How to Remove an Acoustic Popcorn Ceiling

Popcorn ceilings once were considered trendy and an effective sound barrier between floors. They added depth and texture to the ceilings and everybody had to have them. Now, the only thing popcorn ceilings do is show the age of your home. Removing these popcorn ceilings will not only make your home more aesthetically pleasing, but also will add value to it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Plastic sheeting
• Masking tape
• Water bottle or pressurized sprayer
• Warm water
• Ladder
• Putty knife
• Goggles
• Gloves
• Protective head covering
• Mask
• Drywall joint compound
• Drywall mud
• Texture roller
• Primer
• Paint

1. Determine if your acoustic ceiling contains asbestos. This is important to verify, especially if your home was built before 1980. If asbestos is present, it would be wise to hire a professional contractor to do the job.
2. Remove all breakables from tables and shelves in the room.
3. Cover all furniture, doors and walls with protective plastic sheeting. Once these items are covered, tape the plastic down to avoid it slipping off. At least four to six inches of the plastic covering on the walls should overlap with the plastic covering the floors.
4. Remove any hanging fixtures or ceiling fans and flip the breakers to avoid getting shocked.
5. Wear protective gear including a mask, gloves, goggles or glasses, and something to cover your head. A baseball cap will work, too.
6. Spray the ceiling with warm water and allow the water to penetrate for about 15 minutes. The water will soften the acoustic. If you are removing a rather large area of popcorn ceiling you may want to invest in a hand-held garden pressure sprayer.
7. Scrape away the popcorn texture with a putty knife, being careful not to puncture the ceiling with the sharp corners.
8. Wait for the ceiling to dry completely overnight.
9. Coat your ceiling seams, joints and any nail or bracket holes with a joint compound. You may need to apply more than one coat of this, depending on your particular ceiling.
10. Sand the ceilings with 100 grit sandpaper to smooth out any drywall clumping after the drywall has finished drying.
11. Texture the ceiling to match the already existing walls. This can be achieved by special texturing rollers or by using a spray rig.
12. Allow the texture to fully dry, at least 48 hours. Then you can prime the ceilings for a fresh coat of paint.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are unsure if your existing popcorn ceiling contains asbestos you can have a sample of it tested at a forensics laboratory.
• Keep everyone that is not involved in the project out of the house while removing the popcorn ceilings.
• If your ceiling has been painted, you will have a slightly more difficult time removing the popcorn.
• Never try to remove a popcorn ceiling on your own if it contains asbestos. Let a professional remove it and make sure whoever you hire is fully licensed and insured.

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