Painting a ceiling is an overlooked task when it comes to home improvements, that's because many places recommend repainting every ten years. However, here at Yours, we know that this isn't the case.
Anytime that you get the roller out to give your walls a new lick of paint, you need to refresh the ceiling as well. That's because ceilings discolour from your environment - this can be caused by dust, the sun and even candles.
Oh and that's before your grandchild's sticky fingers end up all over the walls...
If you're considering picking up the paintbrush, but don't know where to start, then follow our guide to the best ceiling paint for your home improvement project.
Three tips to follow when prepping a room before painting a ceiling
Fed up of paying a decorator? Want to try your hand at some DIY? We enlisted the help of Frenchic Furniture Paint's brand ambassador, Craig Phillips, for tips around prepping a room before painting a ceiling.
Here are Craig's top tips:
- Remove as much furniture as possible from the room or move to the centre of room and cover with dust sheets including the floor. Remember you can buy disposable dustsheets made from thin plastic, if you don’t have any old material you can use.
- Wash down the surface with Frenchic’s sugar soap to remove all grime, dust, and debris. Inspect the ceiling for cracks, holes, and any loose plaster that may need attention before you start painting.
- Repair any imperfections on the ceiling using a suitable filler. Take your time preparing the ceiling, leaving any filler applied the correct time to dry body sanding smooth, the better you can get the surface before when you start painting, the better the final finish will look.
Shop the best ceiling paint
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The best ceiling paint
1 of 7Johnstone's Matt Emulsion Paint
Best ceiling paint to hide imperfectionsPure brilliant by name, pure brilliant by nature. This ceiling paint has thousands of reviews for a reason - it's good value for money, has a low odour and it dries quickly. What more could you want? Size: 2.5LReasons to buy:• Hardwearing• Good coverage• Available in a range of colours**Verdict:**This ticks all of our boxes when it comes to giving the ceiling a bit of a lift. It's one of those jobs you never want to do, but this paint makes it easier. We'd recommend not applying too much as it and can end up looking patchy.
£12.69
- Rrp: £15.00
2 of 7Polycell Crack-Free White Matt Emulsion Paint
Best ceiling paint for cracksThere's nothing more frustrating than taking hours out of your day to paint your ceiling, only to realise the paint has cracked, right? You'll never have to experience this again thanks to Polycell Crack free White Matt Emulsion paint.Size: 2.5LReasons to buy:• Excellent crack coverage• Easy to use **Verdict:**This paint is so good that it's comparable to getting plastering done on your ceiling. Now that's what we call an impressive paint job.
3 of 7Dulux Silk Emulsion Paint for Walls and Ceilings
Best fast drying ceiling paintWant to get your first and second coat of ceiling paint done and dusted in a day? The super-fast drying time means that you don't have to wait a couple of days – just hours. Size: 5LReasons to buy:• Silk finish• Long-lasting paint• Chromalock technology creates an invisible protective barrier**Verdict:**It's clear that we love this paint for its time saver benefits, but we also like that the incredible features don't stop there. Did you know that this paint won't drip or run? Plus, it's great value for money too.
4 of 7Dryzone Anti Mould Paint
Best anti-mould ceiling paintWe've only gone and found the best ceiling paint for bathrooms. The high-quality paint has mould-resistant qualities, which are perfect for any areas in your home that are likely to experience condensation.Size: 1LReasons to buy:• Low odour• Reduces mould growth• Fast drying**Verdict:**Yes, this effective against condensation, but it is expensive and you don't get a lot in a tin. That said, the benefits make it worth it if you have mould.
5 of 7Wilko Tough & Washable Intense White Matt Emulsion Paint
Best scuff-resistant ceiling paintWhen it comes to painting, especially ceiling painting, you want great value for money, good coverage, and quick-drying capabilities. Thankfully, this number from Wilko does the lot. Size: 2.5LReason to buy:• Washable• Hard-wearing• Quick-drying**Verdict:**Gold stars all around from our shopping experts. If you're passionate about DIY, then this is the paint for you. Big bonus that it can be used on walls, wood and metal as well as ceilings.
6 of 7The Little Greene Paint Company Intelligent Matt Emulsion, Mid Bluess, Bone China Blue
Best colour ceiling paintTake a risk and ditch the white emulsion from some coloured paint like this Bone China Blue shade from John Lewis. A bold ceiling is a fun way to transform a space and when it's done well, it looks mega chic. Size: 2.5 or 5LReasons to buy:• Lots of incredible colours to choose from• It's a fun and bold change• Can purchase tester pots**Verdict:**This is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but if you see DIY and interior design as self expression you can have some fun here.
7 of 7Crown Matt Emulsion Paint
Best budget-friendly ceiling paintThere's nothing worse than starting a job and being unable to finish it because you run out of paint. However, this is something you'll never have to fear with the Crown Matt Emulsion Paint because there's plenty of it to go around. Size: 10LReasons to buy:• Matt finish• Two hour drying time• Good size**Verdict:**Well, this paint does what it says on the tin - it's a brilliant matt emulsion. It gets five out of five stars from us.
Shop the best paint roller for ceilings
Best paint roller for ceilings
1 of 3T Class 4310 Roller Sleeves 6 Pack
These six heavy duty paint rollers are up for the challenge on your next DIY project. That includes painting on smooth or rough surfaces.
2 of 3Harris Seriously Good Walls & Ceilings Twin Sleeve Roller Set
This roller set lives up to its seriously good name thanks to the price and size.
3 of 3Hynec Paint Roller Set
Deck your garage out with a 9-inch roller frame, two 9-inch roller sleeves, a 4-inch roller frame, two four-inch roller sleeves, a 1.5-inch brush and a large 9-inch tray. It's the whole shebang.
Now that we have the shopping out of the way, it's time to get to bottom of some frequently asked questions.
Do you paint a ceiling the same colour as your walls?
Lucky for us, there's no set rules when it comes to decorating our homes. When it comes to painting your ceiling the same colour as the walls, this depends entirely on your taste. Some homeowners love to keep a room consistent with the same white paint, whereas others will go bold on a wall then keep it simple on the ceiling.
If you're feeling brave, you can even opt for a block of colour. When this is done well, it can look sophisticated and trendy. Want some inspiration on how you can get creative with ceiling paint? There's plenty of ideas over on Pinterest, just like this:
Is ceiling paint different from wall paint?
Great question. Ceiling and wall paint is different, but you can absolutely use wall paint on the ceiling.
That said, it's good to know that wall paint can be thin and has a lower viscosity, which means it could drip. Not ideal!
So, if looking for a specific finish, we'd recommend using a paint that's made for ceilings.
Do you paint the ceiling first?
The age-old question - do you paint the ceiling first is always up for debate. Well, luckily we're on hand to help.
According to Hamilton Decorating Tools, "The ceiling should always be painted first. This allows you to effectively cover the surface with at least two coats while not having to worry about any over-spray." That's settled that then.
All that's left to do now is the decorating - good luck.