Gone are the days when a decorator would just use any cheap matt emulsion to paint a ceiling. Finish is everything and you can experience problems with roller marks and picture framing if you’re not careful.
As a decorator, I know when I’m likely to experience these types of problems. I also know there are a few steps you can take to avoid roller marks on a ceiling. I thought I’d put pen to paper and explain.
Light critical or large, open plan type ceilings are generally trickier to get right. This is because light will shine across the ceiling and show every imperfection.
How to Avoid Roller Marks on a Ceiling
Tools and materials
- A good-quality paint roller
- A pole
- Paint Scuttle
- Paint brush
- A low-sheen matt emulsion
Use the Right Paint
I can’t stress how important your paint choice is. Ceiling paints have a very low sheen, so light doesn’t bounce off it as much as it does other paints. This leads to less shadowing and flashing. Choosing the right paint is the easiest way to avoid roller marks when painting a ceiling. I’ll go into my recommendations further down the blog.
Dilute The Paint
If you are using a quality paint, then the first thing you can do to eliminate brush and roller marks is dilute it slightly with clean water.
Cut in
Then you should cut in around the edge of your room and light fittings with a brush.
Roll
Next you should roll. Make sure you use a long or medium pile roller on a pole. Start at a natural light source. By doing this you will be able to look back over your work and spot any heavy roller marks. Get plenty of paint on your ceiling and spread it out in long, even passes. Don’t keep going back over your work while it’s drying unless you need to and don’t panic about it looking patchy before it’s dry!!
Your paint roller makes a huge difference when trying to avoid roller marks on a ceiling. I highly recommend using a Purdy Colossus roller. You will need to de-lint the sleeve before use, but it holds loads of paint and allows you to lay it off with ease. Click here to see online prices.
The Best Paint for a Streak Free Ceiling
Cheap contract matt, retail paint, or an emulsion with a high sheen level will generally lead to problems. However, there are some very good products you can use, whether you’re painting with white, or a tinted colour. I’ll mention my three favourite and most forgiving products now. The general attribute each of my favourite products has is the sheen level. You need a perfect and flat matt if you want to avoid roller marks.
Tikkurila Anti-Reflex
Slightly cheaper than Perfect Matt, Anti-Reflex is a very strange paint, but the finish is amazing!! You should apply very generous coats to achieve a rich luxurious finish.
This is easily my favourite paint to use on a ceiling and a very popular choice amongst decorators. The only real downside is the opacity, so you may need to apply an extra coat to your ceiling. Other than that, it’s perfect. The finish is amazing and you won’t see any roller marks. You can order this product online.
Johnstone’s Perfect Matt
Perfect Matt is a premium paint which you can buy online by clicking here, or from any Johnstone’s Decorating Centre. It does come with a premium price tag, so if budget is a concern you may want to look at the other options on this blog. It is a completely flat matt, will not show blemishes such as roller marks, and you can even touch this emulsion up. The finish is lovely.
Albany AF1 Ceiling Paint
This is a relatively new paint that is sold exclusively at Brewers Decorator Centres. It’s a contract matt, which means it’s not the best choice for a kitchen or bathroom, but it’s great anywhere else in the home.
Albany AF1 performs extremely well for its price point, and it’s a paint I’ve started using quite a lot. The opacity and ease-of-use are both spot on, and the finish is gorgeous. It’s the paint I use in the video demo below.
A Video Demo
How to avoid roller marks when painting a ceiling
Painting a large light-critical ceiling and achieving the perfect finish.
FAQs
Will a second coat of paint cover roller marks?
If the opacity of your first coat isn’t enough to achieve a solid colour, then there’s a chance that a second coat will look less patchy. However, if it’s a light critical room and your ceiling paint is flashing, then the chances are that a second coat won’t make a difference. My advice would be to opt for an ultra-low-sheen emulsion to avoid visible roller marks.
Is there a trick to painting ceilings?
Carry out your prep, cut in around the edge with a brush, then start rolling from the biggest natural light source. As you roll, look back over your work. Because you’re looking towards the light source you will notice any misses and roller marks. Using a good quality roller on a pole will make things a lot easier.
Why is my paint still patchy after 4 coats?
If your ceiling still looks patchy after 4 coats, it’s probably down to the paint you’re using. opt for one of the paint products on this page and you will not have an issue.
Will roller streaks go away when paint dries?
Possibly, but probably not. The sheen level of vinyl matt paint becomes more uniformed as the paint dries. However, streaks (the technical term is “flashing”) are a major issue when painting ceilings with the wrong type of paint.
What paint additive removes roller marks?
This is a great question!! There are conditioners you can add to paint that extends it’s drying time, which means it levels off before setting. My favourite is Smith & Rodger Flow & Bond. Click here to see a full list of paint conditioners.
However, if you’re using a cheap emulsion to paint your ceiling, then a bit of paint conditioner isn’t going to make loads of difference.
How do Other Decorators Avoid Roller Marks on Ceilings
There are 3 options…
1) you could go direct for a spray finish if the environment allows.
2) choosing the right pile roller and quality tools for the surface,
3) use a paint designed to reduced roller marks, Anti-Reflex 2 or White Gold (Goodhome), or my
Personal favourite, Smart Matt by leyland
Use Tikkurila anti reflex 2 and you won’t have any issues with roller marks when painting a ceiling.
Correct pile paint roller.
Good even placement application of paint on the roller.
Have the correct size pole or extension of pole.
Hold the roller pole correctly to be able to manipulate the roller and apply the paint product effectively
Use a nice Z pattern to first apply and then Spread evenly across the surface meant for application.
Do not apply excessive pressure, Finally a light rolling off to the paint once happy and finished with spread and placement of the paint product.
Using the right pile and quality roller, again its simple but it can mean the difference between a flush finish and patterning on your ceiling.
I normally use 12 Purdy colossus sleeve and lay off as I’m rolling, never had a problem. If it’s a Porous surface with a lot of lighting, use gardz on it first. It will give you more working time and will dry evenly.
A decent large sleeve like a purdy or Hamilton
Also, if you’re struggling with lines or patchy areas then a good flat Matt will help to hide irregularities.
Also, it’s basic, but keep a wet edge working away from light source.
For me, avoiding roller marks when decorating a ceiling comes down to the paint more than anything. Tikkurila Anti Reflex and Teknos Teknoceiling are both specialist paints, designed for ceilings. They will perform better than any other product would.
If you’re struggling to get a good finish, just buy a bucket of either of those and you’ll be sound.
Can you lay off the paint in the opposite direction?
I believe you can do few strokes in different direction to evenly distribute paint but the lay off should always follow the direction of the natural light. As for the paint lines/marks, I use long pile trimmed ends rollers. Some premium rollers comes trimmed, some not, couple of those trimmed myself, they work like a dream.