stephanier.1765 Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 I've been removing wallpaper and fixing walls in one of our rooms. Since the room is empty, I'm considering removing the popcorn from the ceiling. I hate how it collects dust. Would I be getting myself in over my head with this project? Let me tell ya...the wallpaper removal just about killed me so I don't know if I'm capable enough to tackle the ceiling too. It seems like a horror show just waiting to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 Does it contain asbestos? If the house was built prior 1978 you need to take a small sample to be tested. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indigo Blue Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 (edited) I don’t know. I’ve never done that myself, but I would think removing popcorn is a bit more tedious than wallpaper? We had it done in just one bathroom because moisture made a piece fall out, and it just kept getting bigger. We hired a painter to take it off and just paint the ceiling in that bathroom. I think it’s very messy. I’d hire it if possible. Ours was from 1987. Edited June 18, 2023 by Indigo Blue 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 Would it be easier to just take the whole ceiling down and replaster? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 It’s been a while since I pondered this but I can tell you that I still have the popcorn ceilings. I had a couple people tell me it was easy and no biggie so I got ready to do it and then I researched it and decided it was way too much to tackle. Now, I am not handy. I mostly paint and have done a little wallpaper removal/repair so I am not skilled but I just thought it was more than I could do and ran a risk of being a disaster that required bringing someone in to fix. I recently had a couple rooms painted along with a wallpaper removal. I had them quote the popcorn ceiling removal along with the painting and the cost was really high. It was so high it made me think it was a complicated or ran the risk of becoming complicated even for professionals. So that is my uninformed opinion. But I have also had people tell me it is easy. So please report back what you decide! I have a lot of popcorn ceilings. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 Actually doing it (again if there is no asbestos) is easy. You get a clean sprayer from Home Depot. https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-1-Gallon-Multi-Purpose-Lawn-and-Garden-Pump-Sprayer-1501HDXA/307766754?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&&mtc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-GGL-D28O-028_001_CHEMICALS-NA-NA-NA-SMART-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-SMART_SHP&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-GGL-D28O-028_001_CHEMICALS-NA-NA-NA-SMART-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-SMART_SHP-71700000059845719-58700005436056249-92700049554889054&gbraid=0AAAAADq61UfBhfY8cw4Xdtk5XxZXWs2M5&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIweiFjP7N_wIVhxGtBh2XTAATEAQYASABEgLFbvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds You spray the ceiling with water. Use a putty scraper to remove the popcorn, being careful not to gouge the ceiling drywall. The difficulty is after it’s removed. You can’t just paint it. You need to put joint compound on any gouges, drywall seams etc and sand them smooth. Then paint. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted June 18, 2023 Author Share Posted June 18, 2023 1 minute ago, Jean in Newcastle said: You spray the ceiling with water. Use a putty scraper to remove the popcorn, being careful not to gouge the ceiling drywall. The difficulty is after it’s removed. You can’t just paint it. You need to put joint compound on any gouges, drywall seams etc and sand them smooth. Then paint. Ugh, having to do the repairs and sanding after just doing that to the walls...well, I don't know if I'm mentally up to that. It would be what I just did except over my head. Yikes! Thank you (and everyone else that replied), I think I've talked myself out of this. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 We had the popcorn ceilings removed throughout our entire house (including the garage) late last year. It was ten days of work, there were two to four painters here every day. Needless to say, it was very expensive, but it was worth it to us. There's no way we could have done it ourselves. Now, if I were younger and didn't have RA and could tackle one room at a time? I might consider giving it a try. But probably not. The repairs to seams and nail pops would likely be more than I could handle. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 9 minutes ago, stephanier.1765 said: Ugh, having to do the repairs and sanding after just doing that to the walls...well, I don't know if I'm mentally up to that. It would be what I just did except over my head. Yikes! Thank you (and everyone else that replied), I think I've talked myself out of this. Yes, the overhead part is tough on the neck and shoulders. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indigo Blue Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 The difficulty would also be from working with your hands up over your head for long periods. That’s not easy in and of itself. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 We have removed popcorn from our last three houses. I always say yes to remove popcorn. Because I hate it. But it is more difficult with furniture in the house. You just have to put plastic all along the perimeter of the ceiling and then as you scrape it off it falls to the middle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 1 hour ago, Jean in Newcastle said: Does it contain asbestos? If the house was built prior 1978 you need to take a small sample to be tested. It has to be tested either way. Companies were allowed to use up existing stock, so many of them used asbestos for quite some time (years) after the legislation passed. