Painting the ceiling is a bit harder task than the walls and fence. This is because to paint the ceiling, you have to look upwards constantly. Due to this, the pain starts in the shoulder. Apart from this, drops of paint may fall on your eyes and arms while painting the ceiling. The toxic effect of the paint can damage your eyes and cause pain in your arms.
But a sprayer makes ceiling painting effortless, easy, and fast. At the same time, it also saves the material, which saves you a little money as well. This guide, will walk you through the step-by-step process of painting a ceiling with a sprayer that will enable you to do your job efficiently.
Table of Contents
How To Paint Ceiling With Sprayer? [Step-By-Step]
Step 1: Cover The Floor And Furniture
In the first step, you must ensure the safety of your floor and furniture. Sprayers can cause disturbances during painting, resulting in dirty floors and furniture.
Therefore, cover all the floor area and all the furniture in the room with a plastic sheet. You can also use a cloth to cover it. But, the cloth will not be so effective in preventing the paint from spreading.
Consequently, it is wise to use a plastic sheet rather than a cloth. As much as you can, move the furniture from the room you plan to paint the ceiling in to another room. With this, the goods will not interfere with your work, and you can run your job comfortably.
Step 2: Cover Your Wall With Plastic Sheet
The wall of the house is also an important part, which can get dirty during spray painting.
If you are not careful with your painting, your spray gun can spray the paint around the house, which can also damage the wall.
Therefore, you must make sure that your walls are secure. Put a plastic sheet on your home’s walls and cover them completely.
Each sheet should be aligned and taped in place along the top border where the wall and ceiling meet. Do not cover the window to ensure ventilation of the room. Here also you have to avoid the cloth sheet to cover the wall. This is because the fabric can quickly get soaked by the paint, and your wall may get stained with paint.
Step 3: Open Each And Every Window
When using a sprayer to paint, a lot of smoke is released into the atmosphere. So that the room may continue to breathe while you’re painting, keep all of the windows open.
This will mean that all the smoke from the paint will go out from the windows. You must know that the smoke from paints is toxic. You can keep the room fans on to ensure extra protection from paint fumes.
With this, the smoke will go out quickly. We advise painting the ceiling with a roller rather than a sprayer if your room lacks windows because rollers emit less smoke than sprayers.
Painting with a sprayer in a room without windows is sure to inhale harmful paint fumes, which can lead to respiratory problems later on.
Step 4: Sand The Ceiling. If Your Ceiling Is Already Painting
It’s preferable to lightly sand the ceiling before painting it if it has already been painted. Sanding is required for the paint to stick better. For sanding, you should use high-quality, 120-grit sandpaper.
You will need to sand with medium pressure. Sand your entire roof. You keep changing the sandpaper according to the need.
When you feel the sandpaper is not holding the ceiling, replace that paper, and continue sanding with new sandpaper. As you have to stand on a ladder and sand the ceiling for a long time, there is a possibility of falling from the height. So, be careful while sanding so that you don’t fall.
Step 5: Wipe The Ceiling With A Soapy Water
It is common for the ceiling to get stuck in dust and dirt. The paint may not adhere well due to the dust or debris, which will cause an uneven covering.
Therefore, you should wipe the ceiling with soapy water before starting to paint. Take a bucket of warm water and add some dish soap to it.
Dip a clean cloth in that soapy water and wipe your ceiling with that wet cloth. Allow the ceiling to dry for a while after wiping.
Step 6: Dilute The Paint
If your paints are too thick, the sprayer won’t work correctly. So, first, you need to dilute the paint. If you are using Latex or any water-based paint, you can thin the paint by adding a little water.
If you are using oil-based paint, dilute the paint a bit by following the correct methods for thinning oil-based paint.
Step 7: Put Some Paint On The Suction Hose
The suction hose is there to draw the paint into the sprayer. So, you dip the sprayer piece into the paint bucket.
Step 8: Set The Knob To ‘Prime”
The sprayer’s side has a knob for switching between “prime” and “paint”. Be sure to set the knob to “Prime”. This setting is for cleaning the spray gun prior to starting painting.
Whether your sprayer is new or old, it should be cleaned before loading paint into the sprayer. Cleaning the sprayer will stop paint bubbles and grime from shooting out.
