There are two schools of thought (well, three really) on tall ceiling painting:

1. The roller-on-a-pole. You can get poles that will reach up to 20 ft, but the problem is that you can't really cut in very well, and you're apt to see gaps between the boards and such, since a roller on a huge pole doesn't give you much control.

2. The scaffolding or ladder. If you're incredibly brave, you can rent scaffolding from places like Home Depot, or get a Really Big Ladder(tm), and have at it painting as you normally would.

3. The professional. If you've got really high ceilings, want a good job done, and don't have nerves of steel and some training in scaffolding safety, the professional is probably the way to go. If my ceilings were much higher than 9ft I'd call the pros.

Case in point, our stairwell. We've painted every other room in our house, including ceilings, but our 2-story stairwell is getting painted by the pros. Sure it's not as cheap as DIY, but if you factor in hospital bills if we did it ourselves and the fact that the job they'll do will look good, it's worth it.

The wood is so beautiful, I would leave them and work them into your decor. If you're going to paint, this looks like a job for a professional...

As a self proclaimed DIY junkie it pains me to say this, but cathedral ceilings are my limit. I would definitely hire a pro for that.

Easy, rent scaffolding from a tool rental place, put it up in your home, run some boards across, climb up and get to work. If you have a lot of wood surface area like in the picture above, and it's dry, it will soak up a lot of paint.

As much as I love a good project I would suggest bring in professional crew. I love the feel and look of natural wood so maybe a lighter stain (or a white wash finish that still shows the wood grain) may work for you but it would depend on what type of wood is on the ceiling. What is currently coating the wood? (ie- lacquer, stain, sealant) The reason I ask is because the current coating will dictate your what preparation you will need to do and how many coats of what product you use. You may need to sand the entire surface before an coats. What ever you do will look great but be care you do not want to be on top of a scaffold in that high of room with out being very careful.

Is this photo your actual home? If so, I can't help but express how horrid of a mistake I think it would be to paint your ceiling!

Those photos are NOT this person's ceiling. They're from House Beautiful, and you can't judge the height of the ceilings based on these photos, nor can you remark on how beautiful the wood is.

That said, hire a professional. Painting a cathedral wall is a pain and I've had to do several of them. I can't imagine painting a cathedral ceiling.

I'll agree with other folks .. hire someone to do it for you.

Another vote for the pros -- they usually own their own scaffolding, so you don't need to rent it separately.

And just like here, you will always have the "keep the wood" and "don't worry about painting" factions, including if/when you want to re-sell. (You might lose potential buyers.) Not important to me, I'd do what I preferred and figure out re-sale later. But it's worth putting the idea into the decision-making mix!

I agree with those who say this is exactly where you want to think about hiring a pro. This is work that's not only tough to do yourself, but potentially risky if you're not used to dealing with the ladders and the scaffolding.

And feel free to paint. These people who are protesting that wood should never, ever be covered have not seen YOUR ceiling or your wood. Some beams are beautiful quality and should be preserved; others, not so much. It's your house, and you know what you want. Personally I think that all-white look is fabulous.

yeah scaffolding is NOT easy or safe if you've never used it. Worth it to hire a pro.

though I am in the live with it a while to make sure you hate it before you do something you can't change back category.

Depending on what the wood looks like a very easy way to go is to hire a spraypaint machine + scaffolding or ladders for a couple of hours. But be sure to cover up everything you don't want painted (including your own glasses)!

Move. Someone willing to ruin beautiful wood ceilings with paint that matches their stupid trendy furniture doesn't deserve to live in a place with beautiful wooden ceilings.

Don't risk breaking your neck, hire a pro!! Seriously, we all know people who haven fallen and were seriously injured.

First, you're being rude. Second, you don't know that the poster's ceilings are beautiful. She just describes them as wood. The photos used as illustration are NOT hers.

MAYBE a very small scissor lift with white wheels. You will need it small enough to go through your biggest accessible door & hallways. As well as tall enough to reach the ceiling as well as tires clean enough to not ruin your floor. You should be able to rent at united rentals or hertz or something of the like. I too have had this paint the wood or not issue and ultimately you have to make yourself happy. Scaffolding and Scissor lifts each have safety issues. Please research.

Yes, hire a pro! And don't pay attention to people who say you should keep the wood. It's your home! Do what feels good for you! I do think it's beautiful when white. Light and airy instead of dark and falling-on-your head feeling. One more thing that drives me crazy in houses that have too much bare wood. The wood soaks up moisture and it starts to smell and you can never clear out.

Unless you like to be up really high and you like to move scaffolding around, hire a pro. The down side is the cost. The upside is that the job will be done correctly and in a much more timely manner than DIY (DIYs always take way more time than you think). Besides, do you really want to spend endless hours with your neck cranked up?

Another alternative t painting is to paint with light: LED floods highlighting the spaces between the rafters. Or, instead of using a solid paint finish, use a wash: the original will still show through, yet be lightened.

Either embrace the wood and learn to love it or hire a pro. This doesn't sound like a DIY project.

I've tackled the same ceiling painting issue throughout my home. My 1964 modern tract home originally was built with painted open beam ceilings in a sort of peanut-butter color that I've refreshed in a similar, lighter tone and looks great with my modern decor (most neighbors hired crews to spray theirs "cottagy white"). That being said I did repaint the ceilings myself and will say that painting the beams and ceiling boards was very tedious. The max peak height in my home is roughly 15' and I'd say that is my LIMIT before calling in a contractor. Good luck!

Most people who cry baby tears when someone paints their wood ceiling do not live in a house with one (I do). They suck up light and tend to make a room a dark cave at night unless you are quite creative. Cozy only goes so far when you can't see, and without having wiremold snaking around you can't just throw up ceiling fixtures here and there the way you can with drywall. I've reached detente with my wood ceiling but don't thnk I haven't thought about taking the brush to it over the years.

@Robin S., what equipment did you use? I was thinking of getting a Little Giant type of ladder to paint a 15-foot NON wood ceiling area in my entryway.

I have a room with a sloped ceiling, at the highest point it is 14 feet high, and I painted it myself a few months ago. I was going to buy a little giant ladder, but renting a ladder was very inexpensive. I rented a 10 foot folding ladder . The ladder had to be the folding kind since there was not a wall to lean an extension ladder against. I ruled out using a long pole since there are recessed lights, skylights and a ceiling fan. I didn't think I would have enough control to cut in properly. One thing I found helpful - using a bucket and screen, hanging the bucket from the ladder. It wasn't that difficult. The hardest part was getting the ladder out of the truck into the house.

They will look so much better in white-wooden beams are so dated and really do close up a space. Scaffolding is great, but if youre scared of heights, hire a professional.

They are photos from my home. I bought the house this picture came from and got it from the listing as I could not get a good enough picture. Also, I live in Australia.

Yes, I know. My last home had a ceiling like this and it was just as airy as it looks here, but I was renting so I couldn't paint. My mother had the same problem and she painted her ceiling and it was so beautiful and felt so light compared to the dark wood.

The image of the white ceiling is not mine, I used it as an example of what I like. But the other photo is mine