5 Best Tips to Paint a Textured Ceiling

Easy ideas to help you paint a textured ceiling like a pro.

Painting a room is a big job, especially when it comes to ceilings. Flat ceilings with a smooth surface can be particularly tricky. Throw in a textured ceiling and that requires next level patience. Learn how to paint a textured ceiling the easy way with my top 5 tips.

Supplies for Painting a Textured Ceiling

I opted to paint our office ceiling the same color as the walls for a unique look. See the before here. Grab these supplies for an easy paint job.

Paint roller
Small paint brush
Extension pole
Painter's tape
Painter's paper
Drop cloths
Metal paint tray and liner
Paint color - Peppercorn by Sherwin Williams

How to Paint a Textured Ceiling - 5 Tips

Put Down Drop Cloths

Smooth ceilings are ideal but not always possible, so preparation is key with this type of painting project. But your best tip will be to put down drop cloths or painter's paper that cover your furniture and flooring before you begin. Plastic sheeting is another popular choice to cover a large area. If you don't have either of those options, good old fashioned bed sheets will do the trick.

how to paint the whole room the same color

Most types of ceiling textures are going to come with challenges, but especially inevitable drips because of the uneven texturing when applying paint. Save yourself the trouble of cleaning up excess paint by protecting your entire floor before you start.

Cut Trim with a Small Paint Brush

Another tip for painting your entire ceiling is to use a small paint brush or small roller to cut your trim border around the room. The edges of the ceiling can be a tough area to paint with the subtle texture and if you don't want to mix paint colors.

use an extension pole to paint a ceiling

Use a paint brush to paint strokes along the edges. Because of ceiling texture types, your ceiling paint may not get all of the coverage needed the first time. Make sure to apply a second coat after your first has dried. You might even need to use a blotting method with your paint brush to fill in spots that didn't get paint.

How to Paint a Textured Ceiling with a Roller

Opt for a roller with an extension pole to facilitate painting from the floor level and enhance maneuverability. If an extension pole isn't available, a ladder paired with a smaller roller can serve as an alternative method.

Paint in Every Direction

The easiest way to get the most coverage on any type of ceiling texture is to paint in every direction with multiple coats of paint. This will allow you to get in all the nooks and crannies of the drywall texture.

This goes against traditional paint methods of up and down but produces a better end result. Begin by painting with your roller brush forward and backward and then move at an angle and side to side. Do this all the way across your ceiling.

Wait for it to dry. Then repeat this process with a second coat, starting on the other side of the room and moving the opposite direction. You will achieve better coverage on your painted surface with this tecnique.

Sheen Matters

The type of sheen you pick will matter for your ceiling type. Sheen can also alter color which in turn will change how the ceiling looks with your type of texture. On a normal white ceiling that I am not applying a different color to, I use either a ceiling paint or a flat white paint.

For a room where your layers of paint on the walls and the ceiling are the same color, use all the same paint. For my office space I went with a satin finish.

Use an Extension Pole

An extension pole that can easily go up and down is a great way to make a HUGE difference in your painting process. You will find that you not only save a lot of time climbing up and down stools, but that your arms aren't nearly as tired covering a large surface area.

The extension pole is also the best option for allowing you to see the textured effect from a better perspective down below.