Painting, wallpapering, etc

[warpus]

don't scrub the ceiling

Can you explain what you mean by that?

Is there any way to determine how the ceiling texture was created? And say that I mess up the texture, what should I do then? Say the texture peels off in one spot or I mess something else up. I don't care if the ceiling doesn't have any texture at all, so in that scenario I would probably want to remove it all.. right? And the way to do that would depend on how it was first applied?

Run one wet edge across the whole ceiling.

Can you explain this as well? I googled "wet edge" and it says that it's a technique where you keep an edge of the paint wet, so that you can then paint slightly overtop it and blend it in, so there's no lines when it dries. How do you keep an edge wet? Won't the paint all dry at the same rate? Does that just mean I should paint fast enough so that I do the next line before the last one dries?

Do you basically mean I should paint in a straight line all the way across the ceiling, parallel line by parallel line until I am done? First painting near the edges using a paintbrush?

Pretend the surface is an egg shell

So basically don't press too hard?

Do any necessary prep work on all parts first. As in patching nail holes, fixing flaws, that sort of thing. Also any primer work that you need to do to cover stains or if the color difference is too great, and you have to kill the old color to put on a new one. Which is common if the old color was dark or bright and the new one is light. If the room is carpeted, and you intend to remove it, do not remove it before painting.

I have actually already removed all the carpeting, but not the padding underneath. I figured I should remove the padding after I am finished painting, in case any of the paint drips down. Which doesn't seem like a big deal either, if it did, but am I missing something?

I am not sure if I'll need a primer, but I took photos of the existing paint to bring with me when I buy paint, hoping that they will be able to tell me if I need primer or not. The old colours are light brownish sort of, and the new colours are sleepy blue (for one room) and mellow orange (in the other room). Sounds like I will probably need a primer?

I bought the stuff I need to patch any holes, so that I can do that before I paint.

If painting the wall of a room a light color like an antique white, I have used the same paint for the ceiling. A good quality wall paint is fine for ceilings.

The paint store guy might try to sell you on a primer and two coats of paint on top. When repainting you don't need a primer except for water stains. And some weird stuff like if some moron has written on the walls with ink recently. Crayon can be tricky. Might wash that off. You can test by brushing a coat over questionable spots.

Yeah, I considered that they might try to oversell me. There are multiple stores that sell paint all at the same intersection near here, I was going to visit them all and see what they all say. Should I post the colour of the walls as it is now, here, to then get primer or no primer tips? The new colours I have selected for the rooms are sleepy blue (for one room) and mellow orange (for the other room), although I was going to basically say those colour names (that I found online) and see what they have that's similar that they recommend. The old colour is light brownish/mocha sort of.

1/2" nap is good for if you want to hide past sins. It goes over a bit of texture, but leaves texture behind where there was none before. So unevenness in your texture is better hidden with the longer nap.

What do you mean that it "leaves texture behind where there was none before"? Painting over texture naturally creates new texture, even if I don't intend to do that? Or am I misreading?

Texture seems like a huge hassle and potential set of issues..

 

[Birdjaguar]

Don't over think all this. It is pretty simple. If you "cut in" corners and edges (use a brush to paint around the edges so the roller wont have to go to the edge), rolling can be easier. Just roll the ceiling, roll the walls and then do the trim. It is hard to make a mistake.

 

[Gori the Grey]

Does that just mean I should paint fast enough so that I do the next line before the last one dries?

Yes.

 

[Cutlass]

Is there any way to determine how the ceiling texture was created? And say that I mess up the texture, what should I do then? Say the texture peels off in one spot or I mess something else up. I don't care if the ceiling doesn't have any texture at all, so in that scenario I would probably want to remove it all.. right? And the way to do that would depend on how it was first applied?

Most semi recent construction has ceilings with what's called 'popcorn'. This is a spray on texture which is just a bunch of tiny round bits sprayed all over. It's the cheapest and fastest way to prep a ceiling. But sometimes parts of it come loose. It's too much effort to get it all off. So you can buy spray cans to touch up any areas that you don't have good coverage. It can be painted over.

I have actually already removed all the carpeting, but not the padding underneath. I figured I should remove the padding after I am finished painting, in case any of the paint drips down. Which doesn't seem like a big deal either, if it did, but am I missing something?

No. A carpet, or the padding, that you are going to throw away anyways just makes the best drop cloth.

I am not sure if I'll need a primer, but I took photos of the existing paint to bring with me when I buy paint, hoping that they will be able to tell me if I need primer or not. The old colours are light brownish sort of, and the new colours are sleepy blue (for one room) and mellow orange (in the other room). Sounds like I will probably need a primer?

Probably not, if you get good quality paint, and put it on thick (which, again, is a roller with a deeper nap).

What do you mean that it "leaves texture behind where there was none before"? Painting over texture naturally creates new texture, even if I don't intend to do that? Or am I misreading?

Texture seems like a huge hassle and potential set of issues..

Look close, or run your fingers over the walls. Typically a wall that's been painted more than once has some texture to it. Under the right lighting conditions you can see this, particularly with a gloss or semigloss finish. This is called "orange peel" effect, as it looks a lot like the texture of an orange.

