How to paint gypsum plasterboard ceilings

Gusevsky Andrey Anatolyevich

Plasterboard ceiling painting

Painting plasterboard ceilings is a fairly simple way to refine the interior of a room. But despite the apparent simplicity of the process, the work should be done carefully and accurately. The article will tell you how and how to paint the plasterboard ceiling.

The choice of paint for covering ceilings

Before painting the ceiling of drywall, you need to get acquainted with the features of the coating for it.

It should be borne in mind that:

• Paint should be selected according to the purpose of the room.
• The coating should help maintain the microclimate of the room.

The technology of applying paint to the ceiling from drywall has its own characteristics:

• Before applying paint to the surface it should:

1. primer (see Drywall Primer: How to Do It Right);
2. putty;
3. grind.

These measures are necessary to identify minor defects and small irregularities, for their subsequent elimination. The question is being solved, how to paint the plasterboard ceiling?

Tip: In this case, do not take paints made on an oil basis.

The following compositions are most suitable for painting gypsum plasterboard surfaces:

• Water emulsion. Manufacturers offer a wide color palette with bright, saturated tones, which allows you to create any trendy and modern interior.
• Water dispersible. This type of paint retains its appearance much better and contributes to the protection of drywall from moisture for a long time, but has a smaller choice in color - it is made mainly in white.

Such water-based coatings:

• They have a high drying rate.
• They are distinguished by the absence of a persistent, rather unpleasant odor.
• Not toxic.
• A uniform, strong film is formed, it can be periodically updated without additional labor to eliminate the previous coating.

Water-based paints are available:

• SiliconeSuch compositions combines the best properties that have acrylic and silicate paints. High elasticity of the material allows you to cover cracks whose thickness is more than two millimeters. After covering the ceiling with paint and drying, it forms a high-quality waterproof film that reliably protects the ceiling surface, where the waterproofing is rather weak: kitchens and bathrooms. The surface after painting is resistant to pollution, it will not need additional use of antiseptic additives.
• Silicate with a mineral composition. Used to cover surfaces that are often exposed to moisture. It reliably protects the ceiling from the appearance, and then the multiplication of microorganisms, does not require additional use of antiseptic agents.
• Acrylic with latex (cm. Latex paint: how to work with it) Their price is quite high, due to advantages, for example:

1. vapor tightness;
2. resistance to various pollution of a covering;
3. the possibility of wet cleaning detergents.

Tip: To cover visible cracks, you will need to apply two layers, up to one millimeter thick, of acrylic latex paint on the drywall surface.

• Just acrylic. They have high abrasion resistance when washing, designed for use in any room.

All of them can have their own shades and different manufacturers, they have only their inherent specific advantages and limitations in use.

When painting a drywall surface, you must:

• Apply several coats. In this case, the instructions on the packaging label of the coloring composition must be observed.
• The required drying period of all coating layers is maintained.
• Paint produced by foreign manufacturers is usually applied in two layers with a special roller, and domestic - in three layers.

Application of a water-based coating on a plasterboard ceiling

• When choosing water-based paints, it is necessary to determine what degree of gloss should be on the ceiling. To do this, use:

1. plasterboard ceiling paint glossy. Such a coating is resistant to abrasion, the surface is easier to wash, but all defects on the ceiling surface obtained during the painting process are quite noticeable on it;
2. semi-gloss;
3. matte. This paint visually makes the room taller, helps to create a harmonious and finished look of the room, removes minor defects on the plasterboard ceiling, but the coating is quite difficult to care for;
4. semi-matt.

Tip: When painting the ceiling with your own hands, you should choose semi-gloss or semi-gloss paint.

Enamel is often used to paint a drywall ceiling.

Such a coating:

• Better.
• It dries quickly.
• High resistance to moisture.
• White color.

The disadvantage of enamel is its high cost, which limits its popularity in the Russian market.

Tip: When purchasing paint, you need to carefully familiarize yourself with the label, where the manufacturer indicates the purpose of the coating, its consumption per square meter, abrasion resistance, during wet cleaning.

How to prepare the material for staining

Before painting the plasterboard ceiling, it must be prepared.

For this:

• The primer of the joints is carried out.

In the middle of the drywall sheet there is a regular gypsum, which contains various polymer additives. Such a surface needs a primer, especially joints and areas where the core of the drywall sheet is visible.

• Seams close up.

On the painted drywall, cracks most often form not because of poor installation quality, but because of a violation of the technology of puttying of butt joints (see Putty of drywall joints - how to do it) Their quality is determined by the quality of the raw materials used and the experience of the person performing the work.

