Acquiring the best paint finish for ceilings is hard. Furthermore, painting work itself comes with different challenges like the paint splashing right into your face or even hair. You might not want to imagine it, but it gets messy at times. Therefore, it would be a game-changer if you can discover and settle for a paint finish that resists splattering and dripping.
Paint finish for ceilings are different and come with varying features like provision of remarkable coverage; some can go as far as blocking high-frequency radiation. Others do tinning of noise; all these features will doubtlessly improve the living conditions in your house.
We have therefore reviewed some of the best paint finish for ceiling available in the market today, feel free to settle for any whose features pleases you the most. Choosing any of these assures you great value for your money.
Table of Contents
Our List of the top 10 Paint Finishes
1. Rust-Oleum 253536 Metallic Accents Paint
Rust-Oleum 253536 Metallic Accents Paint is the definition of elegance if that’s what you need for your ceiling. It’s arguably the best paint finish for ceilings. This paint finish has several uses, both interior, and exterior.
It is an advanced water-based paint with a rich metallic finish for ceilings, walls, trims, doors, furniture, and so much more. A single step paint finish has real mica beads that give a brilliant shimmer effect when light shines on the coating. With two coats of this finish, you get a real luxurious touch and total elegance to your ceiling.
It has a low level of odor, which makes it safe during application.
Additionally, this formula comes with up to fifteen different shades; our favorite out of all these shades is the copper penny type.
It takes just about 30 minutes for this ceiling paint to dry to touch, which is swift and effective drying time.
A 32 fl oz container is enough to provide about 105 square feet of coverage area. This fantastic formula offers a simple application with a provision to clean and rectify possible messes during the application process by the use of warm water and soap.
It cures into a beautiful ceiling paint finish that shimmers under light resulting in exemplary color.
The Summary of Top Features
- Suitable for both interior and exterior use
- Comes with low odor level
- It is a water-based formula with easy cleanup
- Has about 105 square feet of coverage
- Cures into an Iridescent shimmer
- It’s an elegant metallic paint finish for ceilings, walls, doors, trim, furniture, etc
- One-step paint has real mica beads that give a shimmering effect
Advantages
- It has a fast drying time
- Just one step application does the work
- Come in a many color range from which you can choose
Disadvantages
- A few users complained of a less clear finish after curing
2. EMR Shielding Solutions EMF Shielding Paint
This product, the EMR Shielding Solutions EMF Shielding Paint making it one of the best paint finish for ceilings, it oozes class when it comes to resistance to water. You can find it available in 1.32-gallon containers. Other than its ability to repel water, it acts as a shield hence blocking the high-frequency radiation as well as the low-frequency electric fields plus RF./Microwave radiation.
Adding to its already thrilling features, you find that the composition of this ceiling paint is breathable with low to close to no VOC content. This exceptional quality makes it suitable for interior uses and even externally.
EMR Shielding Solutions EMF Shielding Paint functions perfectly as a primer before you apply your chosen ceiling paint color. It offers your home protection against the forthcoming developments of the telecommunications industry over high Gigahertz ranges. The formula is environmentally friendly with the ability to resist corrosion by disabling oxidation.
The Summary of Top Features
- This paint has a high water resistance
- Attenuation of 36dB (effectiveness of 99.98%) single layer, 43dB (effectiveness of 99.995%) double layers
- Perfect resistance to corrosion resistance
- Contains no metallic particles and no oxidizing
- Lasts longer
- This formula contains: Graphite, water, pure acrylic binder, carbon black, additives
Advantages
- The formula has top efficiency in protecting against high-frequency electromagnetic fields and low-frequency electric fields as well as RF/Microwave radiation.
- It’s an excellent interior paint finish for the ceiling, walls, and floors.
- Contains zero toxic solvents
- This paint finish provides almost constant attenuation, with no preferred direction of polarization with a frequency unit of up to 18GHz, making it offer perfect protection against possible future evolution of the telecommunications industry in the higher Gigahertz range.
Disadvantages
- Complaints about non-functional EMF property
3. Montage Signature Eco-Friendly Paint
Montage Signature Eco-Friendly Paint is the answer if you want a product with the ability to serve you for decades in ceiling paint. The manufacturers did an excellent job of considering different possible user needs as you can find this formula in both low sheen as well as semi-gloss finishes. Additionally, it’s available in different ranges of gallon sizes. Furthermore, there are plenty of different colors and shades which enable you to settle for something that answers your needs as well as tastes.
This paint finish comes with fantastic coverage on top of its ability to offer protection against moisture, mold, and mildew.
