How to Paint Walls Near a Ceiling

Safeguarding the Room

Remove everything in the room that will get in your way. Anything hanging on the walls has to go, including artwork and mirrors. Take down curtains and other decorations that could get in your way. Consider also moving furniture out of the room so it isn’t in your way while you’re painting. At the very least, slide it away from where you’re painting so nothing drips on it. Note anything near or on the ground. Even though it might not be in your way now, it could be when you start painting the rest of each wall.

Turn off the power before removing electrical fixtures. Shut off the room’s electricity using your home’s circuit breaker or fuse box. Once you’re sure the electrical components are safe to touch, start taking them off the wall. This includes light fixtures, outlet covers, and switches. Some of them require a screwdriver to remove. If you are unable to remove something, like an outlet cover, you can place painter’s tape around it to protect it. The circuit breaker or fuse box is usually on the lowest level of your home. Look for a labeled switch controlling power to the room you want to paint.

Cover the floor with a plastic tarp or drop cloth. Although you won’t be working with a lot of paint all at once, the risk of drips still remains. Protect your floor by keeping it covered. Spread the tarp or drop cloth flat, then try taping it to the lower part of the wall or floor to prevent it from moving. Protective covers are available online and at most hardware stores along with all the other supplies you may need to paint the walls.

Wipe the walls clean with warm water and a sponge. For walls that have stubborn stains, try using a grease-cutting liquid dish detergent. Mix about 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of the detergent into 4 cups (950 mL) of warm water. Scrub the wall with the mixture to eliminate any noticeable stains. Any debris on the wall could prevent the paint from adhering properly. This can be a big issue in rooms that get a lot of use, such as your kitchen. For extra power, try adding ⁄4 teaspoon (1.2 mL) of white vinegar to the mixture and letting it soak into stubborn stains for 10 minutes.

Dry the walls with a clean cloth before painting it. To prepare the wall for painting, eliminate any moisture left on the walls while also checking for remaining debris. Make sure the wall is dry to the touch. Moisture could cause the paint to bubble and crack later. If you used soap, wipe the wall clean with a damp cloth before drying it. You can let the walls air dry and this is usually the easier thing to do while you’re preparing your painting supplies. It can take 10 to 30 minutes, so make sure the walls finish drying.

Taping Walls and Pouring Primer

Cover the ceiling near the wall with painter's tape. Painter’s tape doesn’t leave any adhesive behind, so it’s the best choice for protecting the ceiling. Position it along the edge of the ceiling where it meets the wall. Make sure the tape is on the ceiling, not the wall. As you spread the tape out, press down on it to ensure it’s flat against the ceiling. Try applying the tape in strips about 2 to 3 ft (0.61 to 0.91 m) long. Anything longer than that can be too difficult to work with. Any pockets of air underneath the tape could provide space for paint to seep into. Make sure the tape is as smooth and flat as you can make it!

Put on a dust mask and open nearby windows. Protect yourself against paint fumes. If you don’t have any ventilation fans in the room, leave the windows and doors open. Also, keep other people out of the area until you’re finished. You don’t really need gloves or any other gear while painting, although they can be useful for avoiding messes.

Pour 1 to 2 cups (240 to 470 mL) of primer into a small bowl. Using a standard painter’s tray will make the task more difficult since they tend to be bulky and difficult to maneuver up a latter. You could use a plastic bucket with a handle instead if you don’t have a suitable bowl. Fill it with primer that is compatible with the type of paint you plan on using. Most indoor paints are water-based latex. There are also some oil-based paints, so make sure you get a compatible primer if you’re using one. If you are able to reach the ceiling without climbing very high, you could still put the paint in a tray or leave it in the canister.

Dip a small, angled brush into the primer. Start with an angled brush about 2 to 4 in (5.1 to 10.2 cm) long. Dip it into the primer so the bottom ⁄2 to 1 in (1.3 to 2.5 cm) of the bristles are coated. The shape of the angled brush allows you to maneuver across the wall without getting paint on the ceiling. However, be careful to avoid adding too much primer to the wall at once. Shake out the brush before using it. Tap it on the sides of the bowl. If it looks like it’s dripping or overloaded, brush some of the paint off on the bowl to prevent splattering. You could also try using a small roller. If you’re careful, it can be an effective tool that lets you work at a faster rate.