What you don't want to get is to have most of the wall have this orange peel, but part of it is smooth, because you patched the plaster and then sanded it down. In order to match the older texture to the newer texture, again, a deeper nap roller. But also a few different coats of paint over the sanded areas.

Why this matters is that when you see it in the right light from the right angle, the parts of the walls that were sanded, and are smooth, are going to reflect light differently than those that had not, and so have the orange peel. And you'll see that constantly once you've seen it the first time. So by putting that thick orange peel everywhere you'll blend it all in to be the same.

 

[Core Imposter]

Scrubbing or dry rolling is simply using pressure to squeeze the paint out of the roller, which is fine if you are working on a flat surface of a wall but with the textured ceilings, I tend to keep the roller cover wet and leading edges wet, moving at a good pace, smoothing it out nicely with light strokes. You don't have to paint in singular swatches to keep it wet but maybe two or three here and then extend. Turn off your phone, no smoke breaks, no chatter, no bloody fans running. If somebody like me can do it anyone can. Problems are rare. I probably needn't have mentioned it.

 

[Gori the Grey]

While I acknowledge that bare ceilings do seem a little bare, texturing is just the stupidest solution to that problem.

 

[Cutlass]

While I acknowledge that bare ceilings do seem a little bare, texturing is just the stupidest solution to that problem.

Biggest thing about texturing them is that it hides the flaws in the plastering. It's really hard work to make a ceiling perfectly smooth.

 

[Gori the Grey]

Biggest thing about texturing them is that it hides the flaws in the plastering. It's really hard work to make a ceiling perfectly smooth.

Ah, yes, of course. (Says the man who has poorly mudded two ceilings) (and one wall) (but mudded one wall well.)

 

[Farm Boy]

What did you decide to use for the corners?

 

[Gori the Grey]

What did you decide to use for the corners?

Is this directed at me, or at Warpus?

Corners? or edges? Edges: quarter-round. Corners: quarter-round cut at a 45-degree angle.

Speaking of corners, In one room where I didn't do anything with the ceiling proper, I wanted fancy moulding. What I picked had what is called a "spring angle," which means that you can't do a simple 45-degree cut on a simple (hand) mitre-saw. I think good power mitre-saws can handle them with just the right setting. Took me forever to figure out what I was going to do. Getting them to stay in place was its own challenge b/c one tight angle needed a stud for a finish nail and had no stud. The whole thing is held in place with a corner-bracket by which the well-mounted piece of moulding holds the loose piece of moulding in place. All covered over with wood putty.

 

[Farm Boy]

I'm guessing you pulled that off pretty well. I pulled old crown moulding out of a barn(hey, it was the leftover original stuff from the house!) and tried to match it's old warpy nature to the weird angles on my barn-converted ceiling(they're not 90s(well, some of them try)). I still have nightmares of coping saws. Agile little things. <shudders>

Kudos on the wood putty skills. Wood putty and paint will get you as far as duct tape in life.

 

[Gori the Grey]

Ha! It was a coping saw that I used to fake a spring angle!

 

[warpus]

What did you decide to use for the corners?

If asking me, my mom suggested we buy these sort of painting pads that she's painted corners with before, and other tight spots. There might be some around at her place, we'll see. I haven't bought any paint yet, work has been crazy busy and all the paint stores near here close at 5pm or 6pm for some reason.

Turns out my brother in law painted semi-professionally for 4 years - he was able to send me some further tips. I think I am ready. Thanks for all y'alls help again!

 

[Gori the Grey]

Those painting pads are good. And the little foam-rubber brushes have their uses.

 

[Cutlass]

If asking me, my mom suggested we buy these sort of painting pads that she's painted corners with before, and other tight spots. There might be some around at her place, we'll see. I haven't bought any paint yet, work has been crazy busy and all the paint stores near here close at 5pm or 6pm for some reason.

Turns out my brother in law painted semi-professionally for 4 years - he was able to send me some further tips. I think I am ready. Thanks for all y'alls help again!

I actually just did a room. I find that the new style smaller diameter rollers are good for the corners smaller spaces like over doors. https://www.amazon.com/Bates-Roller...S7FH?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&psc=1

 

[Birdjaguar]

It is strange tht they sell so many roller pads with a roller. If you wash a roller pad well after use, it is good for many jobs. I guess it is just more "throw it away culture".

 

[warpus]

How long is waiting too long to wash it, after you paint?

 

[Gori the Grey]

It's a pain to do. I do it. But it's a pain to do. Takes forever to get the water to run clear.

Do it right away if you're going to do it.

 

[Birdjaguar]

How long is waiting too long to wash it, after you paint?

A roller? You should do it soon or wrap it in a wet rag until you have time. Scraping down a roller with a putty knife while you run it under water will help you clean it deeply. You should treat your rollers like your brushes if you want to keep them useable.

 

[Core Imposter]

When using water based paint I just leave the cover on the roller and the roller on the extension poll and after squeezing out the most of the paint, use a water hose to spin all the color out.