27 Nov What To Know About Painting High Ceilings
You’ve been working from home for most of this year, and little things, like bad paint jobs, can really start to bother you. When your eye wanders, you may find yourself staring at the ceiling. Or perhaps you’ve run out of projects after painting every other room in the house, and you’re looking for a new challenge. Is it time to freshen up your ceiling?
High ceilings make a space feel expansive. They’re becoming less common in modern homes, but you’ll notice them in plenty of character houses around Winnipeg. It’s one thing to paint a regular ceiling, but painting a high ceiling is a task that requires extra effort. A standard ceiling is 8-9 feet tall, and anything more than that is considered a high ceiling (which can be 10 or even 18 feet high). Painting one isn’t as straightforward as a wall or kitchen cabinet. It requires a bit more overhead work, if you catch our drift. Here’s why:
The Equipment
Most people will think to use a ladder to reach tall places with ease. Unfortunately, this may not be safe when painting a high ceiling. To avoid falling, you should never stand on the top rungs of a ladder; it can become off-balance and tip over. The same goes for extending too far past the ladder. If you’re stretching to reach the corner of your ceiling, you risk injuring yourself. A safer option is to use scaffolding, but the cost of this structure can be too pricey to paint just one room. An alternative to purchasing scaffolding would be to rent the equipment or hire a professional painter with ready access to a scaffold.
The Prep
Painting a ceiling is a lot like painting a wall. The surface needs to be prepared before the paint is applied to ensure the most consistent and long-lasting results. Take a bucket of warm soapy water and wipe down the ceiling to remove any dust. Let the water dry fully before applying a primer. Many professional painters choose to use ceiling paint instead of regular paint. There are a few key differences in the formula, like how it’s thicker to prevent drips and run-offs, and that the matte finish hides imperfections. If you plan to paint your walls as well, do the ceilings first! That way, if there is any run-off from the paint, it won’t ruin your walls.
The Colour
The last consideration is one of the most important: what colour should you choose? Your answer will change depending on the colour of your walls. Many people opt for white ceilings, but if your walls are white too, this can make the room look too washed out. Instead, choose another soft shade like pale blue or a light green. Often, people choose bright colours to make a room look bigger, but if your ceilings are high, this won’t be a concern. You can paint your ceiling a shade darker than your walls for a cozy vibe. If you’re feeling bold, why not paint them black for an ultra-modern edge?
When your high ceilings are freshly painted, you’ll feel like you live somewhere regal. But painting a ceiling is no easy task—your arms will be sore, your clothes will be a mess, and if you aren’t careful, you’ll have a splotchy ceiling on your hands. Are you looking for painters in Winnipeg? At Pinnacle Painting, we have the right tools to make your ceiling look flawless.