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How do i get rid of popcorn ceiling


How to Easily Remove Popcorn Ceiling

Very few things date a space like a popcorn ceiling—and not in a charming way. They're difficult to repair, hard to clean, and catch dust easily; but despite all these cons, their popularity exploded beginning in the late 1950s because they made easy work of finishing ceilings and hiding imperfections.

If it's time to redo a popcorn ceiling, there are three popular ways to take on the challenge: scrape, cover with a new layer of drywall, or skim coat with plaster to create a new textured ceiling.

How Much Does it Cost to Remove Popcorn Ceiling?

The national average for popcorn ceiling removal is $1,707, according to Home Advisor.

Removing popcorn ceiling can be a labor-intensive process that is best left to a licensed professional to ensure safe removal. In some cases, there may be asbestos present in the ceiling, so it’s always a good idea to consult with a pro before starting the project.

What is the Best Method for Removing Popcorn Ceilings?

Which is best? Depends on a lot of things, including the age and condition of the substrate (ceiling). We spoke with drywall and stucco expert Mike Poellinger, owner of Poellinger, Inc., in La Crosse, WI, who filled us in on everything a homeowner should know before deciding how to remove their popcorn ceiling. With his help, we break down the three methods to redoing popcorn ceilings below.

How to Scrape a Popcorn Ceiling

When scraping popcorn ceilings, you'll want to use a 4-inch utility knife or a drywall knife to chip away at the texture and create a smooth surface. You'll probably need to skim it with a thin layer of joint compound to smooth out imperfections, then sand it smooth before repainting.

Why do it?

This is by far the most common method of popcorn ceiling removal. Scraping your ceiling is a messy and slow process, but it's the most cost-effective and can be completed by one person. However, popcorn finishes and paint applied before 1979 often contained asbestos and lead, respectively, which could be toxic if sent airborne. If you live in an older home, purchase a home test for lead paint, and consult with an expert about testing for asbestos. If it tests positive, do not scrape it.

If your ceilings are not at risk for asbestos or lead paint, but they have been painted, it may be near impossible to scrape them, since the porous popcorn material will have soaked it up. Drywalling over them may be a better option.

Pro tip: Don’t spray your ceiling with water before you scrape

A lot of people spray their ceilings with water before scraping to loosen them up, but Poellinger doesn't recommend it. "Not only will it be a sloppy mess, but it will absorb into the ceiling and make it heavy; then it could start to expand and crack. It's more time-consuming, but it's best to scrape it dry."

How to Cover up with Drywall

Affix ceiling-grade gypsum board, which weighs significantly less than standard wall board, right over the existing popcorn ceiling. You'll need to securely screw it into the framing and be proficient at mudding and taping for a seamless job.

Why do it?

This is a better option than scraping if you have lead paint or asbestos, because you can encapsulate the harmful substance instead of sending it airborne. Plus, you'll get the smoothest possible finish, if you mud and tape properly. Alternatively, a team of pros will be able to complete the job in no time. Finally, if the ceiling has damage or if you already need to cut into it to reroute electrical or HVAC, you can make large cuts into the existing substrate without worrying about patching, since they'll soon be covered up anyway.

This method will come at a price—a 4-by-8-foot sheet of ceiling-grade gypsum board costs $9 apiece. It may also be difficult to maneuver the boards single handedly if you're DIYing it. And if you have crown molding, you'll likely have to remove it and replace it.

Pro tip: For a DIY removal project rent a drywall lift

Rent a drywall lift if you're DIY’ing it. It might cost about $40 per day (The Home Depot; location pricing varies), but it's safer and allows you to get a better handle on the material.

Skim Coat on a New Design

Yes, it's still a texture, but according to Poellinger, it's making a comeback—and it's fairly easy for homeowners to do themselves. Often found in older homes—pre-popcorn-era—this type of textured ceiling involves cleaning and prepping the existing substrate with quick-set drywall mud, applying a bonding agent like joint compound, and then applying a finish compound with a trowel or knife to create a new texture.

Why do it?

Many old-house owners want to recapture the history of the home, and a smooth ceiling won't fit the bill.

The most important consideration is to make sure the substrate is structurally secure, since adding a wet product could create more weight than the ceiling can handle and cause it to come down. You might need to consult with a contractor before getting started.

Pro tip: Don’t use ready-mixed material as your base

If you opt to skim coat, use a quick-set drywall mud, then touch it up with a ready-mixed joint compound. Don't use a ready-mixed material as your base, as it has a higher moisture content and contains silica, which is prone to causing some shrinkage, affecting your final look.

Do Popcorn Ceilings Have Asbestos?

If your home was built between the 1950s and 1980s, there is a chance that the popcorn ceilings contain asbestos, according to the Mesothelioma Center. The best way to determine if your popcorn ceilings contain asbestos is to hire an abatement professional, or you can purchase a test kit.

