How To Get Rid Of My Popcorn Ceilings?

What is a popcorn ceiling and why are some people saying such bad things about them? These are a couple of good questions. Homeowners and builders sometimes find a “look” that they like and go with that throughout the house. The texture and appearance may be different and may draw comments from a number of people who visit but there may come a time when this appearance just “doesn’t do it” anymore.

What then? A popcorn ceiling has a rough texture and adds a unique look to the room. However, some homeowners want to change this appearance and decided to replace this ceiling finish with another type of finish. In many cases, these popcorn ceilings were used in home-building several years ago and the ceiling needs to be resurfaced due to discoloration, water marks or chipping from the texture.

Plan the Project
It probably won’t work to just jump in and start scraping or hammering to get the old ceiling off. Think about whether you want to just change the surface or if you want to replace the entire ceiling. If the ceiling is in very good condition you may be able to take the rough texture off and change the appearance without a lot of mess and hard work. If there are cracks and discoloration you may have a different task on your hands.

First of all, determine whether your ceiling is drywall/sheetrock or if it is a true plaster ceiling. This will make a difference in your decision. If it is a plaster ceiling with a lot of age and the plaster is cracked and dry – make sure you take all the right steps when changing the surface. You may have to tear out the ceiling and replace it with new sheet rock and surfacing. Repair materials sometimes don’t bond well to old plaster, especially if it has been “worked” smooth.

Make it Smooth?
If your popcorn ceiling is in good shape and you can clean it with water and a sponge, you might be able to put a couple of new coats of “mud” on and finish it with a compound to get a smooth surface. Primer and paint should finish off the job.

If you decide to remove large portions of the ceiling or scrape off all of the texture you may have to take asbestos removal into consideration. Many of these textured ceilings from the early 1970s and 1960s have asbestos in the material. You will probably need a professional contractor to do the job. Asbestos removal is not a process to be taken on by amateurs without proper training and equipment.

Scraping off the texture to get a smooth surface may involve a bit of hand work and the use of a good taping knife or thin-blade putty knife. You may want to moisten the surface first to keep the dust down. Leave some time for clean up when you use this method. Look closely for exposed nails and for cracks when you get the popcorn texture off. You may have to tape over some spots, reset nails and cover any exposed areas before finishing the new surface.

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