Paint On Ceiling Looks Horrible

Question: I put up new drywall in a bedroom. Put on two coats of PVA latex primer that looked smooth. I put on two coats of white latex paint and the paint looks textured. I cannot get the finish coat of paint to look anything close to even on the ceiling. I painted the walls and they turned out great. Please help.

Answer: Hi Pat,
Sorry to hear about the trouble with the texture look on the ceiling. Ceilings are difficult. Here are a few things to consider that may help you figure out what went wrong.

Roller Cover
What length of nap are you using? The longer the nap the more "texture" it leaves. You would want to use 3/8" or 1/2". You might also try a new (good quality) cover.

Paint Sheen
If you are using a wall paint on the ceiling that is just fine. Remember that as you go up in sheen from flat to gloss, imperfections and variations become increasing visible. Flat paint hides them; anything else begins to show them.

Rolling Technique
What often happens when rolling ceilings is that pressure is put on one side of the roller or the other. This creates lines of thicker paint that have to be lightly rolled out. Make sure you are using the same kind of good rolling technique that you use for walls. This will even out the texture and minimize the paint lines. Perhaps you got the paint a little heavy in areas?
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Hope This Helps,

Tim Hoeffel
Better Painting
Colorado Springs, CO