How to Find the Best Ceiling Paint ⋆ UpDweller

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Haron is a freelance writer and home renovation enthusiast. He enjoys DIY projects at home or in the garden. He creates detailed guides to help you complete your project easier. He makes sure you get what you're looking for. When he's not writing, he plays video games.

What to Consider When Choosing Ceiling Paint

There’s a wide range of ceiling paint options on the market, so it’s possible to find exactly what you’re looking for.

When it comes to buying ceiling paint, you should first know the structure of your ceiling. Ceilings come with different structures, including vector ceiling, plasterboard suspended ceiling, acoustic ceiling, metal suspended ceiling, and so on. Once you’ve known the structure of your ceiling, it’ll be easier to choose the best ceiling paint for your needs.

Ceiling pants have numerous qualities. Choosing paint according to where it’ll be used will provide lasting convenience. If you have dampness issues, you should consider getting anti-moisture paint. If you plan to wipe your ceilings clean, go for clearable paint.

If you care for interior decoration, small details matter to you. As such, you may want to seek different nuances in ceiling paint. The good news is that ceiling paints do come with decorative options. No matter your ceiling’s structure, you can select a range of paints that can provide elegant and decorative options that are simple to apply.

The combination of paint products you’ll use together is another issue that’s as critical as the quality of your paint. You should decide beforehand which tools will help you paint your ceiling well. You can decide between using a brusher, sprayer, or roller. Then you can buy paint based on the equipment you’ll use.

How to Select Your Ceiling Paint Color

There are plenty of factors to consider when picking a paint color for your ceiling. There’s a good reason why ceilings have traditionally been painted white. It’s bright, light, and reflects the rest of the colors in your room.

While you can decide to take the easy option and pick paint off the shelf, it may not be the right option for your home. The right paint color for your ceiling depends on a number of factors. That said, here are some common paint color choices for ceilings.

White

Even with a glut of paint colors to select from, you may just want your ceiling white. Traditionally, white has always been the go-to option for ceilings. You can trust fresh white paint to brighten up your home and disguise candle smoke, sunlight stains, and cooking oils.

Choosing white as your ceiling paint color can be a perfect option. You may want your ceiling painted white if:

Your ceiling has visible flaws or is textured: Picking flat white will help cover any bumps or lumps along the ceiling. Another color would actually highlight what you want to stay hidden.

The room doesn’t receive plenty of natural light: If your room doesn’t receive much natural light, white paint is perfect since it reflects extra light into darker spaces.

You’re painting the main living area’s ceiling: While light or dark colors on your ceiling can typically enhance certain rooms and create sophisticated charm, sometimes white is ideal. This is especially if you’re painting primary living areas like the kitchen or living room. If you want simplicity in these spaces, white is probably your best option.

Your room is full of bright colors: Have plenty of color in your room as regards furniture, upholstery, paint, or decor? The best move is to pick white paint for your ceiling. If you opt to paint a different color, it’s unlikely to blend nicely with the room.

If your ceiling has a smooth, flat surface and the walls are white, consider choosing a softer color like sky blue, light peach, pale yellow, or ultra-light grey for your ceiling paint to give your room a breezy atmosphere. It’s almost as good as white.

Matching Wall and Ceiling Colors

If you’re considering painting your walls and ceiling the same color, you need to know that light or dark colors work best according to the size and type of room you’ll be painting. Medium tones aren’t as useful, so avoid these shades unless you want to do something different. Painting the walls and ceiling a single color is perfect for these types of rooms:

Large rooms: In large spaces, picking a unified look with either lighter or darker colors will make your room appear seamless and draw attention to your decor and furniture.

Small rooms: Picking a darker hue for the walls and ceiling in a small space will make the room feel more intimate. However, if you want your small room to feel more spacious than it really is, go for a lighter shade for the ceiling and walls.

Bathrooms are an ideal space to use a matching wall and ceiling colors. This simplifies and makes the room seem larger and more modern.

Angled, vaulted, or asymmetrical ceilings: Using one paint color for these kinds of ceilings might help shift the focus away from the shape of the room you’re painting. Opt for a darker hue for a cozier room, or a lighter shade to open up the space.

Painting your walls and ceiling a similar color works perfectly in spaces with flat ceilings rather than scalloped texture.

Contrasting Ceiling Colors

Darker Ceiling Colors

If you’re considering painting your ceiling with a darker hue than the wall, it can be a wise choice if you want little contrast between the walls and ceiling, or want a high contrast appearance in a room with white walls.

If you want your ceiling to have a darker color than your walls, it’s important to go for a color that’s just a couple of shades darker for a polished, sophisticated look. You might want to paint your ceiling with a darker hue if:

You have white walls: If you want something bold, picking a darker color for your ceiling will give your space the outstanding contrast you’ll love.
You want your room to feel more intimate and cozier: A darker color creates the impression of a low ceiling even if it’s very high.
You want to highlight crown molding or any other decorative trim: A darker hue on your ceiling can help to create contrast and highlight these beautiful details.

Try dark colors such as navy shades, chocolate-brown hues, or charcoal grays if your rooms have white walls. This will create a vivid, contrasted look. If you have exposed ceilings, a flat black may also be a timeless choice.

Lighter Ceiling Colors

When your ceiling is painted with a lighter color than the wall, your space can look larger and the walls can feel higher. It’s best to use a lighter color on your ceiling if:

You love simplicity and subtle changes of tone
You want a low-contrast appearance
The color of the wall paint you select looks great when lightened for application on your ceiling. Chances are that the color you have chosen for your wall won’t look as good when it’s diluted. In that case, you may need to pick different colors for your wall and ceiling, or even try another ceiling painting method.

