Painting Question

[Bob]

Hi,

Had to open up a hole in our Kitchen ceiling to reach some plujmbing. Will have it re-plastered soon.

Will bring a paint sample to local Paint Store so that they can match the ceiling color, which is an off white. Not sure abosut what the sheen or gloss would be called.

Am hoping that with "matched" paint, I can get away with just re-painting the patch, rather than the complete ceiling.

Question: to give me the best chance of blending it in well, should I use a decent quality brush, one of those really cheap rubber foam types of brush, or a roller ? Why ?

If a roller, what kind of knap, etc. ?

Thanks, Bob

[chaniarts]

i'd use a foam roller. use a very dry roller on the edges to feather it out.

if the ceiling was painted before, ideally you'd want to use whatever was used previously. on new construction that was sprayed, you'd probably have to do the whole ceiling.

[Shaun Eli]

Nobody will notice the ceiling being off, because nobody ever looks up.

I repainted part of a wall that was next to a window, 15 years after the original paint job. Hung something over where the two 'colors' met. It's still a mismatch, a foot apart, and nobody sees it.

My kitchen ceiling was patched with wallboard, I haven't plastered yet, it's been six months, nobody's even noticed, except when I pointed it out.

[hrhofmann]

gloss is shiny, flat is flat, semi-gloss is in between. Plan on at least two coats on the patched area, maybe even more if there are a lot of coats on the rest of the ceiling. The length of nap on the roller will depend on the stipple on the rest of the ceiling. Longer rollers give more of a stipple effect, short nap rollers gove a smoother finish. If you have an actual sample of the ceiling, a knowledgeable paint person can suggest what nap to use to come close to matching the rest of the ceiing. Myself, I would paint the patch and then give the entire ceiling a coat.

[bob haller]

install a access panel at that location, for easy future access

[Frank]

Reminds me of putting in a fake air vent for same future access.

[Ed Pawlowski]

"Bob" wrote

If the paint is more that 6 months old, it is not going to match. Buy a gallon of paint and do the job right, the entire ceiling.

[norminn]

I second the foam roller/feathering suggestion. It is rare that the color AND gloss will match. I'd be sure to use two coats of primer . feathered out well...and then paint. Unless you have a huge kitchen, you might be happier just painting the whole ceiling. If patching, I'd also try to get a slight more gloss...can always scrub it with fine steel wool (when well cured) to dull it if it is too glossy.

[Reed]

I recently did exactly same, patched kitchen ceiling. I cut a 2" square from drywall paper from behind drapes. I took it to HD and had it matched. Best part was they will do this with the $3.00 sample if that's all you need. I used foam brush, feathering the overlap. Matched perfect. Then glued the sample square back in place and painted over it. Have since used the leftovers to touch up other scratches, etc

[bob haller]

I did that too:) I like easy access for service

A friend ran a fake downspout for power cable and phone lines

[Robert Green]

I did that too:) I like easy access for service

A friend ran a fake downspout for power cable and phone lines ============================================= A friend mounted his alarm and home automation gear between stud bays and used large vent plates both for easy access and to allow passive cooling.

I like the downspout idea. I am going to steal it!

-- Bobby G.

[Higgs Boson]

NAP

[dadiOH]

1. It isn't going to match. Period.

1. To minimize the mismatch, you have to feather out the edges of the new paint into the old. To do that, paint the new then- using a dry brush - pick up paint at the edges and brush out into the old. Keep repeating until the brush is barely putting paint on the old. Feather out at least 2-3 feet from the new.

2. It would be better and probably easier to repaint the whole ceiling.

[Shaun Eli]

I've used paint that was almost a decade old and it matched (store the can upside-down, a painter once told me- it works). With a ceiling I'd expect it would match closely enough that nobody would notice, especially with all the glare and shadows on a ceiling (look up right now- does your ceiling look all one color?).

Don't agonize over this- try painting that area, and if you don't like it you can finish painting the rest of the ceiling.

But look up first right now where you're sitting.

[DanGLT]

You will probably end up repainting the whole ceiling. YOu can try doing the patch only, just don't hold your breath. You said plaster. If so, there is a lengthy cure time involved before paint. Give the area a heavy prime coat of color and feather the edges out into the non patched perimeter. This can be done by using a good brush and jabbing the tips of the bristles out into non patched area until the brush no longer is leaving paint. The patched area will probably demand at least 2 coats.

[trader4]

I recently did a patch and took a sample of the old paint on a piece if removed material to the local Sherwin Williams shop. They matched it perfectly. It's totally unnoticeable. But, I've also had it where it was close, but still visible if you looked at it. You can try to match it, Worse case is you waste a few bucks and some time. Depending on where it is, how noticeable, and how fussy you are it could work fine or you could decide you want to paint the whole ceiling. I'd use a roller to avoid brush marks.

[benick]

0% chance of it "blending"in...Paint the whole ceiling...

[Michael B]

When will people realize that crucifixion is not a do-it-yourself project?

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

-snip-

I second Benick's post. The OP asked what the chances were of 'blending it in'. It ain't gonna happen. It will look like a patch. It adds damn little to the job to paint the whole ceiling and be done with it.

OTOH- in my house-- I might go with Smitty's method. Then 10 years from now, when I look up one day, I'll think-- 'What idiot just patched that paint job?' Then I'd make a big fuss about painting the whole ceiling.

Jim

[aemeijers]

If it is a kitchen that is actually used for real cooking (unlike mine), there will be considerable extra work to paint the whole thing, because you have to degrease/clean it first, to have any hope of the paint sticking. In my (admittedly limited) experience, at least. Not like other rooms where all you have to do is brush off the cobwebs, and maybe clean the touch points around light switches and door frames and such.