Popcorn ceiling removal

Test first, always

Many acoustic ceilings sprayed in homes before the 1980s contained asbestos. You cannot tell by looking. The EPA advises leaving suspect material alone until it is tested; see Protect Your Family from Exposures to Asbestos.

A certified asbestos inspector or lab tests a small sample. If the result is negative, we can remove the texture. If it is positive, removal is outside our scope.

Testing is usually quick and inexpensive compared to the job itself, and it protects you, your family and anyone who works in the house later.

Why people remove it

Popcorn texture catches dust and cobwebs, is hard to clean, and crumbles when bumped. It makes rooms look older and shows water stains badly. A smooth or lightly textured ceiling reflects light more evenly, which helps rooms with small windows look brighter. Buyers often notice popcorn ceilings, so owners getting ready to sell or rent ask about removal.

How removal works

1. Clear the room or move furniture to the center and cover it.
2. Cover the floor and the walls with plastic sheeting, and seal doorways and vents.
3. Turn off the HVAC so dust does not spread through the house.
4. Mist the texture with water so it softens.
5. Scrape it off in sections with a wide blade.
6. Bag the debris and roll up the plastic.
7. Repair gouges and sand the joints.

If the ceiling was painted at some point, water will not soak in and the texture comes off much harder. We test a small spot first and adjust the plan.

Smooth or textured finish

Under the popcorn, the drywall often has rough taping that was never meant to be seen. For a truly smooth ceiling, we skim coat the whole surface with joint compound, sand it and prime it. That takes longer but looks clean.

A light knockdown or orange peel texture hides small flaws and takes less time. We show you samples so you can choose.

Lights, fans and vents

Fixtures come down before scraping and go back up after painting. If you are planning to swap a light or a fan, this is the best time to do it, since the ceiling is getting painted anyway. See light fixture replacement and ceiling fan installation.

Time and mess

How long a room takes depends on the job, including dry time for compound and paint; we’ll tell you after seeing photos. The work is dusty and wet, so we isolate the room and clean as we go. Plan to keep pets and kids out of the room until it is done.

Planning the room

Removal works best in an empty room. Beds, dressers and shelves move out, or at least to the center under plastic. Smoke alarms are taken down and put back after the job, and we cover the HVAC return so dust does not get pulled into the system.

Hallways and closets

Small spaces take more time per square foot because of corners, but they are often part of the same job so the ceilings match throughout. Closet ceilings can be skimmed with a lighter finish, since nobody looks at them closely.

Cost factors

Price depends on the room size, whether the texture was painted, how rough the drywall is underneath, and the finish you pick, smooth or textured. Testing is a separate cost paid to the lab or inspector. We quote after seeing photos of the ceiling and the result of the test.

Before you sell

Smooth ceilings photograph better for listings and remove a question buyers often ask. Starting a few weeks before listing leaves time for testing, removal and paint without a rush.

What we need to quote

Send a photo of each ceiling from a corner, the approximate room sizes, the year the home was built if you know it, and whether the ceiling has ever been painted. If you already have a lab result, include it. With that, we can give a price range for removal, skim coat or texture, and paint, and explain how many days the room will be out of use.

Living in the house during the work

Most owners stay home during removal. We seal the room with plastic and tape, keep a clear path to the door, and clean up at the end of each day so the rest of the house stays usable.

Patch only?

If only a small area is damaged, the texture can be patched with a spray texture in a can. It rarely matches perfectly, but on a small spot it can be fine.

Garage ceilings

Attached garage ceilings often have texture too. They are usually left alone unless damaged, since the garage ceiling also works as a fire barrier between the garage and the house. If a garage ceiling needs repair, the drywall type matters, and we match what is there.