# Flat Paint Ceiling Problems



## Glamgirl209 (Apr 4, 2019)

Not picking up well in pics. Looks awful in person.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I really couldn't tell from the pics. Lap marks can be unsightly and are caused by application error but I'm not really seeing them. Could there be low spots in the ceiling giving the illusion of bad spots in the paint?


On the final coat of paint [if doing more than 1] you always want to roll from one end to the other [the short direction]


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## stick\shift (Mar 23, 2015)

It can help if you change direction 90° with the next coat.


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## Glamgirl209 (Apr 4, 2019)

So I don’t paint the longer length of the room? I paint horizontally? It’s not lap marks but just darker patches scattered throughout.


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## Glamgirl209 (Apr 4, 2019)

Also I made the mistake of going over the patchy parts only after the second coat which led to an even patchier uneven paint job. Shows with no light are sunlight coming through the blinds. Under any other light it looks flawless.


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

*Re: Flat Paint Ceiling Problems- Please Help!*

First of all, you dont really want high qaulity paint on a ceiling, because it has a sheen, and will make things look worse. 

Second, I dont see what youre talking about.

Third, It looks like a god awful texture job on the ceiling, so Im guessing thats what your seeing. Paint wont hide it, if thats the case.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Jan 12, 2018)

*Re: Flat Paint Ceiling Problems- Please Help!*

@woodco I think was he is describing is the paint flashing on him. Possibly switching to a 3/4" nap cover would help. 



Here is my prescribed 'fix':

Prime with BM 046 + 2 coats BM 508. Apply with 3/4" nap Profab FTP or ProDooz FTP

Marvel at how your ceiling looks like a million dollar job just from using high quality products.


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## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

Just asking. Has it been 2 days or so since finishing it? Or could be layers were too thin. The hvac cover also lays down more dust around it as well as around the electrical box cover (ceiling fan). Photo also shows sunlight and your ceiling looks heavily textured. Check those blotches with sunlight blocked and make sure it's not a shadow. Have made that mistake before.:smile:


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

When you roll the shorter direction you are less likely to get lap marks [you want to try and always keep a wet edge when applying paint] Yrs ago when 2 coats was the norm we'd roll the first coat lengthwise and the second coat the other direction.


Lap mark or flashing will sometimes disappear on their own given enough time - usually a few days. Some paints are better/worse than others. The potential for a long angle of sight is what makes getting a nice job on ceilings difficult.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

"Valspar flat paint in the medium quality."

^^^^^This, didn't do you any favors.

Also, I tell people this all the time. With today's fast-drying paints, you have to absolutely FLY when painting a ceiling. You can't take a 5 minute break to get a drink, you can't check facebook, you can't really even stop to rest your aching neck, you have to be diligent and focused. Any stoppages will cause lap marks especially with cheaper paints that are nothing more than "fillers" and water. Just my two cent's.


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## Timborooni (Apr 16, 2011)

There is a lot of shadow going on in your photo, so it's hard to make out what you have going on there.

As Mark said, ceilings can be tricky because of the long angle of sight, you can see more flaws looking across a painted surface.

Taking into consideration the potential for lap marks, I don't know if any other painter does this-> It can be difficult to paint an entire ceiling keeping a wet edge before some of it begins to setup and dry, heat rises and it can start drying pretty quickly up there. I'll pick a corner, say that corner to the right of the glass door. I will paint towards the ceiling fan at a slightly inwardly rounded 45* angle from that corner. I will go around the room (the fan as the center) keeping a wet edge and finally meeting back to that rounded 45*. _If_ there is any lap mark,....hey, it's just a shadow line, maybe. The lap mark, if any, is disguised as a shadow line.

Ceilings can be a pain in the butt. Long angle of sight. Everything below has to be covered. Furniture moved towards the center of the room makes cutting-in around things such as a ceiling fan a challenge. Etc. This one was fun. And, popcorn. Ugh.


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## Glamgirl209 (Apr 4, 2019)

I used a flat paint in a medium quality. A $30 gallon paint. There aren’t lap marks just areas where it looks blotchy with small darker areas. They only show in the morning light with all the lights off and the blinds closed.


