from the wall where the window is located, and proceed towards the exit. In this case, you should adhere to even parallel lines so that the surface looks perfect.
- The first layer is placed across the ceiling, the second - along. So the surface will look almost perfect.
If the ceilings are dark in color, and the paint has a slight hiding power, you will have to repeat the finish several times. To achieve the effect of a flat, smooth and perfectly white surface, it is necessary to repeatedly stain it.
In order to save paint at the stage of preparatory work, craftsmen cover the base with white plaster or leave a layer of old material. This can be done if you are sure that he will not “reach out” for a new layer of water emulsion. Otherwise, potholes will form on the surface, and the exfoliated old finish will stick to the pile of the roller.
Another way to save money is to buy cheap and expensive paint. For the first layers, a budget option is used, and for the finish coat, a composition with special additives that create a pleasant sheen and gloss is used.
How to paint the ceiling with water-based paint without streaks? It is enough to adhere to the general rules, use high-quality tools and follow the finishing technology. Then the result will be impressive, and the quality of work will allow you to avoid repairs for several years.
Video instruction
Painting the ceiling with water-based paint is shown in the video below:
