Suspended ceilings were a solution to old ceilings that suffered from failing plaster, or tall rooms that were hard to heat. The metal grid holds fiber panels at a lower height, more conducive to heating a home. However, over time, the usually white panels can take on a yellowish tinge from nicotine, wood smoke or home cooking. Any water leaks will develop into large, round, ugly stains. You can improve a suspended ceiling dramatically with simple paint and rollers.
Instructions
1. Take down the tiles carefully, numbering any that are cut to fit in non-standard spots. Stack them together and take them to your work area. You can leave them up and spray paint the ceiling, but you won't achieve the finished look you'll get by taking the tiles down for roller painting.
2. Vacuum the tiles with the upholstery brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to pull up as much dust as possible.
3. Set the tiles on a flat surface on a tarp and cover them with a coating of shellac stain blocker, using a medium nap paint roller. This coating will dry quickly, sealing the stains under the shellac.
4. Paint the tiles with a covering of latex paint, after the dries -- anywhere between one and two hours. Get creative and use a finish that will complement your room, such as a bright white, a deep brown or a metallic bronze. Dry the tiles completely.
5. Paint the suspended ceiling grid with a fine-nap paint roller. Use paint designed for metal, covering the grid with two coats of paint. Use a contrasting paint color to show off the pattern of the ceiling, such as a shiny silver for ultra white panels or off-white to add a different contrast. Alternatively, you can paint the grid the same color as the ceiling tiles to get a clean, uniform look.
Tags: grid with, paint roller, stain blocker, suspended ceiling, tiles with, white panels