Before grouting, the material is prepared according to the instructions:

1. a mixture is added to clean water at room temperature;
2. stirs with a construction mixer until a consistency of thick sour cream is formed.

• The seams are reinforced.

When puttying the joints on drywall, additional materials are superimposed on them between the sheets, for example, serpyanka - a special tape for performing reinforcement of the joints. It can be glued before applying putty or after coating the first layer.

When installing a sickle, you should pay attention that:

1. material is glued exactly in the middle of the seam;
2. pieces of fabric are glued with an overlap so that the edges always fit on top of each other;
3. Serpianka in the seam must be pressed with force;
4. when excess putty is formed on drywall, after gluing the tape, they are removed;
5. it is impossible to use a putty of a finishing type instead of a sickle, which is not intended for such work, which can cause cracking of the joints;
6. after coating the first layer of material with a serpentine, it should dry, then another layer is applied. At the same time, the sealed seams will be smooth, neat;

Tip: Sealing the joints should be done with a spatula, whose length is longer than the width of the seam. When working, the tool is driven so that it is on its edges on a drywall sheet.

• Putty the entire ceiling before painting (see How to putty the ceiling for painting from drywall).

Ceiling preparation for painting

The most economical putty method includes:

1. one layer of putty;
2. grout;
3. final finish.

In this case, the surface will be smooth and beautiful.

Another method that has gained popularity recently includes three layers of coating:

1. starting processing;
2. skinning;
3. second layer of putty;
4. new grout;
5. gluing fiberglass, which provides better adhesion of the materials used in the decoration, prevents stretching and shedding of the coating;
6. finishing putty surface, which makes it possible to get the ceiling plane perfectly smooth;
7. the ceiling is primed and painted.

Tip: It is necessary to apply the finish coat with a large spatula, and when small irregularities appear, it is necessary to treat the surface with fine sandpaper.

How to paint the ceiling

Before painting the ceiling you will need:

• Aqueous emulsion ink for plasterboard ceilings.
• Acrylic primer for deep penetration.
• Kohler designed for water-based coating. A different palette of shades allows the ceiling to be painted with any color, and the interior will become original and individual.
• Fur roller with a small pile.

Tip: A longer handle makes the tool more convenient. Do not use a foam roller; air bubbles may appear on the surface to be painted.

• A brush with which you can paint inaccessible places on the ceiling.
• Tray for plastic paint.
• Old clothes that do not mind spoiling.
• Headdress.

The photo shows the technology of applying paint to the ceiling.

The procedure for applying paint to drywall

Work procedure:

• Opened a can of paint.
• The composition is thoroughly mixed with a special nozzle on an electric drill. If the consistency is too thick, a little water should be added to the paint.
• Hard-to-reach areas and places that adjoin walls and corners are painted with a brush on a plasterboard ceiling. Brush movements are performed by sticking, and not back and forth, which will not leave streaks and stains.
• The prepared roller is dipped in a paint bath and rolled over its ribbed surface, which allows you to remove excess paint.

Tip: The first coat of paint is applied to the ceiling parallel to the windows. It should be applied with a “run” of each subsequent strip of the composition to the previous one by about 12 centimeters.

Ceiling Painting Scheme

• After complete drying, the ceiling is painted with a second layer in the direction perpendicular to the first - from window openings to the door structure. This cross-application allows you to get a very even and uniform coloring of the plasterboard ceiling.

Tip: When painting the ceiling with a roller, periodically it is necessary to step aside and control the coating on the ceiling from different angles or involve an assistant, which will help to timely notice the lack of color and eliminate them.

How to paint the ceiling of drywall, using a spray gun, can be found on the video in this article.

Some recommendations when painting the ceiling:

• The process of painting the ceiling of drywall should be carried out continuously, by applying the first layer of paint immediately to the entire surface.
• You can not change the roller that started the staining, it leaves behind its own decorative layer.
• Do not paint over sections of the ceiling that have become dry. Otherwise, you can get a surface with unpleasant stains or spots.
• The ceiling should always be painted, starting with the corners of the brush.
• After painting the corners around the entire perimeter, a slight retreat is made and the ceiling is painted with a roller. This will prevent the walls from getting paint on them.
• The roller should be completely immersed in the paint tray and the excess should be removed on the ribbed surface. If you wet the roller with paint on one side, it will be unevenly distributed on the roller, which will degrade the quality of the paint.
• When painting the ceiling, chaotic movements by the tool are excluded. You need to move in one direction with each layer. The next layer should be applied perpendicular to the previous one. When painting in three layers, the following scheme is used:

1. the first is applied vertically;
2. the next is horizontal;
3. then again vertically.

Compliance with these recommendations will achieve excellent results when painting a plasterboard ceiling.