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How to Use a Popcorn Ceiling Removal Tool

By

Lee Wallender

Lee Wallender

Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Published on 03/22/22

Reviewed by

Johnathan Brewer

Reviewed by Johnathan Brewer

Johnathan Brewer is a home improvement expert with over two decades of professional experience as a licensed general contractor specializing in kitchen and bath. He has been featured on HGTV’s “Super Scapes,” “Curb Appeal the Block,” “Elbow Room,” DIY Network's “House Crashers,” "This Old House," and OWN Network's Emmy award winning show, “Home Made Simple.” Jonathan is also a member of The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board.

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photovs / Getty Images

Though spray-on textured popcorn ceilings are great for acoustics, they do have their limitations. They make a ceiling look darker, they're difficult to clean, and they disturb a room's smooth lines. Removing the popcorn ceiling brings back that clean look. With fresh water in a spray bottle and a tool called a ceiling texture scraper, it's possible to remove popcorn ceiling texture in most rooms with only moderate effort.

What Is a Popcorn Ceiling Removal Tool?

A popcorn ceiling removal tool, or ceiling texture scraper, is used to remove popcorn and other acoustic ceiling textures. The tool has a broad metal blade, a lower frame with an attached plastic catch bag, and a threaded end for joining an extension pole.

Popcorn Ceiling Removal Tool vs. Similar Scraping Tools

Costing between $25 and $50, a popcorn ceiling removal tool has a tilted handle that provides the ideal angle for pushing into the dampened texture. A lower frame holds a trash or plastic shopping bag to catch most of the debris, and the blade's rounded corners limit gouging of the delicate drywall paper surface or seam tape.

But these same features also render it unusable for projects other than texture removal. Can you use other scraping tools that you might already have on hand?

You can use a 6- or 12-inch drywall taping knife to scrape popcorn texture, but it's a little more difficult than with a texture scraper.

Taping knives have straight handles, making it more difficult to scrape at a low angle. Since taping knives cannot be attached to extension poles, you'll need to work entirely from a ladder. Taping knives have sharp corners which can tear drywall paper—a problem remedied by rounding off the corners with a grinder or metal file.

Texture Scraper

Drywall Taping Knives

Safety Considerations

If your house was built between 1945 and 1980, the textured popcorn ceiling may contain asbestos. Friable, air-borne asbestos may cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis if it is breathed in. Have the ceiling texture tested for asbestos before removing it.

How to Use a Popcorn Ceiling Removal Tool

To remove popcorn ceiling texture, you'll need a ceiling texture scraper, a threaded-end extension pole, a 1-gallon pump sprayer, kitchen-size trash bags, duct tape, and plastic sheeting.

  1. Protect Flooring

    Add plastic sheeting across the entire floor. Bring the sheeting up the walls about 1 foot. Tape all of the seams.

  2. Attach Catch Bag

    Attach the kitchen-size garbage bag to the bottom of the scraper with the clips on the tool.

  3. Attach Extension Pole

    Screw the extension pole into the back of the scraper handle. Or, if you prefer, you can leave off the extension pole for better control.

  4. Prepare Sprayer

    Fill the pump sprayer with clean warm water to the maximum fill line indicated on the side of the sprayer. Pressurize the sprayer by depressing the handle until the handle begins to resist and feel spongey. Usually, this will be about 10 to 15 pumps.

  5. Dampen Popcorn Texture

    Spray an area about 4 feet by 4 feet with water. Soak the popcorn texture well but not so much that water is actively dripping. Do not soak more than 16 square feet at a time, as areas may dry out before you can scrape them off.

    Tip

    If you can press your thumb into the popcorn texture, it is sufficiently moistened.

  6. Scrape Popcorn Texture

    Holding the scraper at a low angle to the ceiling, slide the scraper forward for about 2 feet. The texture should peel off of the ceiling and drop into the bag. After every three or four scrapes, empty the catch bag in a trash receptacle.

  7. Finish at Walls

    Scrape up to the wall. Press firmly against the wall to sever the peeled texture from the ceiling. Peeled texture that will not easily sever can later be knocked off with a clean broom.

Tips and Troubleshooting Using a Ceiling Texture Scraper

Article Sources

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. "Lung cancer from asbestos textured ceilings: a case study." National Institutes of Health.

The Best Tool To Remove Popcorn Ceiling

The success of any home improvement project has much to do with using the right tools. This is especially true when you want to remove texture from your ceiling. You need to have specific tools to remove popcorn ceiling easily. So, if you are looking for the best tool to remove a popcorn ceiling, this article will be more than what you need.

The Best Tool To Remove Popcorn Ceiling: POPEEZE

One of the more updated tools to use in removing popcorn ceiling is a product called Popeeze Popcorn Ceiling Scraper that has a vacuum attachment tool. It is basically a tool that removes ceiling texture without any bag or any mess at all. The product makes popcorn removal safer, cleaner and more efficient.

