# Ceiling White



## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Yo, what's the consensus on basic white paint for ceilings?

I've always used Ben Moore's Muresco Ceiling White, because it says ceiling white on the can and I can show the HO, "Yo check it out, Ceiling White, says so right there."

Other painters I run into keep ragging on my ceiling white though. "Oh, you use that stuff? Pfft."


What gives, man? Speaking only in terms of Ben Moore, because that's just what I use, what are you guys using for your ceilings? You go Super Spec, Super Hide? What's the gripe with Ceiling White?


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

i learned 40 some years ago to not get involved in choosing colors.

it is the owners responsibility.....:laughing:


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Ceiling White it is then. Comes in a can, says, "flat" and "white" on it. 

The public demands it.


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

Ceiling whites are usually too gray for my taste and generally a cheaper paint with additives to splatter less and won't wear as well as wall paint. I prefer a true flat with the smallest amount of black added in a line at least comparable to SW Promar 200. I have never purchased ceiling white.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

None of what you just said is something I can repeat to a guy at a paint counter without getting thrown out.


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## Caslon (Dec 15, 2007)

avenge said:


> Ceiling whites are usually too gray for my taste and generally a cheaper paint with additives to splatter less and won't wear as well as wall paint.


Right. Ceiling paints usually has a few drops of raw umber per gallon to cut down on the whiteness. Ben Mors Ceiling Paint is supposed to "hide minor imperfections" which means it's probably heavier bodied (cuts down on splatter too as mentioned). I have no qualms about the quality of "ceiling paints" since noone scrubs their ceilings. 

For customers wanting a light ceiling with a deeper wall color, 1/4 of the wall color formula shot into a gallon of the wall color's base works well, providing the gallon or fiver color formula is divisible by 4. A fiver will have more of the color formula in it for it to be more easily divisible by 4. Also, any less than 1/4 formula and it won't have much of the wall color in it. Any more than 1/4 formula and it won't be light enough.


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## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

As long as you and your customers are happy with the finish then who cares what others think. If you use it because it says ceiling paint then I would suggest experimenting with other BM paints available. You may find another paint covers better, less roller spray, or just simply goes on nicer. 

I use SW Eminence, it is flat, and bright white, and no roller spray.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

I'll use "ceiling paint" for a basic flat. I do very few ceilings that are flat paints, though.

Factory mix - exact match on touch ups.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

griz said:


> i learned 40 some years ago to not get involved in choosing colors.
> 
> it is the owners responsibility.....:laughing:


"You go ahead and pick it out...it's just white"

"Uh, no.."


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

Easy Gibson said:


> Yo, what's the consensus on basic white paint for ceilings?
> 
> I've always used Ben Moore's Muresco Ceiling White, because it says ceiling white on the can and I can show the HO, "Yo check it out, Ceiling White, says so right there."
> 
> ...


The "Pffft" is probably because of the cost. Most people don't especially care unless you bring it up. When we do a house in Ben Moore, ceiling paint is still from SW. (Of course, you need to know how white they are, relatively, and hiding, etc.)


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## sparehair (Nov 21, 2008)

The promar 200 and 400 series flats work well.

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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

sparehair said:


> The promar 200 and 400 series flats work well.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk


Around here, using SW gets you undercut by larger firms because they get way better discounts based on volume.


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## sparehair (Nov 21, 2008)

hdavis said:


> Around here, using SW gets you undercut by larger firms because they get way better discounts based on volume.


And thats why I dont paint professionally any more. Price is never low enough, quality is never high enough.

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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

griz said:


> i learned 40 some years ago to not get involved in choosing colors.
> 
> it is the owners responsibility.....:laughing:





I'M with Griz. I learned many moons ago,never buy women shoes or handbags,and never talk colors with customers.........no good can ever come of it !


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## Youngin' (Sep 16, 2012)

I won't mess with colours. Had a client pick a colour called Winter Grey. It was bluish-purple.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Youngin' said:


> I won't mess with colours. Had a client pick a colour called Winter Grey. It was bluish-purple.


If it's almost unnoticeable, then I've used a similar one custom mixed.