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## Glamgirl209 (Apr 4, 2019)

My plan is to buy the same color in a high quality $60 flat paint and use a 3/4 nine inch roller and do a third coat. I made the mistake of trying to touch up areas after the second coat which made it look even more blotchy and uneven. Does this sound like a good plan?


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## Glamgirl209 (Apr 4, 2019)

Also I plan on rolling in the opposite direction toward the window since this is the only angle the problem areas show from. I started from the window in the first 2 times.


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## Glamgirl209 (Apr 4, 2019)

Better pic


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## amospoint1978 (Jul 17, 2014)

Those damn ceilings!.. enough to make a saint swear!. Glamgirl 209, I am curious how your ceiling turned out. Is it a textured ceiling?, it looks as though it is from your photos.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

The 3/4 nap is going to be a pain in the butt. They tend to become a bit "floppy." Whichever nap size you use, be sure to load that puppy up with paint, almost to the point of it dripping off into the paint tray as you raise it to the ceiling. Most people don't put enough paint on their roller and that's how you end up with thin areas. And, don't try to squeeze out every last drop of paint on each run with your roller. Load up early and often, in other words put LOTS of paint on!!!


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## siffleur (Aug 19, 2013)

*Problem is with sealing the ceiling*



Glamgirl209 said:


> My plan is to buy the same color in a high quality $60 flat paint and use a 3/4 nine inch roller and do a third coat. I made the mistake of trying to touch up areas after the second coat which made it look even more blotchy and uneven. Does this sound like a good plan?


Glamgirl, your photos do not show what you are seeing. Same with photos I take of ceilings I have done.

Lots of good suggestions here. This is my take on your ceiling.

Unless a ceiling (or wall) has either been properly sealed or an eggshell or higher sheen of paint (satin, semi-gloss, gloss) has been applied previously, you are dealing with a porous surface that will suck up water like a bone-dry sponge. Sealing the surface (either with an actual sealer or a paint with an eggshell sheen or higher) will prevent the water in your ceiling paint from being sucked into the ceiling. What does this mean? It means that if you are rolling the paint on and leave roller lines (from the paint squeezing out of each end of the roller) on the ceiling, the water in those roller lines will not be absorbed into the surface, but will rather stay in the paint, allowing you enough time to go back over those lines and smooth them out. With the ceiling surface sealed against moisture, the water in the paint you apply will not go into the surface, but will remain in the paint to slowly evaporate into the room. This also helps prevent fast drying which can cause semi-dried paint to start to "pull" off when rolling the next roller-full of paint on the ceiling.

Since you are a DIYer and sound like you want to do a really good job, you can afford to go a little bit overboard compared to professional painters who have timelines to consider.

What I would do is this:

1. Roll 2 coats of a sealer such as Zinsser's Gardz or 123 and let dry thoroughly. 

2. Cut (with a brush) in the ceiling at the walls out about 3 to 4 inches twice with your choice of ceiling paint. If you want a bright white dead flat ceiling paint, my choice would be Pittsburgh's Premium Ceiling paint. If you want a slightly darker shade of white, I would use Sherwin Williams' CHB white paint or Benjamin Moore's Super Hide ceiling paint. The Pittsburgh Premium Ceiling White is my favorite ceiling paint because it rolls on easily and rolls on easily for the 2nd coat as well.

3. After cutting in the ceiling twice and letting the paint thoroughly dry, I would roll the rest of the ceiling with a good 1/2" roller (ask for help with this at a paint store, not a box store like Home Depot or Lowes.). I would roll the paint perpendicular to the exterior source of light. That means that if I was standing at one side of the room and looking at the window that brings in the most light, I would roll the paint from side to side nearest the wall that the window is in.

This may seem like a lot of work and it is more than most professional painters usually do, but I am trying to tell you what I think might be the best way to paint your ceiling considering your skill set. Good luck.

siffleur


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Gymschu said:


> Most people don't put enough paint on their roller and that's how you end up with thin areas.



It's amazing really. Any time you hear that sizzling sound, you know they're spreading the paint too thin. Literally everything works better when you get a full load of paint and don't try to overspread it. Are we really trying to save $5 worth of paint for all our effort for the weekend?


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