Painting your ceiling black, or a darker color is a bold move! When done right, it can either bring elegance or it can bring a dreary feel – so this article will help you know if painting your ceiling black is the right thing to do.
By painting your ceiling black, you’ll definitely add some drama to your life. Believe it or not, dark ceilings can be beautiful. In the right space, a taller, larger space will be created.
Should I Paint My Ceiling Black?
Black is a powerful hue, making the room seem more refined than ever before. When it comes to decorating, most people don’t realize how big of an effect a black ceiling can make. Your fifth wall is here!
(Tip: painting the ceiling and one wall black as a feature wall, while displaying beautiful artwork will draw immediate attention to the space.)
Black ceiling paint may be used to create a warm and inviting atmosphere in a room with high, soaring ceilings. Also, a black ceiling may make existing architectural aspects stand out or hide unattractive basement fixtures.
Painting a ceiling is a challenging job.
In the interior design world, they’re one of the most under-appreciated and misused surfaces. Many people ignore what’s going on above them when choosing paint colors for the walls.
(Need color help? Download your free How to Choose The Perfect Paint Color For Your Home pdf from 20 Year Color Consultant – Carla Hedman)
Reasons to paint your ceiling black
It is possible to create a dramatic and distinctive area by painting your ceiling black and allowing architectural aspects to stand out. The color black has a reputation for making a place seem dingy and tiny.
1. To serve as a reflection of other aspects of the space.
As mentioned previously, adding a black ceiling to an otherwise all-black room might help to unify the space. Dark hues make things look smaller and more closed off to the naked eye.
An environment’s color scheme or texture layout may alter the perception of space, giving the impression of greater height, length, or breadth or drawing attention to a specific feature.
2. To intensify the slimming effect.
Is your millwork amazing? Make it stand out by painting the rest of the room dark. In addition to making you seem sleek and beautiful, black may also assist conceal faults and give the impression that you are thinner. In contrast, brighter colors, such as white, may make a space seem bigger and more spacious.
3. To make a high ceiling seem lower than it is.
It’s usually nice to have high ceilings in a room. However, they may make a room seem chilly and oppressive. Painting your ceilings black reduces the height of the ceiling without taking up any more room.
4. To provide the illusion of a higher ceiling.
No, it doesn’t make any sense. A room might look larger when its borders are obscured. In particular, if you also paint the tops of the walls black, you’ll get this look much more effectively.
5. To add a dramatic flair.
It’s just a plasterboard box if you remove all of the furniture and finishes from this space. There was little architectural interest before the black ceiling was installed, and now the room has a much more fascinating vibe.
6. To keep a shambles from being seen.
It might be difficult to conceal all ducting in a basement’s ceiling. Avoid losing valuable headroom by using drywall to cover it (not to mention money).
The cheapest method is to paint the whole structure black. Even if it doesn’t completely cure the issue, it will make the mechanics less noticeable without decreasing the ceiling height.
7. Because of the dark color of the walls.
You’re painting your walls black, so why not go all out on the ceiling as well? This bedroom wouldn’t be nearly as dramatic and seductive without the black ceiling.
This bath is no exception. People seldom spend much time in toilets, making them an ideal area to experiment with new ideas and concepts.
8. To place a boundary around a certain part of the home
It might be difficult to tell one area from the next in an open floor design. There’s no need for room dividers or area rugs if the ceiling is black.
9. To attract attention to a particular aspect of a scene.
Even if the ceiling were white, this vista would be stunning. Observe how black surfaces lure your attention toward the horizon as if a crimson carpet is unfurling.
How to Paint Your Ceiling Black:
Step One: If You Have Any Flaws, Primer Can Help You Cover-Up.
Roof leaks, overflowing sinks, cigarette smoke, and large spills may all leave unsightly ceiling stains or dinginess that plain old paint will not be able to disguise. Stain-blocking primer will do the trick, so don’t sweat it.
White pigmented shellac has long been regarded as the most popular. You can get colored shellac in spray cans, but it’s typically simpler to use a brush to apply it.
Make sure you acquire some ammonia or denatured alcohol to clean your brush while you’re there! If you’re painting over a yellowed ceiling, you should first roll on a coat of shellac.
Step Two: Before you paint, sand.
It is possible for bumps and crud to get embedded in the ceiling over time and when the paint is applied in successive coats. A fast sanding with 100-grit drywall sanding paper is an excellent place to start on ceilings that haven’t been textured.
Using a sanding pole makes this task a breeze. After sanding, use a moist sponge to clean away any remaining dust. This ensures a flawless paint job and improves the adhesion of the black ceiling paint.
