Chapter 11
Popcorn Ceiling Removal

A popcorn ceiling is also known as an acoustical ceiling. These ceilings were a fad in the early 60's and were still being used in the 1980's. In 1978, products containing asbestos were banned for home use by government regulators, and this affected the manufacture and installation of most acoustic ceiling panels in use at the time. Many homeowners hired specially-trained contractors to remove the older acoustic ceilings from their homes. Some restored the ceilings to their original dimensions, while others selected other acoustic ceiling panels without asbestos. The typical 'popcorn' textured acoustic ceilings also fell out of style with the advent of more stylized paneling.

Note: Asbestos was used in some sprayed coatings for ceilings from 1935-1978 and can cause Mesothelioma & Asbestosis. It’s a good idea to have a sample tested by an NVLAP approved testing center before getting started.

Materials Needed

Contractors/Masking Paper
Sanding Respirator Masks
Wall Scraper or Trowel
Putty Knife
Ladder

Pump Sprayer
Safety Goggles
Joint Compound or Drywall Patch
Pole Sander and Sanding Screen

Getting Started

Remove all furniture from the room and lay down the contractors/masking paper being sure to overlap each strip by 4-5 inches. This will allow for easier cleanup later. Turn off the breaker to the room and remove all ceiling light and fan fixtures.

Use a Pump Sprayer

Using a pump sprayer, wet a 5-6 foot square section of popcorn being careful not to get too much water on the walls. Wait a couple minutes before getting started to allow the water to soak into the textured ceiling.

Getting Serious

Using a wall scraper or trowel (non-serated side), start scraping off the texture. It should come off in sheets, although on a ceiling where the there is a lot of patching and joint compound, this will not be quite as easy. The ceiling under the popcorn was literally covered in joint compound, tape, and drywall patches which can make this part of the job a nightmare.

Time to Wet Another Section

Done with that section already? Time to wet another section, and start the process again… and again, until it’s done.

Use a Pole Sander

Once most of the texture had been scraped down to the joint compound and wallboard, you’ll want to use a pole sander to knock down the rough spots in the ceiling. Be sure to sand the entire surface, getting it as smooth as possible.

Getting Messy

This is the hardest and messiest part of the whole process… unless you have a nightmare ceiling like this family room. In that case, it parallels the scraping process.

Use Joint Compound and a Putty Knife

Once you’re done sanding (and the dust has settled), you’ll want to come back with joint compound and a putty knife to fill in any gouges, rough spots, and nail holes that might have opened up during the scraping and sanding. Let those patches dry for at least 30 minutes, and then give them a light sanding again with the pole sander to ensure that you have a smooth surface to paint later.

Isn't it Beautiful

That’s it! Isn’t it beautiful? Oh wait… cleanup. As you can see, when you’re done, you basically have your entire ceiling on the floor.

Cleanup

The “contractors paper” is a real time saver at this point if you’ve done it right. You just roll it up tight and put it in a garbage bag. We found that about 3 tight rolls will fit in a standard garbage bag.

Smooth Ceilings

Here’s what the same corner of the family room looked like after a couple coats of paint on the ceiling and the walls. Ahh… smooth ceilings. Perhaps it may be too much work for some, but for others, it will be well worth it!

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Popcorn Ceiling Removal

Chapter 11 Popcorn Ceiling Removal

Chapter 11
Popcorn Ceiling Removal