In Montage Signature, you get an eco-friendly ceiling paint finish with arguably one of the best pollutant-free materials. Above all, all Montage products come with a 10-year warranty attached to them.
The Summary of Top Feature
- It’s a Versatile Product- Montage Signature remains the first choice for you, especially if you are doing professional painting, it’s versatile such that you can use it on both interior and exterior environments. You can even use it on large commercial structures.
- Comes with Superior Protection and Coverage- It’s an exceptional finish that gives you room to do a smooth brushing with a maximum area of coverage. Besides, it offers protection against mildew, mold, and moisture.
- It’s Environmentally Friendly – This product contains zero toxins, which makes it great for the environment in general.
- Comes With a 10 Year Warranty – It’s great that all users of this product have a guarantee of protection for such a period.
Advantages
- Has a low sheen
- Several gallon sizes which make it flexible for different users
- A lot of colors to choose
- It’s environmentally friendly
- Has a 10-year warranty
Disadvantages
- Some users have complained of peeling
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4. Glidden Latex Ceiling Paint
Glidden Professional Ceiling Paint is a fantastic product with spatter-resistant vinyl-acrylic latex. This formula is best for the facility as well as property managers, contractors, and the residential painters and remodelers.
The ability to offer a spatter free finish makes it easy and smooth to work with on your projects. It makes working simple, fast with an excellent finish.
This beautiful paint finish has an excellent hide and coverage that enables the masking of small surface imperfections. It dries so fast, resulting in a clean and smooth finish.
The Summary of Top Features
- A ready-mixed paint
- This product comes with an excellent hide
- It is resistant to spattering
- Reduces the imperfections on the surface
- Guarantees the users great results
Advantages
- Comes with low odor
- 3.785-gallon size
- It takes roughly one hour to dry to the touch
Disadvantages
- Some of the users say it is too dilute
Note: Glidden Latex Ceiling Paint is the best choice if you are looking to cover imperfections in your ceiling as well as covering up of patches following leaks and cracks.
5. Homax Roll On Wall Texture White
There’s the class in Homax Roll On Wall Texture White paint finish for ceilings. You will find this product in either a smooth decorative finish or a decorative coarse/sand finish. It is ready to use ceiling paint, which rolls-on to the surface of the ceiling to produce a stylish decorative finish. The formula allows you to make use of different applicators in a move to attain textured patterns.
It has low levels of odor, which is almost insignificant; this property makes it perfect for all rooms. Wit a 2-gallon tub, it can give you an area coverage of up to 150 square feet.
The Summary of Top Features
- It needs only 24 hours to dry thoroughly.
- Has an area of coverage of about 150 square feet for every 2-gallon pail. The coverage of texture will depend on the thickness applied.
- It’s a ready-to-use roll-on decorative wall and ceiling finish
- A great product for those that intend to refresh the surfaces and create a decorative appearance
- Create extraordinary texture effects
- It hides the imperfections on the surfaces
- Has low odor
- Great for interior walls as well as ceilings
Advantages
- Available in both smooth and textured decorative finish
- Comes as a ready to use
- Available in a 2-gallon tub
- A significant area of coverage with up to 150 square feet
Disadvantages
- Users have found some of it dry and forced to add some water to the paint
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Note: If you are looking to cover an imperfect or crack on your ceiling to create either a smooth or textured finish with a room to enhance and shape using other special applicators, then this is what you need.
6. KILZ Color-Change Interior Ceiling Paint
This product is a perfect color-change, as well as a stain-blocking paint that gives impressive coverage for water stains, changes in color hence brightening drab ceilings.
It has excellent coverage and drying time, which makes the process of application more manageable. This formula takes only 1 hour to dry to touch, for the case of recoat, 2 hours is enough for drying.
Spatter resistance is a plus to its already amazing qualities. Being spatter free, coupled with its low odor, makes it a choice that is suitable for any room. One application use quality nylon or a polyester brush. Alternatively, you can use a 3/8”-1/2” nap roller.
KILZ Stainblocking Paint comes with excellent coverage for small to moderate staining.
Note: If you are doing severe staining, use KILZ COMPLETE, KILZ ORIGINAL, or KILZ ODORLESS Primer.
With this paint, you get a coverage area of about 250 square feet each gallon in the case of porous surfaces. For smooth and non-porous surfaces, it can serve up to 400 square feet a gallon.
You may require multiple layers to ensure a complete hide. To achieve maximum stain-blocking, do the recoating after 4 hours.
The Summary of Top Features
- It comes with a unique combination of stain-blocking technology plus a dry time indicator.
- This ceiling paint rolls on with a subtle pink color that dries to white in under an hour.
