prepping a ceiling for painting

[hotpink]

how is best to prep the kitchen ceiling so that i can paint it. obviously the steam and grease has built up over the years. i'm dreading cleaning it, just because it's going to hurt my arms:( i'm concerned that it will look sreaky. any tips? thanks

[kwicky]

Why not start afresh and put up new plasterboard which is cheap to buy. Embedded grease will be almost impossible to remove,

[kwicky]

Emulsion laid on grease will be a disaster as it will show through. Also if you try to clean it you may wash the emulsion off but underneath is the plasterboard paper backing which can easily get scored and ruined and without removing the grease.

[topogigo]

Use a primer if after washing with sugar soap and attempting a first coat the paint fails to adhere to the ceiling. Waste no more time mucking about with undercoats, go to a real paint supplier(not B&Q) and tell them what's going on. They will sell you some cracking primer and when you have used it you will be sorted. Ignore all this squabbling and take my advice. I have just had a real bad dose of this ceiling hassle.

[hotpink]

oh my word! thanks for everyones advice. i'll have a look into it. want to get cracking while ive got a few days off work:)

[carrust]

As a decorator for many a year, I can tell you that cleversod's correct in what he says. Forget expensive primers,boarding out etc. Just give it a very good wash-down with sugar-soap.
A trick I've learned over the years on greasy surfaces is to give it a coat of masonry paint before you emulsion. This is especially good on textured surfaces such as polytex & artex, where it's very difficult to get them perfectly clean.

[hotpink]

i used sugar soap, first time ive used it. i was absolutely amazed, it lifted off the grease no bother. then washed off the residue with water... just need to paint it now:)