How to Swirl Finish a Drywall Ceiling

A flat drywall ceiling surface can appear dull, but a textured or swirled finish can add visual interest. Adding swirls to your ceiling will hide imperfections on your drywall. It will make your room look a lot better. This should not be a difficult job, but you must be careful to take your time and do it right. You can save money if you do this job yourself.

Prep your Room

Remove all of your furniture to make sure that paint does not stain your couch. Use tarps to protect the floors and make sure that everything is properly covered. Use your painter's tape along the edges of the ceiling on the wall and in the corners. Anything that is attached to your ceiling should be outlined with tape. Things like your light fixture and ceiling fan should have tape around the edges. Cover anything you do not want paint on.

Prime Time

Next, it is time to apply your primer to the drywall ceiling. Use a paintbrush for the edges. Take your time and do a good job. Using the paintbrush may be tedious, but it will avoid a mess. Make sure your edges are primed and then use the paint roller. Prime your roller and cover the entire ceiling. Let the primer dry for twenty-four hours before you apply paint.

Prep your Paint

Shake and stir up your paint for the drywall ceiling. Stir the paint thoroughly using the wooden paint stirrer. The solids are not usually completely mixed in with the liquids of your paint. Make sure it is one solid color. Open it to see if there is liquid pooling in the paint and mix it until you see a smooth, consistent, liquid.

Apply some Texture

Put a thick layer of texture paint in one area on your drywall ceiling. Apply the paint in small sections of approximately 3 x 3 spans. Use a paintbrush around the edges and use a roller in the middle. To make your design, use a trowel. Push it against the texture paint firmly and twist the trowel around. Make sure the trowel is immersed completely and covers a complete circle.

When you paint, your technique should barely overlap the first swirl before you move to the next one. After your area is finished, make another area. Do this and swirl your trowel, until the room is finished. For best results, take your time and work slowly.

Finishing up

Finish your ceiling and allow it dry for a complete 24 hours. After it is completely dry, you can remove the tarp and painter's tape and bring in your furniture. Make sure that the room is well-ventilated so that the paint fumes do not affect anyone.

Last, you can rest easy knowing that you have saved a significant amount of money by doing the work yourself. Sit back in your furniture and enjoy the new designer look.