[Sylvanfan]

I got a quote to paint from a painter, said I'd have to paint my entire downstairs ceiling of about 500 square feet to cover up a water stain. His price $1200. I bought $50 worth of paint, rollers, tape and poly and painted half the ceiling and it covered the stain and didn't looke like I'd done anything else to the ceiling. I let it dry for a day, and I can't see where I stopped painting. My wife who has OCD and would notice this and she can't see it.

Just buy good paint, and go to a proper paint store and ask for advice how to paint.