The real question so many ask silently to themselves is, “can you use ceiling paint on walls or wall paint on the ceiling?”
When it comes to taking care of your home, there’s no “stupid question.” You deserve all the information to make informed and confident decisions. Let’s dive into this one together to talk about the real differences between ceiling and wall paint.
Ceiling paint is specifically designed to cover ceiling surfaces in one coat (under ideal conditions). Spatters are minimal with this paint composition. And on top of requiring only one coat, ceiling paint is also generally cheaper than wall paint.
But there’s a catch to all that quick-drying goodness. Wall paints come with far more colors and finishes than ceiling paints, which pretty much comes in white and in very few finishes. This means it will rarely—if ever—be tempting to use on walls
So, can wall paint be used on ceilings?.
Let’s say you want your ceiling color to match the color you pick for your trim. The solution that comes to mind would be to use the same wall paint on your ceiling.
There are a couple things to consider:
- CON to using wall paint: Because ceiling paint is designed to dry faster with less splash, wall paint is…well, the opposite. It’s not going to dry as fast. This can be an issue when applied to a large ceiling area, because it not only might cause splatter, it will also be less effective covering defects and grime.
- PRO to using wall paint: Wall paint is manufactured to be more durable and wipe better, meaning it has its merits as a ceiling paint—that is, if you call the Belleville, Caseyville and Glen Carbon-area professional to make sure it’s applied right!.
- CON to using wall paint: Ceiling paints are purposely created to not reflect light—instead, it scatters light to hide imperfections. The flat sheen is designed this way innately. Wall paints, on the other hand, don’t always have this finish. In fact, if you’re specifically wanting to use a paint to match your trim, your finish choices for what goes on the ceiling will be bound by whatever you chose for the trim.
- PRO to using wall paint: On the other hand, if your ceiling doesn’t have any major imperfections, or if you’re adding a textured paint on top of the base coat, you have a lot more liberty. The world, as they say, is your oyster!
If you have finish or color-specific questions for your home, give me a call today!