If you discover that your popcorn ceilings contain asbestos, don’t panic—and don’t try to remove it yourself. Removing it will cause the particles to escape into the air, making it easy for you and your family to breathe in the carcinogens. Leaving the ceiling intact poses no dangers.

If the ceilings must go, then it’s a good idea to call a professional abatement company to do the job.

11 Tips on How to Remove Popcorn Ceiling Faster and Easier

Popcorn ceilings were all the rage back in the '60s and '70s. Applying the texture to drywall and plaster ceilings was a quick and easy way to hide imperfections and didn't require any painting afterward.

But the rough texture catches lots of dust and cobwebs and it can be difficult to know how to remove popcorn ceiling. It can be a real pain to match if you have cracks or holes in need of patching. Figuring out how to remove a popcorn ceiling texture from a ceiling is a messy chore but worth the effort if the substrate underneath is in good shape. Here are some tips to take some of the pain out of popcorn ceiling removal.

Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. Ratings and prices are accurate and items are in stock as of time of publication.

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Do a Scrape Test

Before you go to all the trouble of prepping the room, try scraping a small area while learning how to remove popcorn ceiling. Try it dry first, then dampen the texture with water and try again. Some texture comes off easily without water, but in most cases wetting is best. If the water doesn’t soak in and soften the texture, the ceiling has probably been painted or paint was added to the texture mix. In that case, wetting the ceiling may not help, and you’ll have to decide whether you want to tackle a really tough scraping job or choose another way to hide your popcorn ceiling.

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Test for Asbestos

Any popcorn ceiling installed before 1980 might contain asbestos—a known cause of lung cancer. Before trying to figure out how to remove any popcorn ceiling texture, contact your local health department and ask about getting a sample tested. So you’re wondering how to remove a popcorn ceiling with asbestos? If the test comes back positive, cover the popcorn with new drywall or tongue-and-groove planks, or hire an asbestos abatement contractor to help in removing popcorn ceiling.

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Prep for a Big Mess

Cover floors and walls with plastic drop cloths as you begin your how to remove popcorn ceiling project. Don’t use canvas drop cloths because water can soak through. Cleanup is easier with plastic too, because you can just ball it all up when you’re done working and throw it in the trash. Leave the plastic in place after popcorn ceiling removal to catch the mess you’ll make repairing and sanding the ceiling later.

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Get the Furniture Out

If possible, remove all furniture from the room you’ll be working in. When learning how to remove popcorn ceiling, it is messy work, and you won’t want furniture in your way every time you move the ladder around. If moving everything out of the room isn’t possible, cluster it and cover it with drop cloths.

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Remove Ceiling Fixtures and Fans

You might think it’s easier to leave light fixtures and ceiling fans in place as you figure out how to remove popcorn ceiling, but they’ll just be in your way and get covered with wet popcorn. Plus, you don’t want to accidentally spray water into an electrical fixture.

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Protect Can Lights From Water Spray

If you have recessed “can” lights, stuff newspaper or rosin paper inside them to keep them dry when completing a how to remove popcorn ceilings project. Also, make sure the power to those fixtures is turned off at the circuit breaker panel or fuse box.

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Wet it With a Pump Sprayer

For easier scraping and practically no dust during popcorn ceiling removal, use a garden pump sprayer to mist the ceiling and let it soak in for about 15 minutes before scraping. Only give it a light misting—too much water could damage the drywall or loosen the joint tape. If the texture hasn’t softened after 15 minutes or so, spray it again and wait another 10 to 15 minutes.

If the texture still hasn’t softened, it might be painted, or paint might have been mixed into the texture before application. In either case, water won’t easily penetrate. If the texture is painted, you might be able to dry-scrape it first to expose some of the unpainted texture and follow up with wet scraping. If the texture has paint mixed in, you might have to dry-scrape the whole ceiling or cover it up with drywall or T&G boards.

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Cover Electrical Boxes

Shut off the power to any electrical junction boxes in the ceiling and cover them with painter’s tape to keep the wiring dry when spraying water on the popcorn as you complete a how to remove popcorn ceilings project. Overlap the sides of the junction box with the tape, and then trim around the perimeter with a utility knife, being careful not to nick the wires.

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Work in Small Sections

Only spray and scrape a small area at a time—about 4 x 4 ft. If you work too large of an area at once, the popcorn might dry before you have time to scrape it off. If that happens, respray the area and wait another 10 to 15 minutes before scraping.

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Tame the Mess With a Mud Pan

Use a mud pan—the kind for holding joint compound—to catch the wet popcorn before it hits the floor. That way, you’re not tracking it all over the place when you walk and move the ladder around. Also, use the edge of the pan to clean off your scraper when it gets loaded up with wet popcorn.

