Easily Prevent Your Ceiling Paint Job From Looking Patchy With These Simple Tips

One of the best ways to update a room's look and feel is with a fresh coat of paint on the walls and ceiling. But while many homeowners are comfortable painting walls, painting the ceiling often comes out looking patchy, even though you used the same paint. Why? Thanks to fans and rising heat, ceilings are exposed to more air flow, which means the paint will dry at a faster rate. And because paint darkens as it dries, it increases the risk of patchiness on your ceiling paint job.

The solution? Keep a wet edge, or in other words, paint nearby areas all at once to ensure it all dries at the same time, creating a cohesive look instead of getting dreaded lap marks. It's critical that your wet edge is just-painted-it wet. Otherwise, your roller will pick up the drying paint when you paint in the edges, causing a slightly raised area of paint and an overall inconsistent look. Keep moving quickly so the paint doesn't dry before you finish that area.

One of the best ways to make sure your ceiling paint job doesn't turn out patchy is to cut down on the airflow before you start working. Close doors and windows, turn off the ceiling fan, and turn off the heater if you're painting in the winter. This will cut down on how much air passes through the room, helping your paint dry evenly.

Next, get the right materials and prep the room properly. Look for a high-quality roller with a longer nap, preferably with synthetic materials. This will help you get enough paint on the roller to cover the room quickly. We also highly recommend attaching your roller to a roller pole to help you paint evenly and protect your back and neck while painting. Then, before you get started, wipe down the ceiling to remove any dust (wash any areas that are especially grimy) and tape down all corners, edges, and light fixtures. Then you're ready to get started!