How to Scrape a Popcorn Texture Ceiling
In this article you will learn the safest and cleanest way to scrape a popcorn ceiling. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Ladder
- Spray bottle filled with water
- Six-inch putty knife
- Dust mask
- Heavy duty plastic
- Blue painter's tape
- File
- Rosin paper
Instructions
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How to Scrape a Popcorn Ceiling
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1
Remove all furniture from the room. Turn off electricity using the circuit breaker and remove any light fixtures from the ceiling.
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2
Cover the walls and floor with your heavy duty plastic. Use blue painter's tape to hold it in place. With the painter's tape, cover any electrical outlets to keep them clean. Lay your rosin paper on the floor to absorb any water that falls from the ceiling.
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3
Working in a four-foot square area, using your spray bottle of water, spray the popcorn ceiling with water. You want just enough water to wet it. Use caution because too much water can damage the wall-board underneath the popcorn texture.
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4
File the corners of your six-inch putty knife to avoid gouging the ceiling. Use the filed putty knife to gently scrape the moist popcorn texture from the ceiling.
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5
After you have removed the final bits of the popcorn texture, take down the plastic from the walls and clean up. Roll up the wet paper and plastic on the floor.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If you run into spots that require hard scraping, stop scraping and apply more water to the area. Wait a few minutes and try again.
When the floor gets too messy, unroll another layer of rosin paper on top of the mess. This will give you a new clean floor.
Some blown-on ceilings applied before 1980 contain asbestos. You will need a certified asbestos removal contractor to remove these ceilings. You can find out if your ceiling contains asbestos by sending a small sample to an EPA certified testing lab. It is very important to wait for the results before beginning any removal project. Asbestos is very harmful.
