How do you paint a ceiling without streaks?

What you need: ceiling paint, a 10 to 18mm nap roller and a pole

To paint a ceiling you need a flat ceiling paint, a roller with a 10 to 18mm nap, an extension pole, an angled brush, a tray, drop sheets and masking tape. Dulux says a nap under 10mm won't deliver enough paint and can leave the ceiling looking uneven. Get the kit together before you open the tin.

• Ceiling paint. A flat ceiling white for most rooms. A bathroom, laundry or kitchen gets a mould-resistant ceiling paint. Both are covered below.
• A roller sleeve. Dulux suggests a 12 to 18mm nap, high quality synthetic roller, and says some microfibre sleeves don't put enough paint on the surface. Haymes says a 15mm nap works well on ceilings.
• An extension pole. Dulux says to use an adjustable pole that suits the ceiling height, so you're not climbing up and down a ladder. It says a small roller may suit the strip above kitchen cupboards better.
• An angled brush for the edges, the cornice and around light fittings.
• Drop sheets and masking tape. Taubmans says to move furniture out where you can, or cover it with drop sheets taped to the skirting. Then tape along the tops of the walls and around light fittings.

Dulux also says poor quality or worn rollers can affect the final finish. Flat paint shows flaws easily, so start the ceiling with a fresh sleeve.

Ceiling paint vs wall paint: flatter, and made for a surface you rarely clean

Ceiling paint is flatter than wall paint and is made for a surface you rarely clean. Taubmans rates its Flat finish at 0 to 1% sheen and says it's for ceilings only. It says flat hides roller marks and surface flaws, and that it's designed for ceilings, where durability and frequent cleaning aren't a priority. Here's how the two compare, in the makers' own terms.

Ceiling paints are also made to behave overhead. Taubmans says its Ceiling White is formulated to resist spatter. Wattyl lists low roller spatter for its I.D Advanced Ceiling Anti-mould.

Ceiling paint isn't built for walls. A wall gets bumped and wiped, and Taubmans says flat is for surfaces where cleaning isn't a priority. It works the other way too. Haymes says to use ceiling paints made for the job, rather than leftover wall paint. Our guide to interior paint finishes sorts out which sheen goes on which wall.

Which white for a ceiling: a dedicated ceiling paint

For most ceilings, the right white is a paint made for ceilings. Dulux, Taubmans, Haymes and Wattyl each sell a dedicated ceiling paint. They're listed here in no particular order, with what each maker says about its own paint.

• Dulux Ceiling White. Dulux says it has a flat finish and a 5-year guarantee against mould growth. It lists it as touch dry in 20 minutes, with a recoat time of 2 hours.
• Taubmans Ceiling White. Taubmans says it's pre-tinted to a ceiling shade, so there's no mixing, and formulated to resist spatter.
• Haymes Ultra Premium Ceiling White. Haymes says it gives an ultra-flat, low reflective finish that helps hide surface imperfections.
• Wattyl I.D Advanced Ceiling Anti-mould. Wattyl describes it as a mould resistant ceiling paint with a flat finish.

Want the ceiling to sit with a warm wall white? Dulux says both of its Ceiling White paints come in a white base that can be tinted to other colours. Our guide to choosing a white paint covers undertones, so the ceiling and walls don't fight each other.

Prep first: stains, cracks and sagging sheets get fixed before paint

Ceiling prep means cleaning it, fixing cracks and stains, and checking the sheet itself is sound before any paint goes on. Dulux says the surface must be clean, dry and free from dust, oils and grease. The steps below are drawn from the Taubmans, Haymes and Wattyl ceiling guides.

1. Clear and cover the room. Move what you can out, and sheet the rest.
2. Check for damp and sagging. Wattyl says to hold off painting if you see soft or sagging plasterboard, bubbling from a water leak, persistent damp or brown stains that keep coming back.
3. Clean it. Haymes says to clean off dirt, grease or mildew. Treat any mould before painting. Wattyl says the biggest mistake people make is painting straight over mould.
4. Older ceiling? Check with the regulator before you sand or scrape. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland licenses asbestos removal.
5. Fill and sand. Haymes says to fill cracks and holes, then sand them smooth once dry. Dust off after sanding.
6. Seal stains. Taubmans says to fix the source of any water stain or leak first, then overcoat the stain with a stain blocker.
7. Prime the patches. Haymes says to prime unpainted, stained or repaired areas with an undercoat. It says a dark ceiling needs an undercoat too.
8. Mask. Tape the tops of the walls and around the light fittings.

A leak, or mould that has spread into the plasterboard, isn't a painting job yet. Wattyl says paint can't solve moisture coming from behind or above the ceiling, and that mould linked to a leak or spread into the sheet may need a licensed tradesperson before anyone paints. Wattyl also says to hold off on soft or sagging plasterboard. Get the cause fixed first.