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Prevent Gouging

Round off the corners of your popcorn scraper—whether it’s a wide putty knife or drywall taping knife—so it won’t gouge the ceiling and leave you with dozens of ceiling wounds to repair. Use a file, a sander or an electric grinder to do this.

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Smooth After Scraping

Scraping alone won’t leave you with a paint-ready ceiling. You’ll probably have small dings and gouges to fix. At a minimum, you’ll have to sand the ceiling to get it perfectly smooth before painting.

Originally Published: October 17, 2019

HOW TO REMOVE A POPCORN CEILING

So you have a textured or popcorn ceiling in your room that just screams 1960s doctor's office and you want it to disappear - stat. But is it possible to take on this project? The pros say yes! Removing popcorn ceilings is a very inexpensive DIY project, says Justin Kshiston, a contractor in Los Angeles. And in fact, he adds, you probably already have all the tools you need.

However, if you don't have a solid collection of tools, expect to spend about $500 on supplies, says Christopher Totaro, contractor and agent for Warburg Realty. In contrast, a professional would probably charge anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000 for a 20 foot by 20 foot ceiling. Keep in mind that you will also need tools to paint the ceiling when you are done. While the tools and materials are usually not all that expensive, it's important to be aware that you're making a commitment. Depending on the size of the room, removing the popcorn ceiling can take a lot of time and effort, says Kevin Bush, vice president of operations for Mr. Neighborhood company.



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But before you get started, here's one very important caveat: Because asbestos was often used in popcorn ceilings before the early 1980s, according to Kshiston, you should have the surface checked by a professional before proceeding with any painting or removal.


Kshiston says that if the samples come back positive, it's for the health and safety of you and your family to call a licensed asbestos company. But they come back negative, you can safely continue your project. Here's how to do it.

What you need to remove the popcorn ceiling

How to Remove Popcorn from the Ceiling

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Credit: SDI Productions / Getty Images.



1. Prepare area

Cover the room first. Although it's not difficult, it's very sloppy says Kshiston. Have enough rags and tarps on hand and remove as much furniture from the room as possible; cover everything else. It's also a good idea to take off the lighting fixtures, turn off the HVAC system, cover and cover all vents and electrical outlets with plastic. And since this job involves water, be sure to turn off the electricity in the room you're working in. Finally, open the windows to allow air to circulate and make breathing easier during scraping.

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2. Wet the ceiling.

According to Kshiston, to make cleaning easier, spray the ceiling with water before gently scraping away the texture of the popcorn. Use a water spray bottle to wet a four-foot-by-four-foot ceiling, let sit for 15 minutes to absorb water, then scrape off. It is useful to work with such small areas, otherwise the areas will dry before you reach them.

3. Scrape off the coating.

To scrape, use a wide trowel or drywall knife and gently run it across the wet ceiling, being careful not to gouge the ceiling underneath. Move around the room until all texture is removed. When you're done, check your work - you may need a second pass in some areas. Remember that you can always refinish the ceiling to make it easier to work in a difficult spot, Kshiston says.



4. Add a fresh coat of paint.

“Since you already have the floor and walls, it's time to start finishing,” Kshiston says, which includes sanding, priming and painting the ceiling.

If the ceiling has any damage or visible imperfections, such as gouges or damaged drywall tape, repair it with sealant before sanding. After sanding, apply a primer and a fresh coat of paint.

Bridget Early

Author

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How to Get Rid of Popcorn Ceilings

Moving to a new home is exciting, but it can also be full of projects. And if in one of the projects you need to get rid of popcorn ceilings, then you are in luck. This is one of the home improvements that most of the time can be done on your own for a huge upgrade that is actually a lot easier than you might think.

Like modern wall and ceiling texture techniques, popcorn ceilings were once considered a fashion feature that offered a visually interesting alternative to plain painted drywall. However, unlike these modern techniques, popcorn ceilings have largely gone out of style in modern homes, and if you have them, you're probably more interested in getting rid of them than accepting them as an aesthetic choice.

Here's what you need to know about this not-so-stylish ceiling texture, including what to do about popcorn and asbestos ceilings and how to get rid of popcorn ceilings in your home.

What are popcorn ceilings?

Popcorn ceilings have been a popular choice in American homes since the 1930s, and were seen as a good solution for hiding drywall defects and dampening noise from other rooms.

Popcorn ceilings, also known as stucco ceilings, curd ceilings, or acoustic ceilings, have a rough, mottled, dotted texture to the touch. And their popularity has been growing since the mid 1970s to 1990s, so there's a good chance you'll meet them if you buy a house from that era.

In what years was asbestos used in popcorn ceilings?

In addition to being slightly irritating to the eyes, many homeowners are concerned about the potential risk of asbestos exposure to popcorn ceilings.

Asbestos, a naturally occurring but hazardous fibrous mineral, has been a common ingredient in spray ceiling textures, including popcorn ceilings, since 1945 to 1980. Long-term exposure to this substance can lead to a number of serious complications, including lung diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and even lung cancer.

