Border And Stencil Your Ceiling To Hide Imperfections
If you have a ceiling in your home that is less than perfect, you probably want a way to disguise the imperfections. One technique that can be used to disguise imperfections in your ceiling, or that can just add a little charm to the room is creating a border and stenciling the ceiling. Below, you will learn each step to completing this process.
Clean the Ceiling
Before you can paint the ceiling, you must do a thorough job of cleaning it. All of the cobwebs, dust and dirt must be removed if you want to create a perfectly finished ceiling.
If the ceiling is smooth, cleaning it will be a cinch. Simply use a flat mop and a bucket of soapy water to clean it.
If the ceiling is textured, cleaning it can be a bit of a challenge. Use a scrub brush to gently scrub the ceiling and then dab it dry using a clean towel.
Let the ceiling completely dry before you continue to the next step.
Prepare for Painting
To create perfect edges, you must use high-quality painter's tape to tape off the edges of where the ceiling meets the walls. If possible, remove the ceiling light fixtures. If you aren't comfortable removing the light fixtures, cover them with plastic and tape off the edges with the painter's tape.
Cover the floor with drop cloths or plastic. Another option for covering carpeting is to use the rolls of protective cling plastic runners that you would see in an open house. These plastic liner runners will stick to the carpet until you remove them after the project is complete, so you don't have to worry about the drop cloth flipping up and allowing paint to hit the carpet.
Apply the Base Coat
The base coat will be the main color of the ceiling, so choose it carefully. In most cases, a white or off-white color is best, but feel free to choose the color that you love.
What finish of paint do you want for your ceiling? If your ceilings are in decent condition and you don't have too many imperfections to hide, using semi-gloss paint will do well. It will reflect the light around the room a bit. But, if you have plenty of imperfections that need to be hidden, use eggshell finish paint.
Create the Border
Measure how far into the center of the ceiling you want the border to extend. One border option to consider is a one-foot border with a secondary two-inch border closer to the center of the room. Use the painter's tape to mask off the area and apply the accent color you have selected. Give the paint a day to dry before continuing with the stenciling.
Stencil the Details
Tape the stencils where you would like them to go. Step back and get an idea if you like the look. Are you adding too much detail, or not enough? Is everything just right? If you like the look, continue with the stenciling using the second accent color.
If this is not a project you feel confident that you can complete yourself, contact local interior painter such as VR Painting Sercises LLC for assistance. Either way, the finished painted ceiling will not look as imperfect as it once did and your room will have a bit more charm to it.