What Is The Difference Between Ceiling Paint And Wall Paint?
When it is time to upgrade your home look, you may start to wonder if the best option is to purchase ceiling paint or probably wall paint. Interestingly, these two paints have their differences.
Using wall paint on the ceiling is possible, but you may not be satisfied with the result. You may also have to deal with drippings on your hands and splashing over the room. So, you might be wondering, what is the difference between ceiling paint and wall paint?
In this article, we are going to discuss the differences, what they are and what you can do with them. Let’s get started.
All at a Glance
Can you use ceiling paint on walls?
Yes, you can use ceiling paint on walls if you want a smooth, flat finish. However, the outcome looks much better when you use ceiling paint as a primer. Using ceiling paint on your walls promotes high viscosity, limited colors, durability, and the ability to cover wall marks.
What is Ceiling Paint?
There has been a misconception on why it is needed to go for ceiling paint instead of less expensive wall paint when painting the ceiling. Both ceiling paint and wall paint have similar colors.
Ceiling paints are composed of additives that allow easy painting at a vertical angle. Using ceiling paint on walls is okay because of its softer binder and extender pigment, meaning that the paint won’t aid vigorous scrubbing and cleaning the same way wall does.
So, ceiling pants are a good option, as these paints are capable of covering all the edges and hiding all imperfections. They are also denser to promote better quality.
Types of Ceiling paint
The major reason people consider alternatives to ceiling paints is because it is available in limited colors. Shades of white and white are the general standard for roofs. To get special colors, you will need to prepare it manually by mixing two custom colors.
However, make sure to consider the effect darker colors on ceilings will give to your room before moving ahead with it. When white ceiling paint is applied, the effect of the light color is felt across the room.
Ceiling paint has a flat impact accompanied by a sheen finish because it has an attractive blending on low ceilings. While ceiling paint consists of a flat paint sheen, wall paint consists of an eggshell paint finish.
Ceiling Paint Finishes
- Flat paint
Flat paint, also referred to as matte requires little maintenance since it doesn’t scuff and requires little cleaning. With flat paint, you can easily notice errors and touch them up as quickly as possible. It also has a very smooth texture to it.
Flat paint
- Eggshell paint
Eggshell paint is the right choice because it’s not entirely matte like flat paint, but it’s not so shiny as well. When determining the kind of paint for a ceiling finish and you are not so sure about the sheen, eggshell paint is a safe option. It will reflect slightly higher than a flat paint, but not too high to be visible.
When selecting a ceiling paint finish, do not paint anything above a satin. Satin contains a low sheen but reflects better than eggshell paint. Satin will make your ceilings so shiny and aesthetically pleasing.
To the advantage, it is an excellent idea to make use of the same sheen on your walls to be on your ceilings as well, or probably one sheen difference.
What is Wall Paint?
There are a number of wall paint available in different forms, based on the type of room you want to paint. It is available in water-based variety and oil-based variety, although the water-based variety is easy to handle.
The paint variety used in the bathroom should be water-resistant and mold resistant as well. It should be able to withstand hard scrubbing so that it can be easy to clean the wall. The same kind of approach should be used in the kitchen.
Types of Wall paint
Water-based vs. Oil-based wall paint
Before using water-based paints, you will need to first clean the walls. To treat the wall, you can use sandpaper on uneven surfaces. Thereby, creating the texture will aid adhesion to the surface, most especially if the former paint was oil-based.
The benefits of using water-based paint include less toxicity, which means the smell is bearable. It dries quickly compared to oil-based paint and you can easily clean it with water too. Another benefit is that water-based paint prevents the growth of mildew.
In addition, it doesn’t fade in the presence of sunlight, doesn’t crack and peel, and can be used on most surfaces.
On the other hand, oil-based oil is more challenging to work with. And, if you are working with oil-based paint, consider your safety by wearing protective gear. To clean brushes after applying the paint, you will need turpentine. Ensure the space is well ventilated so that the paint fume can escape easily.
Also, oil-based paint requires a longer time to dry. On the better side, it is a good choice for the kitchen or bathroom because of its ability to resist moisture and cleans up easily. It also has more filling power than the water-based variety, so it guarantees a smooth coverage with no visible brushstrokes.
Difference between Ceiling and Wall paint
- Colors
The good thing is that ceiling paint is designed to promote an easy application. There are certain brands whose natural ceiling paint looks pink or blue color when applied but turns white once it dries out.
It will make it easier to quickly notice the missed areas and apply the paint evenly. The available colors for ceiling paint are so few, so if you want a rare color, you will need to color your paint manually.
Wall paint is available in various kinds. There are a variety of finishes and colors and many kinds of hues and it can also be used to create all sorts of beautiful designs and patterns.
- Composition
Ceiling paint is perfect for covering all edges and imperfections. It also dries quickly compared to wall paint. Ceiling paint has to cover well, stick well and hide well and this is normally met at the expense of other characteristics not needed for that part of the room.
Wall paint is formulated to last long so it can be easy to clean with soap and water. Scrubbing and cleaning do not cause any damage to the paint. It is also available in different forms of finishes. When you apply glossy wall paint in a room, it feels more spacious.
- Viscosity
Ceiling paint has more viscosity than wall paint, so it does not splash and splatter. Besides, ceiling paint has countless hiding abilities, and it is very thick. The product is composed of significant solids which make it easy to paint in a vertical direction with less splash and splatter.
- Durability
Ceiling paint allows stronger adhesion to a variety of textured surfaces including dry walls, plaster, and stucco. It also lasts longer than most types of wall paint and it hinders crack and peel.
Can you use wall paint on the ceiling?
Yes, you can technically use wall paint on ceiling, Although ceiling paint and wall paint are similar in composition, typical wall paint has a thin and low viscosity, thereby increasing the chances of it dripping when you try to paint a ceiling. You should be aware that ceiling paint is not general interior paint. You should only apply textured paint on a non-textured top.
Also Read: Best HVLP sprag gun for latex paint
What white paint is good for ceilings?
Ordinary dull finish white interior latex paint is the best to go for if what you want is a flat, white ceiling for the top. Using ceiling paint will make the process easy and smooth, which will result in an appealing look and it will produce just a few splatters and drip.
What can wall paint do?
The outcome you get with wall paint is based on the features of the paint. For instance, using a mixture of high-gloss and matte paint will create texture. Latex matte paint is seamlessly smooth and opaque.
It gives the wall a rich beautiful appearance and hides imperfections. The cons are how hard it is to clean. This paint is better used in places with low traffic such as the primary bedroom.
Other options include eggshell and satin which are long-lasting and contain more sheen. If you desire more spark and longevity, you can go for semi-gloss and high gloss.
Conclusion: What is the difference between ceiling paint and wall paint?
Using wall paint on a ceiling is not a good idea because it may create too much brightness on the ceiling. You may go ahead and use it if that’s your choice but be aware that it is not designed for that kind of application.
Finally, we believe this article on what is the difference between ceiling paint and wall paint has been able to help you decide what kind of paint to go for based on your preference. We also hope you’ve been able to generate a lot of ideas on combining different finishes and paints with diverse paint color schemes
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