How to paint a ceiling with a roller, step by step

Paint the ceiling before the walls. Cut in the edges, then roll in sections while each section is still wet. Haymes says to start a room from the top down, beginning with the ceiling. These steps come from the Haymes, Dulux and Wattyl ceiling guides.

1. Pick your time. Dulux says paint dries quicker on hot days, so paint in a cooler part of the day, like early morning. Haymes says to avoid humid or rainy weather, especially in coastal areas, and strong direct sun.
2. Close up the room. Dulux says to close doors and windows while you paint. Moving air dries the paint faster.
3. Stir the paint. Dulux says to stir Ceiling White well with a broad flat paddle.
4. Cut in. With an angled brush, Haymes says to paint a border of about 50 to 70mm around the edge of the ceiling and around fixtures.
5. Cut in a section, then roll it. Haymes says to cut in about two square metres, then roll that area while the brushed edge is still wet. Wattyl says not to cut in the whole room too far ahead, or the edge dries before you roll.
6. Roll toward the light. Start in a corner with a W or zig-zag to spread the paint, then fill in with overlapping strokes in one direction. Haymes says to work toward the main natural light source in the room to reduce visible lines.
7. Lay off. Dulux says to finish each section with long parallel strokes while the paint is still wet.
8. Second coat. Let the first coat dry completely. Dulux lists a 2 hour recoat for Ceiling White. Haymes says to roll the second coat in the opposite direction to the first.

Haymes also says to keep the room above 10 degrees while the paint goes on and dries. Once the ceiling's done, the walls follow. Our guide to how to paint a room picks up from there.

How to avoid roller marks and a patchy ceiling: keep a wet edge

Roller marks and patchy ceilings mostly come from rolling into paint that's already started to dry. Dulux says patchiness in dry ceiling paint is usually caused by not keeping a wet edge. Ceiling paint is flat, and Dulux says that diffuses light evenly, so any flaw is easy to spot. The fixes below matter more up there than on a wall.

• Spread it at the rate on the can. Dulux says too thin looks patchy and too thick can look lumpy or uneven.
• Don't press hard. Wattyl says pressure on the roller can leave roller lines and an uneven film.
• Use enough nap. Dulux says a sleeve under 10mm won't carry enough paint.
• Lay off with an unloaded roller. Haymes suggests running an unloaded roller lightly across the damp paint in straight lines, overlapping each one slightly.
• Finish the ceiling in one session. Stopping halfway lets the wet edge dry, which is the cause Dulux names.

Already got a patchy ceiling? Dulux says the only way to even it out is to repaint the whole ceiling. Touching up a small area can often make the patchiness more visible.

Bathroom and kitchen ceilings need a mould-resistant ceiling paint

Bathroom, laundry and kitchen ceilings need a ceiling paint made for damp rooms. Dulux says its Ceiling White +PLUS Kitchen&Bathroom suits damp areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundries, and has a ten-year guarantee against mould. Haymes makes a Kitchen & Bathroom paint with a 10-year mould and mildew protection guarantee. Wattyl's I.D Advanced Ceiling Anti-mould is a flat, mould resistant ceiling paint.

Why not a satin or wall paint up there? Wattyl says satin may be more washable, but it can highlight ceiling flaws and reflect more light. It says a flat anti-mould ceiling paint gives you the ceiling look while adding mould resistance. Wattyl also says a general wall paint may not be the best choice for a bathroom ceiling, because walls and ceilings have different needs.

Prep counts for more in a bathroom. Wattyl says paint shouldn't go over a damp ceiling, so dry the room out first. Open the window where you can and run the exhaust fan. Once it's painted, Wattyl says to run the fan during the shower and for a while after.

High ceilings and stairwells are a job for a painter

A raked ceiling, a void, or a stairwell where the only way up is a ladder on the stairs is a job for a painter with proper access gear. Stop the DIY there. According to the Queensland Government, over 1,000 Queenslanders end up in hospital every year after falling off ladders, mostly around the home.

On a standard ceiling, an extension pole keeps your feet on the floor. Dulux recommends one so you're not climbing up and down a ladder. If you do need a step ladder, the Queensland Government says to buy one that meets AS/NZS 1892, set it on flat, firm ground, and never stand above the second step from the top.

If the ceiling is out of reach from the floor with a pole, or from a stable step ladder on level ground, call a painter. In our estimate, high ceilings and stairwells add 20% to 35% to the price.

What it costs to have ceilings painted on the Sunshine Coast

Our estimate prices ceilings at $22 to $30 per square metre. For a 3-bedroom house, ceilings only come out at $2,900 to $3,900 as a standard repaint, including GST. High ceilings and stairwells add 20% to 35%. Those are guide ranges from our estimate, not a quote.

Our interior painting cost guide breaks down ceilings, trims and walls by house size. The instant estimate can price ceilings on their own. Our interior house painters work across the Sunshine Coast, including interior painting in Caloundra. Check our locations page for the full list of suburbs. We're QBCC licensed (licence 1281728), and we've painted Sunshine Coast homes since 1985.