Easy Popcorn Ceiling Removal

Get Rid of Your Popcorn Ceiling

Some styles just fade. Other styles just have asbestos.

Around the 1970s popcorn ceilings took off as a textured form that could give your ceiling a little pop. Now in 2017, you’re staring at your ceiling looking for a plan of attack because in Los Angeles, trends change fast, and popcorn ceiling has to go.

Supplies for Popcorn Ceiling Removal

As I said before. Test for asbestos if the paint was applied before 1979! In fact, just check. Here’s an excellent resource on testing for it. You don’t want to breathe that stuff in.

If you’ve found that your house isn’t contaminated, we can move onto supplies. You’ll be needing -

Sheeting - to ensure that all that mess you scrape off the ceiling doesn’t destroy your floor.

Drywall tape - to keep the corners of your wall from harm.

Drywall knife - six inches preferred. There are some that come with clamps that can secure a bag, which means the dust falls in there and not everywhere else.

Bug Sprayer - and or any sort of sprayer to help wet the ceiling a bit. This is a little bit of a contentious issue with homeowners and professionals. Some say that wetting the ceiling makes it heavy, makes it crack. Others say douse the thing because you don’t want to spend hours upon hours on a ladder scraping dry texture. Your choice.

Sander - to get rid of the knicks in the ceiling.

Drywall mud - to finish the job and even everything out.

You’re prepared now, so let’s get at it.

Getting Rid of Popcorn Ceiling

The one good thing about popcorn ceiling removal (aside from the result) is that you really don’t have to move all of your furniture out of the room. Take that sheeting and throw it over everything you don’t want caked in dust, AKA everything. That means your walls too. Tape up those corners.

Once that’s done with, spray your ceiling with water to wet down the popcorn ceiling, assuring that the dust that falls won’t be substantial. While most homeowners do the entire ceiling in one go, others suggest only wetting about a 4x4 ft. area to take the job one step at a time.

After you put down the sprayer, it’s time to get rid of your popcorn ceiling.

This is a million ways to skin a cat situation. Some just hold a drywall tray under their texture drywall knife as they scrape, while others just let it all hit the floor. I’ve seen someone tape the remover to a vacuum cleaner’s nozzle to eat up the debris as soon as it peels. Popcorn ceiling removal is something of an art form. Use any form you’d like.

Whatever method you choose, use - slow. even. strokes. Popcorn ceiling comes off easy. Don’t break your back just to ruin your ceiling. Take your time with your hour on the ladder. Think about life. Free your mind. Relax. But please, just don’t ruin your ceiling by rushing this project.

Needless to say, perfection is impossible so when you end up with scratches in the ceiling, sand the trouble areas. After that, take your drywall knife and apply the mud you need to even out the whole situation.

After that - you’re good to paint.

A Sincere Word of Warning

You absolutely do not want to be taking down popcorn ceiling if it has asbestos. As soon as you crack it, sharp microscopic spores into lungs, eyes, and everywhere else you don’t want horrible shards that inflict health issues. The worst part is, they never leave.

Novel Remodeling can remove asbestos in Los Angeles, and we do it for good reason. While popcorn ceiling is certainly DIY project, asbestos changes the game entirely. For the sake of you and your family, if there is asbestos give a certified professional a call. Stay healthy, keep informed.