Step 9: Place The Painting Tube In An Empty Bucket
The priming process clears the sprayer of any old paint and water before painting. Put the sprayer tube in and hold it there to stop the bucket from falling out.
Step 10: Sprayer With Primer Till New Paint Arrives
Start priming the sprayer by pressing the “On” switch. The tube will begin to leak water and old paint.
Run the sprayer continuously until the fresh paint is bubble-free. Afterward, shut off the sprayer. The new sprayer’s case won’t contain any water.
Step 11: Turn The Knob Back To The “Paint” Setting
Reset the knob to the “Paint” position. Refill the empty bucket with paint, then turn on the sprayer.
Continue spraying, stopping once the bubbles come out of the tube. The sprayer will then be turned off, and you may begin painting your ceiling.
Step 12: Wear Mask And Goggles
Wearing a mask and goggles is crucial to protect your mouth and eyes during painting. So, before starting the painting job, wear these two things.
This is an essential precaution to take each time you intend to spray paint because the sprayer produces a lot of smoke when painting.
There are particular types of painting goggles that are wrapped around the eyes.
It would be best if you used such goggles so that the paint does not drip around your eyes during painting. Besides, wear a mask with a chemical filter to prevent you from breathing in the fumes of the paints.
Step 13: Use An Extension Tip If Your Ceiling Is Too High
For reaching high spots, certain paint sprayers use extenders. These extenders are essential and ideal for high ceilings.
If your ceiling is too high, where the standard tip for access does not support it, you can use an extender.
If your spray gun doesn’t have an extender, a better option is to use a ladder to reach the ceiling. Be careful while spraying your ceiling by climbing on a ladder.
Step 14: Cover Your Ceiling With A Line-Spraying Technique
Holding the sprayer 6 to 12 inches from the ceiling surface, turn on the device by pushing the trigger on the spray gun.
For smooth painting, you have to follow particular patterns. It would be best if you kept spraying in a long and straight line, and it will run from one side of your roof to the other side.
Keep the sprayer on the ceiling during painting; this will give you the best coverage. Maintain a same distance from the ceiling when spraying to provide an even application.
Step 15: Overlap The Stroke By 50%.
If you expect to get a uniform coat on your ceiling, panting in a line pattern is the right solution. When you go to a stroke later, make sure that you have overlapped the previous stroke only by 50%.
This will help you get the same coverage. As we mentioned earlier, it’s essential to maintain straight strokes for best results, so keep straight, smooth strokes even.
Step 16: Spray On Your Ceiling First Coat
Start painting in the opposite direction after covering the ceiling with long, wide-lined paints. Spray the second layer horizontally to remove the first pass’s lines. You’ll get an even coat of paint as a result. Let the first coat of paint dry for 4/7 hours.
It will depend on what type of paint you are using. This is a part of your job. You must then apply a second coat. To achieve the same effect when painting, particular sprayers include vertical and horizontal nozzles, which are helpful.
Step 17: Apply A Second Coat Of Painting
After drying the first coat, it’s time to apply the second coat. In the second coat, you will have to continue the pattern and style of the first coat.
Using the same pattern in both coats will give your ceiling an even and smooth coat of paint.
Step 18: Remove The Plastic Sheets From The Walls And Floors
Your painting job is done. After your ceiling paintwork is completely dry, remove the plastic sheet from the walls and floor that you covered to protect against the paint.
Roll them gently to avoid the mess lying in the sheet, and take them out. Then later, remove the cover from the room’s furniture also and rearrange the room.
Conclusion
You have to be very careful while painting your ceiling, as ceiling painting is a tough job. From sanding the ceiling to painting the ceiling – you’ll have to go through each step carefully. Our mentioned tips for painting the ceiling with a sprayer will be helpful to you.
You can also take the help of someone to accomplish your task. It is necessary to follow the proper guidelines to achieve success in your work. The exemplary process of painting the ceiling will bring an exquisite effect to your paintwork.
Travis is a painter by profession. His valuable painting tips help customers know how to do painting hassle-free. He is an expert in handling painting tools and loves sharing his experiences with customers. Travis has been in the painting business for the past 20 years. He is now on the verge of early retirement, passing on the secrets.