I am trying to fix kitchen ceiling mucked up by prior owner. Ceiling has thick blobs of paint and past repairs showing. I am working by myself so 1/4 in sheetrock is out. Can one skim coat a ceiling and how is it done?
Stan
First, whack off any prominent protruding blobs with a "5 in 1" paint scraper.
Then get yourself a five-gallon bucket or two of regular weight drywall compound. You also need a 6-inch knife, a four-inch knife and a flat trowel, used as a "hawk" (to hold the compound, much easier than dipping in the bucket all the time).
Open up the bucket and pile a bunch of compound on the trowel with the
4-inch knife. Then climb your ladder, and with the 6-inch knife, start applying the compound to the ceiling. Use enough to bring it to a consistent level. For any severe holes, fill first with a quick-setting compound. Don't put the drywall compound on too thick (say, more than a quarter inch) or it will crack when it dries.After the compound dries, you can "sand" it with a sponge and one of those kitchen scrubbers (you can get a sponge that has that on one side.) The larger scrubbing pads work better. This method will drip, but there's no dust.
After you've smoothed your first coat, you may want to fill in any low spots and dings; the nice thing about this method is you can apply as many coats as you need to get it nice and smooth.
After you're finished skim-coating and the compound is completely dry, prime and paint.
Plastering is hard without an expert to help you learn, you will not be happy with the results. I find it's much better to call a professional. No tools to buy, guaranteed satisfaction, and all done in a few hours, no clean up.
Great advice but....
Now the OP may need to know where to get the money to follow it.
LB "I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did. I said I didn't know." --Mark Twain
Due to $$$$ problems after my job was eliminated I now am in the position of having to sell my house. Will have house on market end of march. Am getting kitchen and bathrooms perfect and painting rest of house inside and out. New job much lower pay till I get better. Putting little I have toward getting house to sell rapidly and better price and to survive till we move to cheap digs. Stan
Thanks for the info. I assume that using zinsser bullseye alcohol shellac primer best compaired to water base latex. Stan
It can be done. Ceilings are much harder than walls. Ceilings tend to show every boo boo.
Have you considered texturing the darn thing? Since you appear to be a newbie, I think you might do a better job with texture than with skim coating. Texture is relatively painless and hides a lot of sins.
Post back if you would like to know how.
Colbyt
Actually, I usually use oil base Kilz or the paint store's generic version of it.
Making a mess of your ceiling is going to cost you more in a lower sales price than it will cost. Don't be penny-wise and pound-foolish.
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