- The product takes only 1 hour to dry to touch and 2 hours for a recoat.
- Resists spattering and rolls on easily
- It has a low odor, which makes it great for any room.
- This formula covers up to 250 square feet a gallon on porous surfaces and about 400 square feet per gallon on smooth and non-porous surfaces.
- It can offer maximum stain-blocking with multiple coating.
Advantages
- Has stain-blocking ability
- Pink when wet which whitens up when dry
- Splatter resistant property
- Available in a 1-gallon container
- A relatively large area of covers of between 250 – 400 square feet, depending on the type of your working surface
Disadvantages
- Some users complained of the paint yellowing while drying
7. Hy-Tech Acousti Coat Sound Deadening Paint
Acousti-Coat is a thick, water-based flat latex paint developed with sound-absorbing fillers, resins, and hollow ceramic microspheres.
This product does an outstanding job on the interior surfaces such as ceilings, plaster, walls, primed metal as well as wood.
It can minimize sound transmission thanks to the mixture of high loading of the Ceramic Microspheres with their vacuum centers together with the absorbent pigment fillers, which reduces the transmission by about 30%.
The finish drastically reduces the echo within the room.
It comes with great ease of application and, at the same time, less expensive, especially for its sound reduction quality.
Acousti-Coat is the right paint for ceilings. The presence of a very high concentration of insulating ceramics in this formula adds a high reflective barrier of heat painted surface.
Its small texture further helps in hiding surface imperfections like drywall joints, dents, and dings.
The Summary of Top Features
- Has excellent insulating and sound dampening traits.
- Dries so fast
- Reduces ringing and tinning sounds in metal structures
- It is friendly to the environment
- Easy to clean by use of soap and water
- You can paint over it
- Contains zero toxins
Advantages
- Available in a 1-gallon or 5-gallon containers
- It dampens tinning and ringing noises from metal structures
- Friendly to the environment
- It’s a non-toxic formula
- Causes no worry in case of a mess due to the ease of cleaning
Disadvantages
- Its soundproof abilities did not convince all users
8. Benjamin Moore Studio Finishes Metallics
Benjamin Moore Studio Finishes Metallics has gone on record as a durable paint finish for ceilings you can find in the market today.
This formula provides a beautiful metallic hammered finish with deep and rich shimmer, which makes it perfect for ceilings. You can find this formula in 32 fl oz containers. The product gives room for color versatility with up to six different metallic colors.
You are free to choose from colors such as bronze, copper, charcoal, gold, silver, or gunsmoke. For the best results for your ceiling finish, we recommend two coats of paint.
The Summary of Top Features
- This paint finish for ceilings produces a gorgeous metallic hammered effect—a deep and rich high gloss finish.
- It is usable on both interior and exterior surfaces.
- Cures into a hard, durable finish that offers a superior rust resistance on the external surfaces.
- You can use this formula for interior / exterior surfaces of new and previously painted ceilings. You can use it on furniture, walls, decorative pieces, trim, and accent ceilings.
Note!
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You must not apply when both surface and air temperatures are below 50°F (10°C). Two thin coats layers are essential for complete coverage.
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You must not apply this formula to a bare galvanized metal or aluminium.
Advantages
- It’s a lasting paint finish for ceiling
- Gives a metallic hammered finish
- It’s available in a 32 fl oz containers
- Up to six different metallic colors for you to choose
- Two coats work just fine
Disadvantages
- Complaints about too much darkening of the color
9. Prestige Paints Interior Paint, and Primer — Best Primer and Paint 2-in-1
Prestige Paint is an acrylic latex interior paint with the ability to self-primes over a well-prepared ceiling, stucco plaster, and previously painted interior surfaces. This product provides a perfect finish for media rooms, family rooms—bedrooms, dining areas, as well as hallways.
For the case of a stained or glossy surface, we recommend the use of a stain-blocking primer. Some colors may need at least two coats to achieve a complete hide.
When preparing the surface to use this product, you must remove all the loose paints as the surface should be clean.
During the application, ensure that you stir and intermix all the containers to achieve uniformity. Use a top-quality applicator like a 3/8 inches nap roller cover. You can as well use a brush or pad painter.
This fantastic product has a relatively big coverage area of about 250-400 square feet per gallon. Another impressive feature of this product is it’s drying time, which is about one hour.
If deemed necessary, you can do a recoat after 4 hours and follow it with a non-abrasive cleaning after two weeks.
This formula cures to form a smooth and uniform/even finish.
