If you are rolling a a large ceiling, do you roll from one side all the way to the other (“strips” a roller width or two wide), or do you roll areas (say, 5′ x 5′). Assuming in both cases that you are painting into the “wet” of the previous area.
On small ceilings, say 8 x 10 or 10 x 12, I always roll perpendicular to the direction of natural lighting from the main window (with consideration to the main path of human travel in the room), and roll from one side of the room to the other. I always finish with a continuous roller pass that starts at one wall and ends at the other. All subsequent paint is applied and rolled in the same manner/direction. This always has worked well for me, and has given me good finish results.
My problem: my finished basement ceiling height is 83″ inches (yup, 90 year old house. Drywalled – no texture. Very good finish job on taping. But try as I might, I just can’t get a near perfect finish on the ceiling with a roller. I tried both rolling sections, and rolling continous from side to side. Ran a humidifier for a few hours so the air wasn’t super dry (Minnesota winter – boiler heat). Is this ceiling just too LOW in height so that anything and everything can be picked up by a trained eye? Suggestions, please.
Replies
What gloss are you using? I would go for super flat.
I am using a super flat white ceiling paint. Always worked well in the past on 8'+ ceilings.
Try adding some Flotrol to help maintain the wet edge.
Aslo try to feather more. Don't have hard edges or double coated areas. Instead, feather the paint so you have 2 half coat applications.
F
There he goes—one of God's own prototypes—a high powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live and too rare to die.
—Hunter S. Thompson
from Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
I assume spraying it is out of the range of probability?
"A bore is a man who, when you ask him how he is, tells you." -Bert Taylor
I start at the most visible end (best light, etc) because by the end of the coat my arms and neck tend to be fatigued and the application less smooth. This puts the worst part in the least visible area.
I apply in sections that aren't the same size as the last. 3'x4' then 2'x5' then 3'x4'. The second and third coats use a different "pattern" so the edges are in different locations. This staggers the edges and makes them less noticeable. I do this on every flat surface. Troy Sprout
Square, Level & Plumb Renovations
Be sure to use a high quality paint (I use Benjamin Moore, but there are others). The lesser quality paints sometimes use fillers that are porous (like clay, but I don't know if it's still used). Painting a porous surface will cause the paint to dry too fast to maintain a wet edge.
I roll whichever direction is the easiest to maintain a wet edge. It's not always possible with larger ceilings, but I rarely have problems with lap marks. In fact, I will sometimes roll on diagonals if it makes things easier and I don't see lap marks then either.
You did use a good primer, yes? That's important for a ceiling with such a good line of sight.
-Don
Try a thinner nap roller like a 1/4" if youre not using that now.
Make sure to use a good quality roller as well I only use Purdy.
I also pre wet my rollers very lightly with a spray bottle to get the the nap wet.
not too much though. then i run my hand over the roller. this hepls to get some of the lint off the roller and helps give a lint free finish. Not always perfect but works most of the time.
The thinner nap roller may take you longer to get the ceiling painted but it will be smoother.
Good luck
Ray.
A roller is supposed to hold about 15 sq ft of paint. I do 3x5 blocks side-by-side, as to alsways get wet-to-wet paint. I move across, then back. I do the second coat perpendicular to the first. Make sure it dries a day between coats.
Rolling ceilings is tough. You need to keep a wet edge. Working sections is better for me. I use 18" rollers which cover more area. Don't try to roll it out too much, the idea is to get and even layer of material on quickly. Three or four strokes is better than rolling over the surface continuously.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match