Spray painting basement ceiling

amother

Cyan

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 2:19 pm

Looking for feedback on doing this instead of installing drop ceiling or sheetrock a) to save $, and b) to not use up any bit of space a ceiling would require, as the height is already way too low.

I personally don't love the "Costco" ceiling look but for reasons above, plan on doing this anyway.

Any feedback? Anyone do this? White or black?

amother

Cyan

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 2:35 pm

amother wrote:

Why spray paint? Why not traditional paint? That much spray paint in such an enclosed area can be toxic.

Ok. Bec I think that's easier for my contractor to do, but either way, my questions still stand. White vs. black? The whole idea altogether?

Eselle13

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 2:44 pm

Definitely white! Especially if your ceiling is low. Black will make it feel much smaller and dimmer and you will need much stronger light to make the room look bright.

amother

Cyan

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 2:50 pm

Eselle13 wrote:

Definitely white! Especially if your ceiling is low. Black will make it feel much smaller and dimmer and you will need much stronger light to make the room look bright.

I thought so too but I was told it gets dirty very quickly and hard to keep clean, and will thus turn grey-ish. And supposedly a sharp black looks better than dirty grey. But black does seem so industrial.

Eselle13

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 3:21 pm

amother wrote:

Why would it get dirty any faster than a regular white ceiling? I'd think black would look dirty also. In my first apartment, I had black appliances that always looked dirty because you saw all the dust. I promised myself never to buy black appliances for anything I owned even if it looks more modern.

If you are scared of doing a stark white, you can try something light or pastel. What are you using the room for?

amother

Cyan

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 3:46 pm

Eselle13 wrote:

Hmmm. It's a general area. Playroom. Couches. Ping-pong table. Arts and crafts table.

amother

Cerise

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 3:54 pm

Ugh—black ceiling in a basement? Please say you’re joking. Basements are not exactly bright cheery places to begin with; a black ceiling will only make it darker and more dungeon-like and make it feel horribly oppressive. If you don’t like stark white, which can feel clinical, especially with bluish fluorescent or LED lighting , go for cream, ivory, sand, or pale peach. Or pale blue, and paint some fat white clouds here and there and maybe a rainbow.

teachkids

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 3:59 pm

If it's centered for the kids, have fun making the ceiling patterned. Get a basic white under layer, then dress your kids in gross clothing, open up the windows, hand them some form of paint (either spray or just brushes) and let them loose to make splotches. The more bright colors will make it more childish, just pastels will make it calmer. It will make the room more friendly and not show stains.

amother

Cyan

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 4:07 pm

amother wrote:

I have seen it before and it sounds worse than it is Smile

I guess no one here has seen or heard of spraypainted ceilings, is what it sounds like?

Here is an example of a dark color - (but not black) - blue: https://unskinnyboppy.com/2017.....odel/

I don't go for the "splotch" idea but it's interesting and I get the point of it.

Ok - let's say I go for light color. Floors are light blue tile with some dark blue interspersed (already there from before and not redoing whole floor). Walls will be a very pale blue/white. Ceiling is.... what, if not stark white?

zaq

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 4:16 pm

teachkids wrote:

Please no spray paint in the hands of children unless it’s nontoxic tempera paint, if there is such a thing as aerosol tempera paint, which I doubt. Art supplies for children must comply with LHAMA and CPSIA among other regulations. See the CPSC website for details. Usually even if a paint itself is not terrible, the aerosol propellant is both toxic and flammable. Furthermore, a basement with its virtually nonexistent ventilation is the very last place you want to use a spray.

amother

Cyan

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 4:51 pm

zaq wrote:

Don't worry...am not having the kids do any spray painting.

Back to the topic...supposedly black makes the ceiling "disappear?" I guess like the Great Hall in Hogwarts?

2cents

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 5:11 pm

Is your ceiling unfinished (exposed plumbing, etc.) Like the pictures in the link you showed? In such a case, I can see why you think spray paint is much much easier and I could see how a dark color would recede the area, making it look less noticeable. I think posters who are suggesting white are imagining a sheetrock ceiling.

Why not go with a gray color like the link you posted? It gives the receded look without the gloom of black

amother

Cyan

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 5:27 pm

2cents wrote:

Yes - exposed. Sorry if that point wasn't clear. I did say in the OP no sheetrock. So... you think gray is better than black? I thought gray is more dreary than black.

Eselle13

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 6:31 pm

Op, how tall is your ceiling? The pictures that you linked to are 6' 8" at the lowest point. Is yours that high? Or more like 6'? Also notice that they got big powerful lights to compensate for the darker paint.

I think that those pictures don't look like an inviting playroom. I would still do it a lighter color. I would pick a color that matches the walls (light blue/whitish) or go a few shades darker (maybe like the background of the submit button Smile

) or maybe a very light gray could also work.

Obviously, it's your home so decorate it how you wish but that's what I would do.

amother

Cyan

Sun, Jan 06 2019, 7:19 pm

Eselle13 wrote:

) or maybe a very light gray could also work.

Obviously, it's your home so decorate it how you wish but that's what I would do.

Ceiling is about 6"8 at its height, and about 6"3 along the ducts. Appreciate all your advice. Would love to continue hear all thoughts and opinions. Thanks :-)

amother

Cyan

Mon, Jan 07 2019, 9:06 am

Ok. Contractor just said the knots in the wood on the rafters will show through if I do white or light. Said it's gotta be dark.

Any designers or other really awesome mothers able to weigh in on this?

FranticFrummie

Mon, Jan 07 2019, 9:26 am

I just had a great idea, think about the blue in your tile floor. Would a cobalt or navy blue work for your ceiling? I think cobalt would be stunning. It's a bright enough color to be energetic, but dark enough to cover stains and wood showing through.

amother

Cyan

Mon, Jan 07 2019, 9:32 am

FranticFrummie wrote:

Hmmm...maybe! The blue accent tile is pretty dark- a shade darker than navy. Putting in cobalt would introduce an entirely new color. Would that be too much?

Iymnok

Mon, Jan 07 2019, 9:37 am

You could paint the ceiling a darkish shade of grey-blue and paint the pipes a contrasting color also coordinating with the room.
A navy. Ceiling with silver splatters would look like a night sky.

A swirly look might be fun.

Get a good duster for those exposed pipes.

Why not an orange ceiling?

I’m having fun outside the box!