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Cover the entire floor and any furnishings with as many drop-cloths or sheets as needed. Set up a ladder or scaffolding that is tall enough to allow you to reach the ceiling without straining. Put on safety glasses to protect your eyes from loose texture and dripping paint. Vacuum the ceiling using a hand-held vacuum cleaner with a soft-bristled attachment, being careful not to damage the texture. Tape around all the wall edges with painters tape if you are painting the ceiling a color that differs from the walls. Decide on your application technique.

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If the walls and the ceiling will be the same color, you can skip this step. If you choose to use a roller, be sure to get one with a 1 inch (2.54 cm) thick nap to ensure full coverage.  A spray gun can also be used and may save some time but it might be necessary to practice on a different surface first to get a feel for the way the gun handles and how far you should hold the sprayer to the surface for the best coverage.