Is this what you used?

https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us...color/color/2117-60/winter-gray?color=2117-60


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## rblakes1 (Jan 8, 2015)

I used the regal select ceiling white on my house, I was happy with it. I think at work we generally used the super spec ceiling white

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## Youngin' (Sep 16, 2012)

hdavis said:


> If it's almost unnoticeable, then I've used a similar one custom mixed.
> 
> Is this what you used?
> 
> https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us...color/color/2117-60/winter-gray?color=2117-60


That's the one. 

If a client asks my opinion on colour I default to barney purple, every time.


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

If I'm painting a ceiling white I don't let the customer choose which white. I've basically used the same formula for white ceilings for years, I'm likely to complain about the shade the previous painter used when it requires 2 coats.

I don't choose colors for my clients as a designer would but I do help them make a decision if they narrow down their choices because they ask and trust my opinion. Paint colors can be a pain in the ass for several reasons it seems to have become harder to get colors to match what the client sees on a paint chip.


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## philcav7 (Jan 15, 2009)

sparehair said:


> The promar 200 and 400 series flats work well.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk


Not sure what is different about it, but the promar 200 ceiling paint is nice stuff. Its been my favorite for flatness, touchup ability, coverage, etc. has work really well for me. It's what I spec on everything.


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## Golden view (Feb 16, 2012)

My jobs always seem to have big smooth ceilings, so something that holds the wet edge long enough to avoid roller marks is key. I have also had good luck with promar 200/400.

I like the idea of not letting clients chose the shade of white. Like others, I generally go with something off white enough to help with coverage.

When instead doing a ceiling with 25% of the wall color, be careful. Sometimes 25% is still pretty dark. Below is a little basement bath I just finished and the ceiling is 25%. When I first painted the ceiling it looked super green, and these walls aren't even that powerful of a green to start with. When the walls got painted it did help make the ceiling seem more white, but still 10% would have been enough.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

I swear to god this took place today:


Customer who's house I'm painting decided to go for upstairs too. I said no sweat, bulked up my crew by calling in another 3-man crew I know from up north.
They get there in the AM and I show them their work load. Within ten f'n minutes of them getting set up upstairs I hear, "E, you're not using this ceiling white sh*t, are you!?"

Hardest eyeroll. We spent the next five minutes arguing over white paint. Ridiculous. You want the money or don't you? Roll the damn ceiling.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

It's been a while since I've used it due to no local suppliers but, when a customer wanted a REALLY white ceiling, California Diamond Ceiling White was my favorite. It's very white but actually had pretty good hide.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

They want the money and the argument.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

hdavis said:


> They want the money and the argument.


This is my favorite/least favorite crew. They're such "characters" I have to warn customers and co-workers in advance of their arrival. They're like a less gifted Three Stooges. 

Today their conversations, which could be heard leaking down the stairwell, were so insane I actually apologized to the customer again at the end of the day. I assured her that we weren't all like that. Hopefully she buys it.

Listening to Diana Ross while humming Barry White.
Incessant conversation about medical marijuana and how awesome it is. 
Yelling self-censored profanity every time a drip happened. Son of a biscuit! Mother father! Sholy Hit!
"Asbury Park, isn't this where the gays are?" Gay customers home. Gay customer, home.
Constant insistence that I took their drop clothes, years ago, on another job, with no evidence. It turns out that they were running two of mine, which I took back.

Jesus.


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## Matt0034 (Jul 10, 2014)

I've used the sherwin williams eminence ceiling paint and I really liked it. Never compared it to other ceiling whites but i know it rolls nice, covers nice, and is fairly bright for a flat paint


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## sparehair (Nov 21, 2008)

Easy Gibson said:


> This is my favorite/least favorite crew. They're such "characters" I have to warn customers and co-workers in advance of their arrival. They're like a less gifted Three Stooges.
> 
> Today their conversations, which could be heard leaking down the stairwell, were so insane I actually apologized to the customer again at the end of the day. I assured her that we weren't all like that. Hopefully she buys it.
> 
> ...


I had a new hire once. We walked in the front door. He yells in a weird chinese accent," you want me yack you off?" I ask what the hell hes doing? "I thought je was a friend of yours..." WTF!?

