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We've all been there. You've finished painting a ceiling, stood back and it looks great, then the light hits it from a different angle and suddenly you can see roller marks, patches or areas that just don't look quite the same.
That's what's known as flashing, and while there are a few things that can cause it, sometimes the paint you're using can make all the difference.
The tricky thing with ceilings is that every room is different. The size of the room, the amount of natural light coming in and even the direction that light hits the ceiling can all affect how the finished paint looks. A contract matt might look absolutely spot on in one room, while in another every little roller mark suddenly seems to show.
Contract matt has always been a go-to for ceilings, particularly within the trade, but there are now some brilliant specialist ceiling paints designed to help give you a flatter, more even finish.
So, when is it worth reaching for one?
When would I use a contract matt?
There's absolutely nothing wrong with using contract matt on a ceiling. It's been a trade favourite for years for a reason.
Armstead Trade Contract Matt is probably one of the most popular. It gives you great coverage for the price and is particularly good on new plaster, so it's a brilliant one to have on hand for new builds, renovations and general decorating.
Leyland Trade Contract Matt is another great option for new plaster and mist coats, while Johnstone's Trade Jonmat Contract Matt gives you high opacity and a breathable finish that's also ideal for new plaster and plasterboard.
All three can be used on walls and ceilings, and sometimes a good contract matt really is all you need. If you're decorating a room where the ceiling isn't getting loads of direct natural light and you're happy with the finish, there's no reason to overcomplicate it.
What if flashing is the problem?
This is where I'd start looking at a specialist ceiling paint.
You tend to notice flashing much more in rooms with lots of natural light, particularly larger rooms where the light travels across a bigger stretch of ceiling. It's those rooms where you can finish painting, think everything looks perfect, then see every roller pass as soon as the sun comes out!
Specialist ceiling paints are designed with a really flat, low-reflective finish to help reduce this and give the ceiling a more even appearance.
Tikkurila Anti-Reflex 2 has been a firm favourite with decorators for years. It gives you a deep matt finish with high opacity and is designed to leave ceilings looking smooth and streak-free. It's one we've recommended for a long time and continues to be a really popular choice.
Leyland Trade Ceiling Paint is a newer addition and is already giving decorators another really good option. Again, you're getting that flat, low-reflective finish designed to minimise flashing and visible application marks, with the added benefit of helping to disguise small imperfections in the ceiling.
Then there's Dulux Trade Ultra Matt Ceilings Paint, another specialist ceiling paint designed to give you that flat matt, non-reflective finish. It also has excellent touching-in properties, so if you do need to go back over a small area once you've finished, it's designed to help that touch-up blend into the rest of the ceiling.
Is it worth switching to a specialist ceiling paint?
This really does depend on the room you're decorating.
Tikkurila Anti-Reflex 2, Leyland Trade Ceiling Paint and Dulux Trade Ultra Matt Ceilings Paint are all designed with the same goal in mind: to help you get a flatter, more even-looking ceiling with fewer visible application marks.
Which one you go for can simply come down to your budget, the brand you prefer and the product you like working with. The important thing is choosing the paint to suit the room in front of you rather than assuming the same ceiling paint will be right for every job. You can browse our full range of specialist ceiling paints for the full range.
So if you're chasing flashing coat after coat, don't automatically assume another coat is the answer. Sometimes changing the type of paint you're using can make the job a whole lot easier.
Happy decorating,
Helen x
