Ceiling Problems

Hi all...my first post:
I painted a bedroom ceiling using Dutch Boy Ceiling Solution paint (the one that goes on purple and dries white). The dried ceiling has what look likes pock marks all over it. I assume it was my technique more than the paint that caused this. I did use a Purdy White Dove, a 3/8" roller cover, as I recall.

Two questions: How can I get rid of the pock marks (I really don't want to skim coat with joint compound an entire ceiling) and how can I avoid this in the future?

 

Welcome to the forums!

I've never used that type of paint but suspect you may have not applied enough paint. The biggest thing a lot of diyers do wrong is to squeeze all the paint out of the roller cover. You need to liberally apply the paint [which is less work ] and gently smooth it out with the roller.
If this is the case, another coat of paint should fix it.

 

Admittedly, painting ceilings is tough. You need to start with a good roller frame (the Wooster SherLock is popular here, and fairly cheap, as far as quality painting tools go, at only seven or eight dollars.) Up the size of your cover to 1/2", at least. (I use a 3/8" White Dove, but if you are having trouble, use a thicker cover, especially if there are imperfections in your ceiling.)

Each cover-load should coat about a 10'-12' stripe of the ceiling, nothing more. Apply enough pressure to the roller so that the entire length of the cover has decent contact with the ceiling. Go back over it a couple of times, and then go over the previous stripe. Then move on...

You may also want to get on a ladder and feel the "divots". If you actually do have divots in the ceiling at the spacing you would expect for neails (indicating an insufficient number of coats of Joint Compound in the nail divots), then really you should fill those up and prime them before coating again. You will not need to skim the entire ceiling.

SirWired

 

Sirwired: the "pock marks" are all over the ceiling so they are definitely not nail pops. But I will try your suggestion of do stripes (as I have read earlier today on this forum) instead of the infamous "W" pattern. BTW, I do use the Wooster Sherlock.
Marksr: do you really feel another coat of paint (perhaps a different brand like Benjamin Moore) with the stripe pattern will actually fill in the pock marks? Or should I try to sand the ceiling paint down first...if that is even possible?

 

If you can feel the pock marks they need to be sanded out or filled, sanded and primed. Otherwise it just needs another coat of paint.

Sirwired was right about getting a heavier nap roller cover [I missed that first time around ] I normally use a 1/2"- 3/4" nap for all ceilings other than popcorn. I always use the 'stripe' pattern when rolling. N or W just doesn't work well in the real world.

Generally better paints apply better and look better when dry

 

One last thing... I forgot to mention, while you need to have enough pressure to give the roller cover decent contact, don't try and sqeeze the cover out like a sponge on the ceiling. Once you have contact with the ceiling, let the roller cover do the work of actually flowing the paint onto the surface. If you squeeze out the paint, you will end up with roller marks.

SirWired