Fear of asbestos is a good reason to get rid of popcorn ceilings in your home, especially if it was built in the years when it was commonly used as an additive. That being said, it was banned for use in textured paint in 1977 under the Clean Air Act Amendment of 1970, so it's unlikely your popcorn ceilings had it if installed after that date.

Impossible to tell if your textured ceilings contain asbestos. If you want to test your popcorn ceiling for asbestos fibers, you will need to hire a professional company to take samples and send them to a specialized laboratory. You can also collect a sample yourself, although you will need to follow a number of important safety precautions in this case, including the use of gloves and a high-performance air mask (HEPA) for protection.

How to get rid of popcorn ceilings

Getting rid of popcorn ceilings is fairly easy, even if it takes time. And while you can certainly turn to professionals to do the job, it might be worth doing it yourself to save money on other home improvements and upgrades. Note, however, that if your home was built before 1980, it's a good idea to test it for asbestos before removal to make sure you don't run into dangerous fibres.

Here's how to do it.

  1. Gather your supplies

    Removing popcorn ceilings is a messy job, so get all your tools in order before you get started so the project doesn't take longer than it needs to.

    Here's what you need:

    • Safety goggles
    • Protective mask
    • Stair or plasterboard lift
    • Plastic napkins (enough to cover the walls and floor of the room)
    • Artist's ribbon
    • Garden sprayer
    • Drywall knife

  2. Do a test cleaning

    To potentially save a lot of time and hassle, do a trial cleaning before fully prepping your site.

    Put on protective gear, put a rag on and use a spray bottle to carefully apply water to a small area on the ceiling, then let it soak in for 15 minutes. Then see if you can easily scrape off the popcorn texture.

    In most cases, water and elbow grease will be enough to remove popcorn ceilings, but not always. By doing this test first, you'll make sure the DIY method will work and you won't have to hire a professional ceiling popcorn removal company - and you'll do it all before you run into the hassle of sticking rags around the entire perimeter and floor of the room. .

  3. Prepare your space

    Assuming your test went off without a hitch, you can now prepare the room for a complete removal.

    Remember that getting rid of a popcorn ceiling is a very messy job, even if you put in the best effort, so you'll have to do some preparation before you get started. The first step is to clear the room of all furniture and decor. If this is not possible for any reason, put all the items in one pile and cover with a plastic cloth.

    Then use painter's tape to secure the plastic rags to the walls and floor. It's a tough task, but trust us, it's worth it when it comes time to clean up.

    Other preparation steps include removing any ceiling lights, including pendant lights and fans. Cover exposed wiring with masking tape and turn off power to lights as you will be spraying water in their direction.

  4. Wet and scrape

    Once your room is set up and your protective gear is on, you can start to really work on getting rid of the popcorn ceiling.

    Working in areas approximately four feet by four, spray water from a garden sprayer onto the ceilings, then use a drywall tape cutter to carefully scrape away the texture of the popcorn. Keep your ceilings dry – you want them damp, not dripping through – and wait at least 15 minutes after spraying before you start scratching to allow water to soak through the outer surface.

    Is the ceiling not damp enough? If after the first application of water and the waiting period you are still having problems with the scrubber, spray the product on the ceiling again and wait another 10-15 minutes before trying again.

    To avoid mess, you can keep a bucket or mud squeegee under every part of the ceiling surface while scraping, although by the nature of the job you will still end up with a wet, scraped texture around the ceiling. room. Don't worry, that's what all the fabrics are for.

Drywall repair after popcorn ceiling removal

You got rid of popcorn ceilings, now what?

The task is not over yet, as you need to repair (or in some cases replace) the drywall surface underneath, which includes smoothing and painting it.

If you plan to do this yourself, keep all your tissues in place and use caulk to fill in any nicks or holes caused by the popcorn ceiling removal process. Then sand the entire ceiling to get a smooth surface ready for primer and paint.

Popcorn Ceiling Removal FAQ

Here are some quick answers to other questions you may have about popcorn ceiling removal.

Should popcorn ceilings be removed?

You decide. It's a labor-intensive job, but many homeowners take it anyway to get rid of the outdated look of popcorn ceilings. Since they are considered undesirable in modern homes, getting rid of texture can also add value to your home and make it easier to sell in the future.

How much does it cost to remove popcorn from the ceiling?

According to HomeAdvisor, the average cost of popcorn ceiling removal is $1 to $2 per square foot if you hire a professional company. In most cases, the result is from 900 to $2,800 for the entire job. However, it's a cheap project if you're doing it yourself, especially since you probably already have all or most of the tools you'll need.

Can the popcorn ceiling be removed without scraping it off?

You can't remove it without scraping it off, but you can hide it.

Learn more