The product comes with one funnel and three blades. To use the product, attach the POPeeze to your regular shop vacuum hose along with a pole so you make popcorn removal easier. When you scrape off the ceiling texture, you will not have to worry about the debris falling to the floor and you do not need to worry about replacing bags every minute or so. Take note, however, that Popeeze is not recommended when taking off popcorn ceilings that have been painted over. So, be sure to check your ceiling.

Other Updated Tools To Remove Popcorn Ceiling

Aside from vacuum attachments, there are other updated tools that make your life easier when removing popcorn ceiling. First up, try using the EZ Strip Professional Strength Popcorn Ceiling Remover. This is DIY friendly and dust-free. This coating removes painted popcorn ceilings, textured drywall ceilings or textured drywall walls, multi-layered paint, and scoured wallpaper safely from drywall, wood, metal, concrete and other surfaces. The product does not have toxic fumes and does not require special ventilation so it is safe to use indoors at any day in a year.

Another tool is the Homax 12-inch Ceiling Scraper. This product remove Popcorn Ceiling textures and acoustic ceiling texture fast. It is more than possible to remove texture from a 10”x10” area within 30 minutes. Its wide blade covers a lot of ground making it a great tool for both pros and DIYers. You use the scraper with an extender.

The Best Traditional Tools for Popcorn Ceiling Removal

Even with updated and enhanced tools, one cannot do away with the traditional tools in all things home projects. For popcorn removal, there are the conventional tools that you can always trust like the sprayer, scraper, drywall joint compound and putty knife, sander, paint and roller, light, and a fan.

The sprayer you need is the usual garden sprayer that you use with some fabric softener. The scraper you need should be within 6 to 10 inches. A drywall knife is good but you need that Homax popcorn scraper tool to make things easier. The drywall joint compound is also called mud and you use your scraper as a putty knife.

The kind of sander you need is a drywall pole sander. There are those kinds of sanders that have a pivot and a pole so you can sand the ceiling while standing on the floor. The paint and roller are needed once all texture is taken off. You need enough paint for two coats. Finally, the light and fan are helpful for some extra light that points to the ceiling while you work. The fan, on the other hand, can help makes things dry in between your tasks.

A DIY Popcorn Ceiling Removal Tool

Instructables gives some really great advice as to building your own tool for Popcorn Ceiling remover. To build this tool, you will need some duct tape, a drywall taping knife, a ShopVac, a 12-14” x 2 ½” nozzle ShopVac, extension tube or wand, and ShopVac filter.

To build the tool, first, attach the extension wand or tube to the nozzle by pressing these two together. Next, tape a wood scraper to the assembly, so you can adjust the angle of the knife. Next, tape the knife handle to the entire assembly. What you need to be specific about is to have the knife edge approximately at the center of the nozzle that opens in both directions. Next, tape the blade down as close as you can to the nozzle to prevent the knife from trying to twist or move. Be careful not to make the tape too tight to prevent the blade from bowing. This can cause problems later on.

Whatever tools you have on hand, good old determination and patience is needed when faced with a popcorn removal task. And since things get naturally messy and nitty-gritty, you will surely need all the help you can get, too.

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

11:11 angels

How to remove the texture of popcorn from the ceiling, which was painted in stages with your own hands

Removing popcorn from the ceiling is not a difficult task, but it requires a lot of work and preparation. Hiring a contractor is one option, but we'll show you below how to remove popcorn from the ceiling ourselves.

1. Protect the floor and large furniture with plastic rags.
Move small and medium items out of the way.
Cover large items such as a sofa or large furniture.
pieces of cloth to prevent material from falling on them.

2. Using a spray gun or pump sprayer, wet the ceiling texture to soften
aged material and minimize dust in the air when removing material.
Don't wet the ceiling, make it nice and wet.
Wetting the ceiling with water will damage the paper surface underneath.


3. Clean the ceiling in smooth, long strokes.
Apply even pressure to the ceiling when cleaning.
Continue all over the ceiling until the popcorn is gone.
If your ceiling texture is painted, scrape off the top of the
texture before wetting to expose the underlying surface.
Then wet the surface as soon as the colored material disappears.

4. When the ceiling is finished and all popcorn material removed,
Sand the ceiling smooth and apply a primer coat of paint to set and uniform the ceiling.

ADDITIONAL TIPS - Preparation is the key to making the job much easier. Covering the furniture is the biggest part, besides the actual scraping of the material. Cover floors and furniture with plastic sheeting. Also don't forget to remove the lights from the ceiling.

A new product has been released that can make this job much easier.
The tool is Homax 6100 Ceiling Texture Scraper .
This scraper is extra wide so you can work faster, but it does have a bag that you can attach.

Learn more