Popcorn ceilings are extremely common, especially in homes that were built during the 20th century. Though there are many benefits to popcorn ceilings, they have largely fallen out of popularity for use in the home. If you have a popcorn ceiling, you may be unsure how precisely to paint it in order to provide the best possible appearance for your room. Here are a few of the things that you should consider when you decide to paint the popcorn ceilings in your home.
What Popcorn Ceilings Are
Popcorn ceilings are the ceiling type that maintains a bumpy appearance over its surface. These types of ceilings are often also referred to as acoustic, cottage cheese, or stucco ceilings. They were particularly popular between the 1930’s and 1990’s but aren’t used very commonly in new homes. It is important to know how to paint your popcorn ceilings to provide the best appearance for your home, especially over time.
Advantages and Disadvantages
There are both advantages and disadvantages to popcorn ceilings. Most people don’t like the appearance of popcorn ceilings, because they feel as though it dates their home and gets in the way of a sleek, modern look. In addition, many of the materials that were previously used to form popcorn ceilings have been found to contain asbestos. However, popcorn ceilings can be used to cover imperfections, are cheaper to implement, and can help to absorb sounds. Flat ceilings simply bounce sound back, while popcorn ceilings absorb the sounds, which can go a long way toward creating a more comfortable environment. It is important to note that having popcorn ceilings removed can be rather expensive, so it is generally better to know how to effectively paint your popcorn ceiling.
Choosing the Best Color for your Popcorn Ceiling
There are many steps that you should take in order to choose the ideal color for your popcorn ceiling. The best color can go a long way toward masking the texture of a popcorn ceiling, along with improving the appearance of the room. Light grays and yellows are great colors to choose in order to hide flaws in the ceiling. Be extremely careful when working with bright, primary colors, because they tend to emphasize the existing texture of the ceiling.
White is often a safe choice for popcorn ceilings. White or variations of white help to draw attention away from the ceiling, as well as allow the room to feel brighter, larger, and taller. If you have ceilings that are particularly high, you may want to use darker colors. This will help to provide a sense of coziness. The right color is beneficial in providing the best appearance for your room with a popcorn ceiling.
Using a Roller
Rollers are one of the best ways to paint popcorn ceilings, but they do have their flaws. It is crucial to ensure that you use a high-quality, thick roller if you attempt to use this method to paint your popcorn ceilings. Also, you need to keep in mind that using rollers on a popcorn ceiling will often send drips and splatters of paint in unpredictable directions, due to the bumpy nature of popcorn ceilings. When you use a roller to paint your popcorn ceilings, you should take care to remove as many fixtures as possible from the room. You will also want to ensure that you carefully protect the walls, floors, and remaining furniture in the room to prevent them becoming splattered with paint.
Spray Painting Alternative
Spray paint techniques are often far more beneficial for popcorn ceilings than the use of a roller. They are more effective and tend to provide a far better product. However, it is important to keep in mind that this method often requires two coats, though it leaves much better coverage after the process has been completed. In general, you should paint one coat all in one direction, spreading an even coat of paint over the surface. The second coat you will spread in the opposite direction of the initial coat. This method does require specialized equipment, which you can potentially rent.
Practice Safety
Safety is an important component of painting ceilings of any kind. It is often necessary to use ladders in order to paint your ceiling. Ensure that you use a ladder only as directed and take the steps to check over the ladder and ensure that it is in good repair. It is important to use the appropriate ventilation in the room to prevent damage to the respiratory system from the chemicals. Safety needs to be a priority when you undertake a painting project inside of your home.
The Best Finish for a Popcorn Ceiling
Understanding the ideal finish types for your popcorn ceiling can aid in providing the best appearance. These various finishes will have a substantial impact on the overall appearance of the room. Matte or flat finish latex are great choices for popcorn ceilings. It is important to be aware of the consistency of the finish that you use. Particularly thick finishes tend to be too heavy to provide a good appearance. They weigh down the stipple and eventually will peel. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t use finishes that have thicker consistencies. In order to implement these finishes, you will want to water them down, and recheck the consistency.
Hire a Professional Painting Service
Hiring a professional painting service can go a long way toward ensuring that your painting job is completed according to all of your requirements and expectations. At Allied Painters, we have the tools and experience necessary to paint popcorn ceilings and ensure the best possible appearance for the room. Our experts can also provide guidance regarding the ideal colors and types of paint to use in each specific situation. When it is time to obtain a new paint job, it is beneficial to begin the search for a good painting service to complete the project. To learn more about methods for painting a popcorn ceiling, contact our expert team at Allied Painters today!