Any bathroom painting job can be a bit challenging. Bathrooms are generally one of the smaller areas in your home.
Plus, it gets quite humid and moist in there too! Specifically, painting bathroom ceilings appear to be the most intimidating part.
Maybe because there are plenty of peeling bathroom paint problems to deal with before painting.
Fortunately, there are effective ways to paint bathroom ceilings.
We are here to help you guide you through all the details on how to paint bathroom ceilings.
How to Paint Bathroom Ceiling?
The simplest way to transform your bathroom is by repainting it.
Here is a comprehensive guide on how to paint your bathroom ceilings without creating a mess.
Make sure that your bathroom is appropriately ventilated during the process.
Step 1 – Get All the Required Materials and Tools
Here is a list of the materials and tools you will need to perform an effective paint job.
Tools Needed to paint bathroom ceiling
- Roller
- Paintbrushes
- Clean cloth
- Buckets
- Sandpaper with 150 grit
- Sanding pad
- Safety equipment
Materials Needed to paint bathroom ceiling
- Paint
- Masking tape
- Drop sheet
Step 2 – Cover Your Bathroom Fittings
Before starting, cover the bathroom fittings with plastic. This will help to avoid paint splashes from getting onto them.
In addition, make sure to lay a large drop sheet on the floor.
You should also remove any fixtures on the ceiling, such as heat lamps or lights.
Step 3 – Prep the Ceiling
Before painting the bathroom ceiling, you should always prep the surface properly.
If the ceiling paint in your bathroom is peeling, you have to properly repair that area. Peeling bathroom paint isn’t something you should paint over.
Fixing peeling ceiling paint sounds like a really overwhelming task. However, it’s just a couple of simple steps.
Firstly, you should sand the peeling coats of paint off your ceilings before you begin painting.
Then, use a sandpaper and sanding pad for a great, smooth finish. After that, use a dry cloth to wipe down the surface and remove the dust.
Once the ceiling surface is smooth, you should patch it up using Sheetrock.
If there are any holes in your bathroom ceiling, you should patch them using a hand sander.
Then re-sand the holes to get an even and clean surface.
Step 4 – Wash the Bathroom Ceiling if Needed
Wash the bathroom ceiling to get rid of stains, dirt, and dust. In several cases, this will be quite an easy task.
Nevertheless, if your ceiling is stained by smoke, you should make a soap-water solution and clean the ceiling area by using a cloth dipped in it.
If there’s any mold on the ceiling, get rid of it using a bleach solution before you start. Use a cleaning solution comprising three parts lukewarm water to one part bleach.
Once the ceiling is fairly clean, wipe it again using a dry cloth to eliminate any moisture.
At this stage, you should also apply a coat of stain blocker to prevent stains from reappearing.
If the ceiling was in such a state that you had to wash it, always use the primer on the primer on the first coat.
The most important to keep in mind about cleaning a bathroom ceiling for painting is that walls should be 100 percent dry before beginning.
Also, don’t use the shower before painting a bathroom.
After showering, leave the windows and door open and switch on the fan. Ideally, you should wait 24 hours to be on the safe side.
Step 5 – Tape off the Corners of the Wall
Once you have cleaned the bathroom ceiling, you should tape off the corners of the walls.
This will stop the paint from bleeding through and any kind of a mess, particularly if you’re just painting the ceiling.
We will again reiterate that you put down drop cloths on the countertops, bathtub, and floor too.
Step 6 – Prime the Ceiling
Bathroom ceiling paint comprises a mixture of primer and paint.
Thus, you can skip this step if you didn’t have a stained bathroom ceiling in the first place.
But if you had several stains on the ceiling, you can apply one coat of primer that’s compatible with the kind of paint you plan to use.
A high-quality primer, such as Benjamin Moore Fresh Start Primer, is suggested.
Step 7 – Choose the Right Kind of Paint
To paint bathrooms, you should ideally choose water-based latex paint. In addition, you should opt for a satin, egg-shell, or flat paint finish.
Egg-shell or satin paints are highly resistant to moisture and incredibly durable. They even dry a lot quicker between two coats.
This means you don’t need to wait for long to complete the task.
If you have a bathroom with a half bath and a humid and low moisture environment, you should go with a satin or flat finish.
Alternatively, if you have a shower and enjoy taking steamy hot showers, you should opt for semi-gloss or egg-shell paint.
This is because a semi-gloss finish prevents mold and mildew from forming and offers great protection against moisture.
Moreover, this paint has a robust molecular structure that stops water from seeping inside.
Step 8 – Start Painting
When painting the ceiling, always begin by cutting in the edges. These are areas that the roller cannot reach easily.
Thus, you will have to use a cutting brush that’s cut on an angle to ensure you get a clean and smooth job.
After cutting in on the ceiling, paint it with the undercoat. Use a roller for proper coverage when painting larger surfaces.
Make sure to keep the flat surface on the wall side while rolling. This will prevent the metal bracket from damaging your ceiling.
To achieve a consistent and smooth coat of paint on the ceiling, you should swiftly move from one section to another.
This way, the paint along the edges will stay wet.
All you need to do is re-roll every section at a right angle to the direction you went for initially.
Moreover, try to get as near as you can to the ceiling’s edge when using the roller. The longer you extend the pole, the less control you will have.
Let the paint to dry for at least 24 hours. This will prevent the paint from peeling off later on.
Again, leave the door and windows and turn on the fan to allow for cross-ventilation.
What Color is Best for Bathroom Ceilings?
Painting the bathroom ceiling in a brighter color will make your bathroom appear bigger than it actually is.
Thus, if you are painting your walls white or any other light color, you should paint the ceiling a bright white color.
Ideally, when painting the bathroom walls, you should use a ratio of 8 parts of white to 2 parts of the color you want to use.
This way, when you paint your ceiling a bright white color, the paint will blend well with the color scheme.
Additionally, it will also make the whole bathroom look bigger.
Should You Paint Your Bathroom Ceiling White
Yes! The classic white is a perfect color for your bathroom ceiling.
Using other colors might make your bathroom appear quite dark and perhaps even a little gloomy.
A cool white color can give your bathroom a crisp and clean look. On the other hand, warm whites will help you achieve a warmer look.
You can even enhance it with dark accent colors like blue to add a more modern touch.
Light colors help to reflect light and ensure that your bathroom doesn’t look too depressing.
Usually, white looks great with bathrooms that have a simplistic architecture. Other colors appear better in more conventional bathrooms with ornamental fixtures and moldings.
In simple terms, you should paint your ceiling white if:
- You are painting your bathroom walls in a brighter color.
- You want your bathroom to look bigger than it actually is.
- You wish to hide any irregularities on the ceiling, such as smoke stains or lumps.
- You want your bathroom to look bright.
Should You Paint the Bathroom Ceiling Before or After the Walls?
Well, you should always paint the ceilings before painting the walls. Here are some reasons behind this:
- Set the tone – Painting the ceiling before the walls will give you a complete idea of how the overall room will appear. Color plays a huge role in making the space appear smaller or bigger. Thus, if you paint your ceiling white, you will immediately feel the room appear considerably bigger than it actually is, and vice versa.
- Avoids Mess – Painting the ceiling can result in the paint splashing or trickling down on the walls. Thus, you might need to repaint the walls, which will cost you more time, effort, and money. By painting the ceiling before the walls, you can prevent such a mess.
Last Few Words
Painting a bathroom is slightly different than painting other areas of your house.
Bathrooms are generally small and full of water from several sources.
Thus, for great results, you should pay special attention to every aspect of a bathroom painting job.
This includes preparing the surface and picking the right color for the process of painting and the final touches.
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