Best Ceiling Paints: Our Top 5 Picks

If you want to give your home ceilings a fresh coat of paint, you need the right ceiling paint on hand. Here are our top 5 picks of the best ceiling paints on the market. Each of these products has unique features. Pick a product that suits your home decor and style.

Benjamin Moore Waterborne Ceiling Paint

Want to cover large surface areas with low-odor paints and fewer coats? Benjamin Moore has good ceiling paints that are available in a variety of colors.

With just one coat, you can customize your interior design and enhance the look of ceiling tiles.

In addition to ceilings, you can have very flat finishes on various interior surfaces, including doors, plaster panels, and walls.

With Benjamin Moore Waterborne Ceiling Paint, you needn’t worry about covering up imperfections and mold stains on ceilings.

The paint is solvent-free, providing superior absorption, and doesn’t splash like other paint products.

Moreover, a gallon of this paint covers 400 to 450 square feet of space. See how Benjamin Moore compares to Sherwin Williams here.

Rust-Oleum Metallic Accents

This elegant metallic accent ceiling paint can leave your ceiling with a unique, decorative finish.

You probably think ceiling paint needs to be white or whitish, but you can improve your ceiling’s look and create a sense of ambiance in your room by rolling on some metallic paint.

Rust-Oleum Metallic Accents ceiling paint can be ideal for strategic places that will be lit up by recessed lighting or lamps. When light is shone upon this ceiling paint, it’ll create a shimmering effect.

You can apply this paint easily and it dries within 30 minutes. It hardly smells, so you can apply it in your room without having to worry about fumes afterward.

Since this paint is water-based, it’s very easy to clean up. The paint’s metallic appearance is made with mica beads.

Glidden Latex Ceiling Paint

Glidden Latex Ceiling Paint features a splash-resistant material and gives a perfect white finish. It has an ultra-low odor during application and perfectly conceals the surface flaws.

This 3.785-gallon paint is a quality product that can cover imperfections with just a single coat. It normally dries in about 60 minutes, so you can quickly achieve large coverage.

So, this is the ideal product if you’re looking to cover flaws across your ceiling due to cracks and leaks and leave it with a matte finish.

KILZ Color-Change Stainblocking Interior Ceiling Paint

This revolutionary paint makes painting your ceiling easier. When you apply this paint to your ceiling, it’ll be light pink. As it dries up, it turns white.

By just looking at the surface, you can tell if it’s time to apply a second coat because the paint dries quickly.

KILZ Color-Change Stainblocking Interior Ceiling Paint is both a ceiling paint and primer. So, when you apply the paint, it saves you money and time. It also stops stains, mildew, and mold from occurring.

This paint is designed not to splatter that easily. You can confidently apply this paint to your ceiling and not have to worry about paint droplets deflecting off your windows or walls.

This paint dries within 60 minutes and you can apply a second coat within two hours.

Homax Roll-on Wall Texture Ceiling Paint

This is arguably the best white ceiling paint out there. It can transform the surface it’s applied to. It covers up flaws and defects and creates an exciting texture rather than the same old flat ceiling you’re used to.

You can apply Homax Roll-on Wall Texture Ceiling Paint with various applicators, and the paint will give you total control over the texture and appearance you create.

This product dries fast and you can apply any standard ceiling paint over it. If you use low sheen or matte paints over Homax Roll-on Wall Texture Ceiling Paint, you’ll get a more beautiful finish because low sheen and matte paints cover flaws well.

Homax Roll-on Wall Texture Ceiling Paint is available in a 2-gallon container that’s enough to cover around 150 square feet. It has an ultra-low odor, so you don’t have to exit the room until the smell dies down.

FAQs

Question: What’s the best ceiling paint?

Answer: Top ceiling paint options on the market include:

• Montage Signature Eco-Friendly Ceiling Paint
• Rust-Oleum Metallic Accents Paint
• KILZ Color-Changing Anti-Stain Interior Ceiling Paint
• Modern Masters Metallic Paint
• Homax Roll-on Wall Texture White

Question: What’s the best white paint for ceilings?

Answer: For a while, flat ceiling, you can apply regular flat sheen white indoor latex paint that’s not known as a ceiling paint. But applying ceiling paint makes the process easier, produces a better-looking ceiling, as well as produces less splatter and drips.

Question: What kind of paint should be applied on a ceiling?

Answer: The best paint for the ceiling should always be matte flat acrylic paint. This is because flat plaint won’t reflect light or remove attention from the room furnishings and wall. Since there’s minimal wear and tear on ceilings, glossy, long-lasting paint isn’t needed.

Question: How many layers of paint do ceilings need?

Answer: One gallon will normally cover 350 to 400 square feet per coat. If you’re buying quality paint that comes with a primer, or you prime in advance, you’ll need a single coat. If you have a darker surface, a significantly stained surface, or a surface that’s porous or made up of fresh drywall, you might need extra coats.

Question: Should you paint your ceiling white?

Answer: Although light or dark colors on your ceiling can enhance certain rooms or create sophisticated charm, sometimes white is the best color. This is particularly true if you’re painting major living areas like a kitchen or living room. If you want simplicity in these rooms, white is probably your best bet.

The Bottom Line

While white ceilings are certainly here to stay, painting your ceiling with different colors will transform the feel and look of your room.

Considering the size of your room and the mood you want to create will help you pick that perfect ceiling paint color. And feel free to experiment. If you don’t like the color you’ve picked, just remember that there’s an entire rainbow to select from.

How to Find the Best Ceiling Paint