Preparing and Painting a Bathroom Ceiling the Right Way

Adding a fresh coat of paint to your bathroom ceiling can really brighten up its overall appearance. Regardless of what other decorating plans you have for the bathroom, starting out by painting the ceiling is always a good approach. Not only will it added a fresh new look, but painting the ceiling before you work on any other areas of the bathroom will cut down on clean up later. It's also easier to cut a straight paint line on walls around the perimeter of the ceiling than to paint a straight line around the ceiling without getting paint on the walls, so painting the ceiling first is always the correct approach.

Preparing and Cleaning the Ceiling

Just as with any other paint job around the house, you should first remove any wall art and decor and make sure that the ceiling is clean and dry. Dust and cobwebs can mar a beautiful new paint job, so it's important to dust the entire surface carefully before painting. If the ceilings are high and hard to reach, use a clean duster with an extendable handle, or cover an ordinary floor mop with a sock so that you can remove the dust easily. If there are any flaws on the ceiling, fix them with drywall compound and sand smooth, removing the sanding dust carefully. Then, apply a coat of primer over the repaired area so that it will not soak up the finish paint unevenly.

Changing the Color of a Ceiling

If your ceiling was previously painted in a color other than white, using a coat of primer before painting can help hide the former color. This can be an especially good idea if the ceiling is currently a darker shade. A coat of primer is also a good idea if a glossier paint was previously used to paint the ceiling. In most cases, a white ceiling works best in a bathroom, since it makes the ceiling look higher and can help to reflect the maximum amount of light in a small room. However, some people prefer the designer approach of using a color on the ceiling instead of white; they may choose, for instance, to match the paint to the pale aqua blue found in the room’s fish wall sculpture.

Applying the Paint

If you are painting the ceiling first and plan to then paint the walls, you don't have to be as careful painting around the edge of the ceiling. However, you will need to use an angled sash brush to paint around the edges and in the corners, since you won't be able to do a good job with a roller. Ideally, you should remove the globe and hardware for overhead lighting fixtures to make it easier to paint the ceiling, although if you are careful, you can paint around them with a brush. After the edges of the room have been painted, you can then use a roller to apply the ceiling paint. Using a paint that is specifically designed not to splatter can be especially helpful for painting overhead. If you are only painting the ceiling and not the walls, you will have to be much more careful painting around the edge. In fact, if this is the case, some blue painter's masking tape around the top wall edges can be a big help. A second coat of ceiling paint might be required for good coverage.