Removing Acoustic From Ceilings
Acoustic ceilings, also called popcorn ceilings, were popular decades ago in homes as a way of dressing up the ceiling with texture. When remodeling, you may want to get rid of that somewhat dated look. If the acoustic contains asbestos, it will need to be removed by a certified professional. If the ceiling is painted, you'll have to use a chemical paint stripper to break down the layer of paint. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Liquid dish soap
- Putty knife
- Plastic sheets
- Tape
- Dust mask
- Safety goggles
- Pump sprayer
- Floor scraper
Instructions
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Testing Acoustic
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1
Spray a small area of the ceiling with a mixture of warm water and a few drops of liquid dish soap. If the solution soaks in, the ceiling has not been painted, and you won't need to use a chemical stripper to remove the acoustic.
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2
Use a putty knife to scrape off a small amount of the acoustic and place it in a bag.
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Send the sample to be tested for asbestos. The Environmental Testing Agency can direct you to testing companies in your area.
Removing Acoustic
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4
Clear out the room, turn off your heating or air conditioning system and remove any window treatments in the room.
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5
Cover the floor, window openings and outlet and switch covers with plastic. Secure the plastic to wall areas with tape. Cover any baseboard trim by extending the plastic from the floor up and over the trim and taping it in place.
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6
Tape plastic sheets from the walls where they meet the ceiling to protect the walls from falling acoustic.
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Put on your dust mask and safety goggles.
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8
Fill the pump sprayer with water and add a few drops of liquid dish soap if the ceiling is unpainted. If the ceiling is painted, pour the paint stripper into the sprayer. Put the lid back on the sprayer and pump the handle to build pressure inside the sprayer.
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Start in a corner of the ceiling and spray a 6-foot-square section with the water or paint stripper. Evenly coat the acoustic but don't oversaturate it with water to avoid bleeding through to the drywall. Allow the water or stripper to soak in for 15 minutes.
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10
Raise the floor scraper to the ceiling and scrape away the area. Apply minimal pressure to prevent gouging the drywall. If the acoustic doesn't scrape off easily, spray the area again and wait 20 minutes before attempting to scrape it off again.
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11
Work your way from one end of the ceiling to the other until all of the acoustic has been scraped off.
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Tips & Warnings
This can be an extremely messy job, so wear old clothes including a hat.
Pump sprayers are most commonly used to apply weed killer and can be found at most home improvement stores.
If you don't have a floor scraper, you can also use a 6- or 10-inch putty knife to scrape off the acoustic. Stand on a ladder so you can reach the ceiling with the putty knife.
To dispose of the acoustic, allow it to dry on top of the plastic sheets, then roll up the sheets and discard.
If the acoustic tests for asbestos, do not attempt to remove the ceiling yourself. Call a professional asbestos removal service.