The Summary of Top Features
- It’s a 100% Acrylic latex paint with easy cleaning using soap and water
- Contains meager amounts of VOC less than (5 g/l)
- Product has a relatively significant coverage per gallon with a range of 250-400 square feet
- Applicable to a variety of surfaces including metals
- Dries faster hence saves painting time
Advantages
- Thye formula cures into an excellent flat and smooth finish.
- A lot of color choices.
- 100% acrylic latex.
- It has low levels of odor as well as VOC content.
Disadvantages
- Not suitable for external use.
10. Benjamin Moore’s Waterborne Ceiling Paint — Best Premium Quality Ceiling Paint
Benjamin Moore’s Waterborne Ceiling Paint is a reliable paint finish for a ceiling for residential as well as commercial applications. It performs when called upon, especially where there’s a need for absolute premium quality from ceiling finish. It cures into an ultra-flat finish, which tones down the ceiling glare to provide maximum diffused light.
This formula is capable of resisting spattering when applied using a roller. You can use this formula on new as well as a previously painted acoustical ceiling tile, wallboard, plaster, wallpapered surfaces, and cured masonry. It is friendly to the environment due to the zero presence of VOC.
This product qualifies for LEED v4 Credit, the CHPS low emitting credit (Collaborative for High-Performance Schools). It also qualifies for CDPH v1 Emission Certified Class A (0-25) over non-combustible surfaces when tested with regards to the ASTM E-84, Anti-microbial – This formula has antimicrobial additives that stop possible growth of mildew and mold over the surface of the paint.
The Summary of Top Features
- It’s a superior hide for a flawless finish. The presence of ample open time ensures minimal lapping.
- Cures into a flat finish, which conceals common surface dents and imperfections.
- Easy to apply to give fantastic results.
- Zero Volatile Organic Compounds which makes it friendly to the environment
Advantages
- It guarantees you a premium quality.
- Cures into one of the most luxurious finishes imaginable.
- The formula has antimicrobial protection
- Eco-friendly
Disadvantages
- It’s Expensive
The Paint Finish for Ceilings Buyer’s Guide
There are different types of paints. Each time, you purchase for paint finish for ceilings, you’ll likely realize that some of them are for specific rooms of your house.
You are sure to use different bathroom ceiling paint to the one in your bedroom because you’d prefer a water-resistant type for the washrooms. Waterproofing paints reduce every chance of having molds and mildew growing in your bathroom.
Therefore using a non-water resistance paint finish for ceilings in the bathroom could prove to be one of the biggest Do It Yourself errors, you can end up making. Wall and ceiling paints serve different roles and need their rightful places to function effectively.
The Ceiling Paint
In most cases, you will find that the ceiling paints are thicker compared to their wall counterpart. To resist spatter, most manufacturers make it thicker; besides, it’s supposed to cover cracks and all possible blemishes and watermarks on the ceiling to give your respective rooms a gorgeous appearance.
There are different ceiling types, and for that reason, they’ll call for different methods of paint applications. A roller can be used to paint a regular smooth ceiling. In the case of a textured popcorn ceiling, a spray gun is the best as it reduces damages that can result from coming into contact with the textured surface, as in the case of a roller.
Proper Preparation
You must prepare the painting surface adequately to improve the chances of ending up with the best results in your painting project. Preparations include covering the floor, removing any other items that might be affected by the paint from the room, cleaning the ceiling, and so much more.
Primers
Priming might not be essential, especially when you have an excellent ceiling whose surface bears little damages and imperfections. Most primers cover cracks and so much more. Any time you have your ceiling in good condition for painting, then you won’t
How to Paint a Ceiling
The first step is to clean and set your painting area ready for the work. Cover the floor to keep it safe from potential droplets of paints. Create borders on your ceiling by the use of a brush to paint the edges.
Set ready your roller and begin painting from any of the corners of your ceiling.
How to Paint a Popcorn Ceiling
It is also called a textured ceiling. This type of ceiling requires special attention while painting. The moisture present in the roller could mistakenly pull away the popcorn, destroying it in the process. That’s why we recommend the use of a spray gun, which provides the least force imaginable hence help maintain the texture.
Important Tip: The best and most successful way of painting a ceiling is by the use of a sprayer.
Conclusion
Just a simple mistake when painting your room ceiling can affect the overall appearance of your room. That’s why you must be discrete and avoid all possible errors that might end up costing you money and, worse of all, give your various rooms that “ugly” look.
In this guide, we have reviewed the best paint finish for ceilings, and settling for any of the products will guarantee you the value for your money. Carefully read through and get the perfect fit for your projects.
Tyron Otieno
Tyron is an avid woodworker and writer. He founded this website to help other woodworkers, whether hobbyists or professionals by sharing his knowledge and experiencie after a decade of woodworking.