A flat white surface is standard for a drywall ceiling, but that doesn’t mean it’s your only option. Another choice is to swirl the ceiling, using textured paint that’s infused with sand or other solids, so that it holds its shape. This is a good solution for ceilings that weren’t drywalled very well and have seams showing, as the textured paint can hide those. It’s a good idea to practice your swirling technique on some scrap boards before you apply it to the ceiling.
Instructions
1. Empty the room of all furniture. Cover the floor in tarps. Put painter’s tape on the walls where they meet the ceiling. Tape off any ceiling fixtures or obstructions that you can’t remove.
2. Cover the whole ceiling in primer, cutting in the edges first with a paintbrush and then rolling over the with a paint roller. Let the primer dry for 24 hours.
3. Open and stir your textured paint, pulling the sand or other solids up from the bottom of the container and mixing it well, so the solids are suspended.
4. Put a thick layer of textured paint onto one section of the ceiling, covering as much area as you can reach from one position, applying it with a paintbrush in the corners and a roller on the open spans.
5. Press your concrete trowel flat against the paint, and twist it slowly in a full circle, getting a near circular swirl pattern. Move the trowel to the area next to the first swirl and make a second one, slightly overlapping it.
6. Repeat for the entire ceiling, applying more paint as necessary and working across the whole surface in sections. Let the paint dry for 24 hours before reassembling the room.
Tags: textured paint, other solids, sand other, sand other solids, whole surface