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 1 hour ago, Jean in Newcastle said: Does it contain asbestos? If the house was built prior 1978 you need to take a small sample to be tested. We were told the paint have lead too for popcorn ceiling so not to “disturb” the ceiling if the rental apartment we stayed in had popcorn ceiling. That was a big reason we did not dare to buy homes built before the 80s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 It's not particularly hard, just make sure you use enough water. The house we almost bought, the guy had remove the popcorn ceiling, but didn't use enough water so there were still traces. just don't paint it, or it will be harder to remove. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHP Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 I have removed popcorn ceiling texture and to be honest it was the most fun of any home project I have ever done. Test for asbestos first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 6 minutes ago, SHP said: I have removed popcorn ceiling texture and to be honest it was the most fun of any home project I have ever done. Test for asbestos first. I mostly watched but it is very satisfying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 (edited) Yes, please don't mess with it until it's tested, and don't let anyone tell you (without testing) that there's no asbestos in it. We had popcorn ceiling once. We had a contractor come to give us an estimate on some work, including removing the popcorn, and asked about asbestos. He said there was no asbestos for sure. We asked how he knew that without testing. I don't remember the answer, but we didn't believe him. So we sent some off for testing, and sure enough, it was asbestos. I was so angry that this guy was willing to expose us and his workers to it during the removal process. Yes, I did file a complaint with the contractors board. We ended up having a contractor come and remove it properly. A different contractor of course! It was an expensive process but I was glad we did it. We ended up selling the house a few years later and it was nice not to have that hanging over our heads (literally!). Edited June 19, 2023 by marbel 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 I have removed the kind with asbestos as well. Draping the rooms in double plastic. Full tyvek suit with respirators. It’s doable but very complicated. But the government will give you detailed instructions. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 1 hour ago, Scarlett said: I mostly watched but it is very satisfying It is always satisfying to watch someone else doing the work. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 I haven't done it, but my husband has. The first house we ever owned had all 1500 sq. ft. in popcorn ceiling. It was a mess. And he will now walk out of viewing any home with popcorn ceilings in it, he doesn't ever want to do it again. It is such a mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 2 hours ago, DawnM said: I haven't done it, but my husband has. The first house we ever owned had all 1500 sq. ft. in popcorn ceiling. It was a mess. And he will now walk out of viewing any home with popcorn ceilings in it, he doesn't ever want to do it again. It is such a mess. Interesting. I don’t think it is that bad at all. You just have to keep it contained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 In our old house, we were told that taking down the texturing would take down the - lath and plaster - ceiling. We don't plan to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 7 minutes ago, Laura Corin said: In our old house, we were told that taking down the texturing would take down the - lath and plaster - ceiling. We don't plan to. Lath and plaster is much less common in the US and is pretty much only in homes that predate 1940. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 If contractors remove it the ceiling containing asbestos, do the occupants need to move out temporarily? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 16 minutes ago, crazyforlatin said: If contractors remove it the ceiling containing asbestos, do the occupants need to move out temporarily? We didn't. The contractor put up a wall of multiple layers of thick plastic, or material that looked like plastic, closing the affected room off. Because of the house plan, there was access to the outside from that room. It was a long time ago and I don't remember all the details, but we were satisfied with the safety precautions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 14 minutes ago, crazyforlatin said: If contractors remove it the ceiling containing asbestos, do the occupants need to move out temporarily? Depends. A room where asbestos is being removed has to be hermetically sealed. I wouldn’t be comfortable being in a house where air flow might compromise other rooms. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHP Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 10 hours ago, Laura Corin said: In our old house, we were told that taking down the texturing would take down the - lath and plaster - ceiling. We don't plan to. I had no idea, but it makes sense. In one of our houses we have one room with a textured ceiling and I assume lathe and plaster ceiling to go with the walls, I haven't tested it to see. The only room we have had to do anything with the ceiling, they removed the metal mesh (probably to increase wifi range and strength) and just put sheetrock over the crumbling lathe and plaster. We patched that part of the ceiling and will deal with that one, never. We have another room where the wallpaper is peeling off the ceiling. I am slightly terrified to check that one and have been pretending it doesn't exist. No clue how long that will last since it is the only room in the house I have nicer furniture. Every other room is still rocking the "I have wild teenage boys and am not stupid enough to buy nice things" look. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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