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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

sparehair said:


> I had a new hire once. We walked in the front door. He yells in a weird chinese accent," you want me yack you off?" I ask what the hell hes doing? "I thought je was a friend of yours..." WTF!?
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk


Reminds me of a plumber (whom we didn't know) that joined my crew for lunch, sits down and proceeds to tell us how him and his wife like to watch each other sexually please themselves. He was sitting on his lunch cooler with his name on it....."Jack Mehoff"


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

sparehair said:


> I had a new hire once. We walked in the front door. He yells in a weird chinese accent," you want me yack you off?" I ask what the hell hes doing? "I thought je was a friend of yours..." WTF!?
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk


This is perfect.


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## Youngin' (Sep 16, 2012)

Easy Gibson said:


> This is my favorite/least favorite crew. They're such "characters" I have to warn customers and co-workers in advance of their arrival. They're like a less gifted Three Stooges.
> 
> Today their conversations, which could be heard leaking down the stairwell, were so insane I actually apologized to the customer again at the end of the day. I assured her that we weren't all like that. Hopefully she buys it.
> 
> ...


I wish I could introduce you to our all female painting crew. Once they get started, they don't stop. 

I found one of them dancing on the countertop the other day.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

I also wish you could.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Youngin' said:


> I wish I could introduce you to our all female painting crew. Once they get started, they don't stop.
> 
> I found one of them dancing on the countertop the other day.


That's what happens when you let them stay over night.:whistling


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## Golden view (Feb 16, 2012)

I got out my Benny Moore deck to match a ceiling color in the fanciest home I've worked in. I kid you not, the color is called white opulence.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Why eat hamburger when you can have steak?


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## PNW Painter (Sep 2, 2016)

For the last year I've often recommended that clients use the trim color on the ceilings. This makes life so much easier since they don't have to pick another color and I don't have to remember another color.

I've really liked BM Ultra Spec 500 flat. Before that I was using SW Eminence and liked it as well. 


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## Brushworks (Apr 9, 2017)

Sherwin Williams Master Hide, no tint. Just white.
Thats what I use for last 6 years.


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## FrankSmith (Feb 21, 2013)

For ceilings I use the brand Menards stocks called Conco. The four star flat variety of that rolled on with an 18" roller so I have even pressure dries more even than anything else I have found. I don't use that Conco paint for much else aside from my own rentals but it is great for ceilings in my opinion. The 18" roller has as much to do with it as anything else. Once you get used to that you relies how much you are fighting uneven pressure with a 9" roller.


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

The only time I will use this brand. Behr ceiling white. 


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

Sherwin Williams CHB worked well on the last one I did.

Tom


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## Caslon (Dec 15, 2007)

I once coated some "Ceiling White" water stained ceiling with solvent based Kilz. It covered the stains and dried "Ceiling White". Not "White White". I didn't even have to top coat. 



As far as making "ceiling white", mix two drops of raw umber per gallon of white. I'm not even sure why ceiling paint is still sold. Maybe it's cheap to produce and it covers ceiling cracks. I read that somewhere here. Ceiling paint. LOL.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

avenge said:


> Ceiling whites are usually too gray for my taste and generally a cheaper paint with additives to splatter less and won't wear as well as wall paint. I prefer a true flat with the smallest amount of black added in a line at least comparable to SW Promar 200. I have never purchased ceiling white.


Why would ceiling paint near to wear? You aren't suppose to touch it after it's applied normally. I put a matte finish on my bathroom ceiling because of lack of ventilation. Everywhere else is just ceiling paint and it doesn't get touched except for a vacuum brush.


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

Leo G said:


> Why would ceiling paint near to wear?


I didn't say that it did.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

avenge said:


> I didn't say that it did.





> Ceiling whites are usually too gray for my taste and generally a cheaper paint with additives to splatter less and won't wear as well as wall paint


:whistling


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

Leo G said:


> :whistling


I stated they don't wear as well, no where did I state that they needed to. Pretty simple.


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## slowsol (Aug 27, 2005)

So you just randomly mentioned that even though you knew it didn't matter?


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

slowsol said:


> So you just randomly mentioned that even though you knew it didn't matter?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


It wasn't random, they are facts I stated between the difference of wall paint versus ceiling paint.


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