Should You Paint the Walls or the Ceiling First?

Painting a room seems like a simple process until you really start to think about what goes into it. You may run into a few perplexing issues, including whether to paint the walls or the ceiling first. A professional painting contractor will always start with the ceiling and move on to the wall surfaces before finishing with trim painting.

Learn why this is the best order to ensure an amazing outcome.

Benefits of Painting the Ceiling First

Applying paint to the ceiling first reduces the likelihood of various problems occurring and offers the following benefits.

Easier To Cut the Edges

Painting the area where the wall and ceiling meet requires a technique called “cutting in.” By covering the ceiling first, you won’t have to worry about going over the edge onto the walls when you know you’ll be painting them later.

However, by doing it the other way around, you have to be much more careful when cutting in the ceiling to avoid affecting the finished paint job on the walls.

Saving Time on the Work

Another benefit of starting with the ceiling is that it saves time. Taping the room with painter’s tape on the walls usually isn’t necessary, which makes prep work go faster. If you get a little bit of the ceiling paint on the walls, you can always cover it when you paint those items later in the process.

Ceilings Are Usually White

If you’re putting white paint on the ceilings and some of it drips onto the walls, it’s easy to cover it with whatever color you’re applying to the walls. On the other hand, if you’re using a darker color on the walls, and some of it gets on the ceiling, it’ll be tougher to cover with white.

Clearing Furniture Is Easier

When painting a room, you’ll probably need to clear furniture out of the room. If you don’t have space in your home to store the extra furniture until you can finish painting the entire room, though, painting the ceiling first gives you some flexibility.

After painting the ceiling and letting it dry, you could move the furniture back into the middle of the room while painting the walls (as long as you’re careful about splatters).

The Results Are More Professional

Working from the top down gives you a more professional, clean finish. Painting professionals almost always use this technique because it reduces the risk of having to do touch-ups and extra work. Professionals will paint almost any large area by starting at the highest point and working downward to achieve the best possible results in the most efficient manner.

What May Happen If You Paint the Walls First

If you’re still debating whether to paint the walls or ceiling first, know that starting with the walls could lead to some unwanted problems.

You May Drip Ceiling Paint on the Walls

If you paint the walls first, you may have to do quite a bit of touch-up work after painting the ceiling. When you do the ceiling first, it’s much easier to cover any splatters or drips on the walls when you paint them later on. If you paint the walls first, touching them up later adds extra time and steps to the process.

You Could Scuff the Fresh Wall Paint

Working on a ceiling requires the use of ladders. Some people put up scaffolding or work with stilts. Using such equipment near walls could scuff the freshly painted surface, resulting in additional touch-ups.

Prepare the Ceiling for Painting Without Scuffing the Walls

So, should you paint the walls or ceiling first when you need to repair the ceiling drywall? Don’t paint the walls first, as fixing imperfections in the ceiling is tougher with fresh paint on the walls.

You might need to fill in holes or cracks near the edges of the ceiling before you can start painting it. If you have crown molding, you may want to tape this trim before painting. You might also need to clear away cobwebs and dust from the upper corners.

You’ll probably need to use a ladder for these tasks, and you could scuff any fresh wall paint when moving the ladder.

What To Do If You Must Paint the Walls Before the Ceiling

Perhaps you ended up in a situation where you have no choice but to paint the walls first. Maybe your special-order ceiling paint still hasn’t arrived, and you can’t put off the job another day, so you’re going to start on the walls. If so, you can take a few steps to reduce errors.

Use High-Quality Ceiling Paint

If your walls are already painted when you start on the ceiling, you can reduce splatter and drips by using a high-quality ceiling paint. Most high-end paint products are made to splatter or drip less than thinner, low-quality products.

Paint Carefully and Slowly

When painting the ceiling, speeding through the work with a roller will create more splattering and dripping. Work slowly, especially near the edges of the ceiling.

Use a Short-Nap Roller With Precise Control

Use your ladder to get close to the ceiling so that you can control the roller better. You’ll have less splatter using a short-handled roller than a roller on a long pole.

A short-nap roller should reduce splatter. However, it will make the job take longer because it holds less paint.

Eliminate Worry Over Painting Order Errors When You Count on Engel Coatings Inc.

Common questions arise when preparing to paint a room, such as whether you should paint the walls or the ceiling first. You may also wonder which type of paint to use and whether you should rent scaffolding. Rather than worry about all those details that could set your DIY project back, trust our experts at Engel Coatings Inc.

Our team will give you a perfect result, avoiding paint bubbling, brush marks, and poor coverage. We can even explain why our professionals always paint the ceiling first. To receive a free estimate for any painting needs you have, call us today at (575) 642-5481.