Removing a Popcorn Ceiling

Many of us have purchased a home adorned with an ugly, outdated "popcorn" (really bumpy, rough-finish) ceiling. Luckily, removing a popcorn ceiling is not impossible. In some cases, the homeowner can tackle the project without any big expenses.

One important thing to know before touching the popcorn ceiling is that any ceilings put up before 1986 have a high chance of containing asbestos. Before removing the ceiling, chip off a tiny piece and send it for testing to your local, qualified professional -- either a certified asbestos consultant or an asbestos removal company. If your ceiling does, indeed, contain asbestos, you are legally obligated to hire an asbestos-certified contractor or to do the job yourself. You cannot hire a contractor who doesn't have the necessary qualifications to deal with asbestos.

When working on this project, regardless of the presence of asbestos, take care to protect yourself completely. Wear a face mask, working glasses and protective clothing to protect your lungs, eyes and skin from poisoning or irritation. Empty the room, and cover the floor with plastic. If moving everything out is not an option, do your best to cover all of your furniture to protect it from any falling dust and debris.

If you decide to remove the popcorn ceiling yourself, first determine whether the ceiling also has been painted. Typically, popcorn ceilings are removed by saturating them with water. If one or more coats of paint have been applied, the water may not be able to penetrate, and you might need to use some paint strippers, too.

Spray the popcorn ceiling with water to saturate it and make easier to remove. Once it's wet, use a large, scraping trowel or a putty knife to scrape off the ceiling material. Keep scraping until you have a flat, clean surface. Although this sounds pretty easy and straight-forward, you will find that, unfortunately, it isn't. It is quite time-consuming and laborious.