Priming the Walls

Press the paintbrush against the wall in one corner. Set up a stepladder in one corner if you need help reaching the ceiling. Then, position the brush so the bristles are arranged horizontally on the wall with the handle pointing out toward you. Press it down gently so the primer-covered bristles are flat against the wall but not touching the ceiling. The tips of the bristles should just barely touch the painter’s tape. Take your time to make sure the primer spreads across the wall consistently without splashing onto the ceiling.

Drag the brush around the edges of the room to prime it. This process is called “cutting in” and even professionals use it to apply primer to tight areas. Hold the brush still as you drag the bristles from one corner to the other. Reload the brush with more paint as it dries out. Also, go back over the surface to fill in any gaps and even out the paint. Go back over areas that look uneven. You can always reverse direction with the brush. It won’t affect the finish. Note that the primer dries out relatively quickly. To avoid trouble, prime and paint the walls one at a time.

Prime down to 2 in (5.1 cm) from the top of the wall. The additional space will give you a little breathing space later on when you’re finishing the walls. Continue reloading the brush and dragging it across the walls. You can switch to a wider brush if you prefer and hold it with the bristles aligned vertically. Filling in this additional bit of space means you don’t have to get too close to the ceiling later. It’s helpful for using bigger tools, like rollers, that aren’t quite as accurate as small brushes.

Use the brush to prime the other corners in the room. The other corners are also hard to reach and should be primed with a small, angled brush. Apply the primer along the corners where the walls meet. When you reach the bottom of the wall, turn the brush again so the bristles are parallel to the floor or baseboard. Work across this area to fill it in with a 2 in (5.1 cm) strip of color. Remember to place painter’s tape over any areas you don’t wish to paint, such as baseboards. If you’re planning on painting all of the walls the same color, you won’t need to separate them with tape.

Finish the rest of the room using a roller. The easiest way to finish priming the walls is with a big paint roller on an extension handle. Coat the roller in a consistent amount of primer, making sure it doesn’t drip, then start at the initial 2 in (5.1 cm) stripe you made near the ceiling. Drag the roller from the top of the wall to the bottom to finish coating it in a consistent layer of primer. Be careful to avoid dragging the roller all the way to the ceiling. Stop at the stripe so you don’t inadvertently end up with paint where you don’t want it.

Wait up to 3 hours for the primer to dry. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations for a more specific estimate of the time required for the primer to dry. Make sure it is at least dry to the touch before painting over it. Note that humid or cold weather make both paint and primer dry at a slower rate.

Applying Paint

Fill a small bowl with the paint you plan on using. Most people choose a latex paint since it is water-resistant and easy to clean. This kind of paint is usually ready for use straight out of the canister. To fill in the space near the ceiling, start with a little bit of paint in a small bowl or a bucket that is easy to haul up a ladder. Water-based paints like latex paint tend to dry quickly. When you’re not using the paint, keep the canister closed. Cover paint bowls and trays with a damp rag. Oil-based paints don’t require special preparation either as long as the walls are clean and well-coated in primer.

Paint around the edges of the wall with an angled brush. Pour some paint into another small bowl, then apply the paint through the same “cutting in” process you used for the primer. Start with the space between the ceiling and the walls first. Move down the corners between the walls, then finish up with the area near the floor. Remember to create a 2 in (5.1 cm) stripe around each edge so you don’t have any trouble operating the roller.

Use a roller to finish painting the rest of each wall. Coat a roller in the paint you plan on using, then paint each wall from top to bottom. Work on the walls one at a time. Make sure you don’t paint past the initial 2 in (5.1 cm) stripes you made around the edges, or else the paint could end up on the ceiling. If an area looks uneven, roll over it again at a steady pace. The initial layer doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should look pretty consistent.

Wait about 4 hours for the paint to dry. The drying time will vary depending on the product you’re using. House paints, particularly the latex-based ones most often used on walls, dry out at a reasonable rate. After the paint dries, you can check the finish and apply a second coat as needed to make it more consistent. Most paint jobs require a second coat of paint. You don’t have to redo the edges around the ceiling again. However, give this second coating time to dry out, too. Oil-paints dry out at a much slower rate. They usually take as long as 24 hours to finish, so note the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Peel off the painter’s tape once the walls have finished drying. Pick at the edge of the tape in one corner. You should be able to lift it by hand. After that, it peels right off without leaving any stains on the wall. Continue peeling off all the tape to admire the new finish. Removing the tape too early could smear the paint, ruining your attempts to keep it off the ceiling. Painter’s tape doesn’t leave adhesive behind, but you can always scrub away any lingering stains or stickiness with a little bit of water. Make sure that the paint is dry and waterproof before doing this.