How to Reduce the Look of a Textured Ceiling

Popcorn textured ceilings have become unpopular in recent years for aesthetic and practical reasons. A top choice among homeowners in the 1970s and 1980s, the ceilings are easy to install and can be used to cover unsightly drywall joints without a lot of extra work. They are also acoustically absorbent. However, textured ceilings can trap dirt and debris and made rooms feel darker and smaller. If you have a popcorn textured ceiling that you wish to renovate, the look can be reduced by scraping the texture off the ceiling or by sanding it.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic sheeting
• Spray bottle or garden hose sprayer
• Ladder
• Joint knife or scraper
• Joint compound
• Handheld sander
• Sandpaper
• Sponge

Instructions

Scraping

1. Turn off the electricity in the room by flipping off the breaker in the breaker box.

2. Cover the floors and walls with plastic sheeting to protect surfaces from debris. Put plastic over the entire floor and tape it to the walls from the ceiling to the floor.

3. Lightly spray the ceiling with water using a spray bottle or garden hose sprayer. The textured ceiling will be easier to scrape when it is wet.

4. Scrape away the texture from the ceiling using a joint knife or scraper. Hold the scraper at a 45-degree angle and pull from right to left. The texture should come off relatively easily.

5. Let the ceiling dry. Fill in any low spots with joint compound.

Sanding

1. Cover the floors and walls with plastic sheeting. Lay plastic over the floor and tape it to the walls from the ceiling to the floor.

2. Put the sander on the ceiling and move it in a circular motion. The amount of pressure you apply and how long you go over an area will determine the look of the ceiling. Use sandpaper to even out corners and other difficult-to-reach areas.

3. Clean the dust and residue off the ceiling with a damp sponge.

4. Fill in any low spots on the ceiling with joint compound.

Tips & Warnings

• If you find areas that are hard to scrape, reapply water and wait for it to soak into the ceiling.

• Be sure to turn off the power when spraying water around electrical outlets.

• Sanding can be very dusty. Wear a protective face mask.

• Gouging the ceiling will require patch work and repairs.

References

• How to Remove a Popcorn Textured Ceiling
• Removing a Stipple Ceiling by Sanding (Reducing Stalactites)