How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings
If you want to get rid of popcorn ceilings, you're not alone. Removing popcorn ceilings makes it to the list of top 10 home-maintenance questions "This Old House" receives. Popcorn ceilings have uneven surfaces that were fashionable in the 1950s. However, people typically consider them an eyesore now. Popcorn ceilings also present a challenge to clean due to their texture. Because of these qualities, popcorn ceilings can drag down the value of a property, according to MSN Real Estate.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- 1 tbsp. liquid detergent
- 1 cup water
- Spray bottle
- Putty knife
- Plastic bag
- Plastic sheets
- Drop cloth
- Garden hose and nozzle
- Wide taping knife, utility knife, drywall knife or ceiling-texture scraper
- Joint compound
- Sandpaper
- Paint rollers
- Paint primer
- Flat paint
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1
Add 1 tbsp. of liquid detergent and 1 cup of water to a spray bottle. Cover and shake to mix.
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2
Spray the soapy water on a 1-square-inch patch of the ceiling. Use a putty knife to remove the popcorn texture, placing the sample into a small plastic bag and sealing the bag.
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3
Send the sample to an asbestos-testing laboratory. If you have asbestos in your ceiling, you can't safely remove the popcorn texture yourself. You have to hire an asbestos-abatement contractor to get rid of the ceiling texture. Only attempt to remove the popcorn ceiling yourself if your test comes back negative.
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4
Remove all the contents of the room in which you want to remove the popcorn texture. Hang plastic sheets from where the walls meet the ceiling and lay a drop cloth on the floor. The removed popcorn material will fall down, so these precautions help keep your things clean.
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5
Spray water on the ceiling with a garden hose to loosen the popcorn texture. Let the ceiling texture absorb the water for 10 to 15 minutes.
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6
Scrape off the popcorn texture from the ceiling using a wide taping knife, utility knife or drywall knife. Alternatively, use a specialized ceiling-texture scraper, a long-handled scraping tool with a plastic bag to catch the falling debris. Allow the ceiling to dry.
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7
Fill in any holes and imperfections on the ceiling with a joint compound. Let the joint compound dry and sand the ceiling to get a smooth surface.
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8
Paint the ceiling with a drywall primer, according to product instructions, and flat ceiling paint. A flat finish hides imperfections better than glossier finishes.
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