Your ceilings can sometimes be overlooked, but with a refreshing colour and a flawless finish you’ll give people a reason to look up and admire your handy work.!

Here are some Tips to help you get started!

*Purchase the Right Tools – purchase a paint roller with an extension handle. It’s much easier and less tiring to paint a ceiling while standing on the floor rather than on a ladder.

When painting a textured ceiling, be sure to use a thick-nap roller to ensure that you get full coverage over the bumps and irregularities in the textured surface. For a smooth ceiling, you can use a roller with a smooth or shorter nap.

Use quick-release painter’s tape to mask around trim and the area of the wall where it meets the ceiling

Begin by cleaning your ceiling. Remove cobwebs with a clean broom and wash the area with Selley’s Original Sugar Soap. It’s true, no one enjoys cleaning but missing this step could lead to trouble later on.

Tape around cornices, edges and any down lights.

Just like a vertical wall, begin by cutting-in where the roller won’t reach. Using a brush, paint around down lights and edges to create a border.

Once you’ve loaded your roller evenly, begin in one corner and move fluidly in a parallel motion. For best results, work in 1 metre sections painting across and then down. Roll as far into the previously brushed sections as possible.

Now that you’ve finished a large section of your ceiling, and while it’s still damp, you can begin laying-off the paint. This is a crucial step in achieving a smooth and consistent finish. Using an unloaded roller begin in the top left corner of your ceiling and gently pull towards you in a straight line with no pressure. A lightness of touch will prevent new brush strokes from forming. Repeat this action and slightly overlap your last movement so your roller rubs away the line created by the previous stroke.

If your ceiling requires two coats, simply wait 2 hours for your first coat to dry then begin at step 4 and re-cut your ceiling.
And you’re done! Simply clean up using responsible paint disposal methods and enjoy your beautiful new ceilings!

So you have decided to give your home a fresh coat of paint! Paintway  have some tips to help you along the way 😀

The temperature of your house affects the performance of paint. The wall temperature can vary from the weather temperature and must be above 10°C and below 35°C throughout the painting process. You should generally avoid painting in extremely hot or cold conditions. If it looks like rain, remember the painter’s rule; if you wouldn’t hang the washing out or wash the car, don’t paint outside.

Using acrylics Paint:

Most acrylics are touch dry in twenty minutes at 25°C and 50% humidity, this means the hottest weather in the summer months will accelerate the drying process. To slow down the drying rate,  Thinners may be added to the paint at the rate of 50ml per litre.

Here are some tips for painting in summer:

• Don’t paint in direct sunlight or onto a hot surface.
• Try to follow the shade where possible.
• You can add up to approx 5% water to your paint to change consistency.
• Use 2 brushes. Keeping one in a bucket of water and alternating them, stops them drying out.
  

Choosing enamels or acrylics for exterior use: We would generally recommend the use of acrylics in exterior situations. As oil based enamels age they become very brittle and chalky and therefore have a tendency to crack and flake off the surface. Acrylics, however, retain their colour better, do not chalk to any great extent and do not become brittle, giving a longer lasting, more durable paint finish.

Preparing the room: If you haven’t already done so, take down curtains, mirrors and pictures. Move lightweight furniture out of the room. Cover remaining furniture with plastic sheets or drop cloths and tape plastic around pendant light fittings. Or if painting outside, tie back plants so you have clear access to the areas to be painted.

Masking Up: Painting will be faster and cleaner if you mask first. Remove masking tape or papers before the paint is too dry as removal later can lift and break the dry paint leaving a cracked and jagged edge. To achieve a graphic effect, it’s as simple as masking your wall. First, decide on your shape, the start and finish. With some help attach the masking tape at the starting point, making sure it’s secure stretch the tape out to the finishing point. Starting at one end, gently smooth the tape down while keeping it taut. Begin with your first coat.

Where to Start? Start at the top and work down, this means beginning with the ceiling. Paint away from the light source so you are not painting in shadow. Next paint the walls, then the doors and windows, followed by the skirting and the trim. Weatherboards are painted in two stages. Paint the underside of the board first then paint the face. Paint several boards at a time then move your ladder over and continue along the rest of the wall.

Mixing and stirring is vital♨️

Before applying paint; make sure you stir it well according to the instructions on the can. Always ‘box’ your paint; i.e. if you are using more than one can, tip the contents of each into a larger container, like a large plastic bucket, and stir thoroughly. You can then pour it directly into your painting pot, or refill the original tins for future use.

Paintway are always here to help if you decide its a little bit to much for you or you don’t have the time.

The second most common question Paintway are asked, is “How can I paint VJ boards?”

Homes in Toowoomba with V Jay Walls are very common – they are mostly seen in older style Queensland homes – most people underestimate the work it takes to paint and prepare these types of walls. FEAR NOT! It can be done with some patience and preparation, and hard yakka!

It is important to ensure that your home is not painted with lead paint. If your home was built prior to 1970, and you know it hasn’t been painted in the last 20 years, speak to Paintway Toowoomba before you begin painting. In all cases, if your home hasn’t been painted since the 1980’s we would still advise having it checked. Lead was used in a smaller percentage in paints until the 80’s.

Preparation is KEY!

The very first job when painting VJ boards is to thoroughly prep the area. Start by giving your walls a light sand. The sand will ‘rough up’ the face of the wall which will give the paint a better surface to stick to. Once the sanding is completed, give your walls a wash down with sugar soap which is available in hardware shops and supermarkets.

Essential  to ensure a seamless finish, you need to fill the gaps. You need to fill the gaps of the VJ to ensure even paint coverage. A word on fillers, use a flexible filler as the VJ will expand and contract with the weather. Dry weather and the board will contract, wet weather and it will expand. Be sure to wipe off any excess filler with a damp cloth, and take care of your fingers when applying.

Choosing the right brush is also key to cutting down the time it will take, First you will need to purchase a long nap roller like the 3/4″ nap above, a short nap roller like the 3/8″ or 1/4″ above and a good quality brush. If you want to paint the walls quickly and effectively this is the best brush combination to do the job. Also often use a mini roller. If you have a steady hand, a regular brush will be fine for cutting in, but if not purchase a brush designed for cutting in.

First paint the wall with the long nap roller, the longer nap will allow the paint to get into the grooves of the VJ, then straight after, follow with the short nap roller to smooth out the texture of the paint. Continue like this around the room until you have completed your first coat, allow to dry and follow the same method for as many coats as you need to ensure even coverage.