Step Three: Start with the cutting before moving on to the rolling
When you cut in before rolling, you may use the roller to cover up most of the brush marks. A portion at a time, apply paint to the ceiling’s edge.
Cut a portion of roughly ten linear feet and wrap it up. This approach offers a few benefits compared to slicing across the whole room at once.
So that it doesn’t dry out before you roll it out, the cut-in piece will stay moist until you do so. Cutting in and rolling back and forth is also less monotonous.
Step Four: Roll in both directions while painting ceilings.
When painting your ceiling black, you can do a few things to ensure a smooth and uniform finish. The first step is to divide the area into portions that are 5 or 6 feet square in size.
To ensure that the black paint around the edge does not dry before you roll the next part, move swiftly from one section to the next. To prevent lap marks, “maintain a moist edge.”
Reroll each portion at a right angle to the first roller direction as you proceed for the optimum coverage.
Step Five: On the Walls, Lap Your Cut-In
Lap some paint onto the walls if you’re painting the rest of the room. Because the black ceiling color won’t be obvious, you may err on the side of caution while painting the walls.
Cut-in is an essential stage in painting, but it is often skipped since it takes longer and results in more paint buildup in the corner. It may also leave streaks or a thick paint line on the wall.
Step Six: Roll on Textured Ceilings with Care
In terms of painting texturing ceilings, it’s all a little dicey. A texture that’s previously been painted over can probably be painted over again. Water in the paint may loosen the texture if it has never been painted, resulting in a smearing effect.
The texturing quality has a significant impact on the final product’s visual appeal. Re-painting the whole ceiling might result in texture loss. In an unnoticeable place like a closet, roll some paint on and observe what occurs.
Paint should be sprayed on rather than rolled on to avoid loosening the texture. The only problem is that spraying in a home full of people is rarely a good idea. Overworking the paint while rolling it on is a common mistake.
All you have to do is roll it on. You don’t want to move back and forth with the roller since this might cause the texture on the ceiling to come loose.
Take a break while the first layer of paint dries. Ensure it’s fully cured before applying a second coat if necessary. Using the same method, roll a second coat perpendicular to the previous one in the same manner.
Step Seven: When You Can’t Maintain a Wet Edge, Thin the Paint.
The easiest technique to reduce the appearance of lap marks on surfaces like black ceilings, extra-tall walls, and stairwells that can’t be painted in one continuous stoke is to keep a wet edge
But when this isn’t possible, the next best painting technique is to feather out the paint on edge so that it doesn’t create a hard ridge of paint.
The accumulation that results in the lap mark may be avoided with a lighter, more feathery paint application.
When painting a big area, roll the almost dry roller in several directions along the dry edge, feathering out the paint to avoid lap lines.
To finish a wall or ceiling panel, paint over the feathered edges and then continue painting. Apply the paint in the opposite way for the second coat. This is called “cross-hatching”.
This crisscrossing application of paint greatly lowers (if not removes) the appearance of lap marks and helps provide an even application of paint on the the whole ceiling black.
(If you need to find a local painting company to help you paint your ceilings black, use Trusted House Painter’s free platform. Create a free listing to get multiple quotes or search our directory and find local house painters near you.)
Step Eight: Groove Textured Ceilings
Painting immediately adjacent to rough ceilings (a technique known as “cutting in”) is almost difficult to avoid putting paint on the ceiling.
Also, securing the ceiling with tape is ineffective. What’s the answer? Use a putty knife to smooth off the rough edges. Using a 45-degree angle to the wall, run the knife’s blade down the edge of the ceiling to cut the ceiling.
The blade removes the texture off the ceiling, leaving a little groove. Using a duster or a dry paintbrush, get rid of the dust and debris that has accumulated in the groove.
To avoid putting paint on the ceiling, just cut into the wall with a utility knife. This allows the paintbrush bristles to glide into the groove. Even if there is a small line of lost texture, you won’t see it.
FAQs
If I paint my ceiling black, will it look larger?
The room will seem smaller if you paint your ceiling black or darker than the color on your walls. When painting the ceiling a lighter than the walls will help expand the area, even if the walls are dark.
When you paint your ceiling black, what will happen to your home?
A black-painted ceiling may make a space look bigger if planned correctly and matched with lighter colors and textures to counterbalance the contrast. This dramatic statement might create the impression that the walls are higher than they are.
Is it OK to paint the ceiling black, or darker than the walls?
If you want a more sophisticated look, paint your ceiling black- as long as it is darker than your walls. To paint your ceilings a deeper hue, at least two to three shades darker than the wall color required. This will give the room a more refined appearance, giving you a more intimate atmosphere.
Ever wonder what the world’s blackest paint looks like? He painted his ceiling black, and the entire room with Musou Black- The Worlds Blackest Paint.
