What Sheen Works Best on Ceilings?

Painting a room is a great way to improve the appearance and change up the décor, but many homeowners simply paint the walls and then neglect to paint the ceiling. While painting the ceiling certainly can be a challenge, it’s one you won’t want to avoid tackling, as a painted ceiling can immediately make the rest of the paint look even better. Neglecting to paint the ceiling will result in a room that doesn’t look finished. Once you have decided to go ahead and paint the ceiling, it can be tricky to figure out what kind of sheen is the best for the job and will have the best effect on the whole room.

Choosing a Sheen

Paint comes in a number of different sheens, and each one has benefits that will make it the right choice for certain applications. When you are painting a room such as a bathroom or kitchen that gets very humid, you will want a sheen that can stand up to that humidity and be easily wiped down, such as satin. Rec rooms and bedrooms will benefit from a sheen you can scrub clean, such as a semi-gloss. Ceilings, no matter what room they are in, have their own special needs.

Flat, or matte paints as they are sometimes called, are ideal for ceilings in any room because they provide a smooth finish. This is important, as painting a ceiling is very tricky. Any mistakes you make won’t be as obvious as they would with a different sheen, and this smooth service will improve the appearance of your room while reflecting and diffusing light in your space. This paint is great at camouflaging any imperfections in the ceiling, helping you hide any problems with the surface that are common in older homes.

The Benefits of Ceiling Paint

While you may be tempted to use whatever leftover paint you have around your home, it’s really important that you use ceiling paint, which comes in a flat finish. This kind of paint has a higher viscosity, meaning it will be much slower to drip or to splatter while it is being applied. No matter how great of a painter you are, chances are good that you will put the paint on too thick and it will drip, or paint it on too thin, which will leave unsightly marks.

A greater thickness also means that your ceiling paint will cover stains and marks a whole lot easier, so you don’t have to put up multiple coats of paint to get your desired look. Flat or matte ceiling pain means that it really is the best option for the job.

By being careful when choosing the paint for your ceilings and then working hard to apply it in a smooth, even coverage, you can ensure that your ceilings look amazing. You will definitely want to take this extra step when you are going to be painting the walls, as fresh paint throughout the room will brighten up the space and keep the ceiling from looking dirty. Rather than painting the walls and having them look clean and new against your old ceiling, going the extra mile will greatly improve the appearance of your home.