Painting a Textured Surface
Problem Solution
How can I tell if my ceiling has ever been painted before?

The easiest way to tell is to rub your hand gently over the surface. If it feels at all powdery, it likely has not been painted before.
I know that my ceiling texture has never been painted and now it needs to be freshened with a new coat of paint - what should I use?

In this case, you cannot apply a water-based paint as it will soften the texture of the ceiling to the point that it will fall off!     You can either use straight oil or alkyd-based paint or you can use a product called Bullseye Odorless by Zinsser. This product is made with acrylic solids emulsified into solvents instead of the usual water that is common with acrylic-based products.

In most cases, either type can also be used as your finish coat as well. After this first coat of paint has been applied, you are free to paint with anything you like in the future.
Why can't I get my roller to paint evenly? This is usually due to over loading the roller which, in turn, causes improper leveling of the paint on your surface.

Once your roller has been saturated in the well of your paint tray, roll it up and down repeatedly on the grid portion of the tray to ensure any part of the roller that was over or under loaded will be looked after. Also, the first roll onto the wall should be in the shape of an "X" - then roll out the "X" until you need to reload. If you simply start out on the left and work to your right until you run out, the first pass will always release the most paint, giving you uneven results.
The texture on my surface is quite pronounced, which applicator should I use?

There are a couple of great choices - either a foam roller specifically designed for this purpose called a slit foam roller which is split to 'wrap around' the raised portions of the rough surface OR a 30mm (1 1/4") fabric roller which, by virtue of its pile height, will get the job done as well.
I know that painting my ceiling is going to be a messy job. What can I do to ensure that I don't get the paint everywhere else too?

The first step is to cover all of your floors with a drop cloth of polyethylene or, better yet, with a fabric coated or waterproof drop sheet - wall to wall.

Next, you will need to tape off your walls. 

Start by taping the top with a strip of 50mm (2”) EdgeWise painting tape placed exactly against the ceiling.

Then use tape poly that is wide enough to go all the way to the floor over top of the tape in place by using another strip of 50mm (2”) tape.

Our lightweight boxed poly would be perfect for this situation!

Remove all furniture! Painting a ceiling is messy so be sure to cover your entire floor area with a water proof drop sheet (fabric coated).

After you have protected your floor, be sure to completely cover your walls, too.  There are rolls of Dynamic lightweight poly sheets that come folded, with a taped edge on them already that are perfect for this application!

If you are painting your room from top to bottom, the sequence is as follows - ceiling first, then walls and the doors and trim last.

Load the roller well before application. Because you are trying to get paint into some crevices that may be hard to reach and you are using a thicker roller than used for normal wall painting, be sure to load the roller well before application and roll over the surface repeatedly and from different directions to ensure no areas are missed.

Take it slowly. To keep mess to a minimum, roll a little slower than you usually would when applying to a flat surface -the thick roller needed holds a lot of paint and will spatter easily.

Slit Foam Roller - available in two heights depending on the roughness of the texture.

These rollers are slit slightly to allow paint to get into the cracks, ensuring that it can be properly applied over all the bumps and into all the crevices that exist on a textured surface.
30mm (1 1/4") Roller - This is another option for painting rough surfaces.  It holds more paint than a foam roller but will not last as long if the surface is very coarse.
Extension Pole - Dynamic has a wide variety of poles to reach any height of ceiling.   When choosing a pole, it is a good tip to not skimp on the pole strength, as the roller is going to be heavy and you will need to work it back and forth often.

Fabric Coated Drop Sheets - This series of Dynamic drop cloths comes in 4 convenient sizes to suit virtually any room. One size is even specifically shaped for hallways! 

Its design will not allow any liquids through making it perfect for even the messiest jobs. Its backing is made to grip smooth surfaces like tile, laminates and hardwood, which provides a safer choice over most drop cloths.  These sheets can even be used on stairs for the same purpose.
EdgeWise Tape - This crepe paper tape with an acrylic adhesive sticks to any surface and removes quite easily too. Available in 3 widths - 1,1 1/2,2" (25,38 & 50mm)
Spray Hood - This handy hood fits over your head to prevent paint spatter from getting into your hair.
 
Goggles - Always a wise choice to protect your eyes, goggles are especially useful when painting ceilings.
 
Coveralls - Dynamic has two grades of disposable coveralls for those messy paint jobs. Our PMF series is more moisture resistant and both types are available in medium, large, extra large, and double extra large.
 
Tape 'n' Drape - This handy roll of folded poly has tape on one edge and be unfolded after the tape edge is applied.  Two sizes are available: both are 35m (115') long; one folds out at 53cm (21") and the other folds out at 109cm (43").
 
Boxed Poly -  This is a handy 'tissue box' dispenser of lightweight poly that allows you to pull out only as much as your job may need and keeps the rest stored for future use.    2.8m (9') x 122m (400') size only.
 
Bullseye Odorless Primer - An acrylic solid immersed in a solvent medium that has numerous applications and benefits.  Can be used on unpainted stipple as both the primer and the finish coat. Also, because it is an acrylic, it is whiter to begin with and stays whiter longer.  It can be used as a primer on virtually any surface inside your home and can be top coated with any kind of paint.  This primer is completely ODOUR-FREE!
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