Despite being a filthy and labor-intensive process, removing the popcorn texture is really not as hard as it seems. The repair will be well worth it, however, since your home will seem better and feel lighter afterward.
Getting Ready and Taking Precautions As a Beginning Point
Prior to starting the procedure, make sure the popcorn ceiling has been evaluated by an EPA-approved laboratory. There is a chance that the ceiling texturing in your building contains asbestos if it was constructed before 1982. If asbestos is detected, it is important to use a licensed expert with expertise handling dangerous compounds. You may proceed with the removal on your own if the texture does not include asbestos. Because water is involved, however, you must remember to turn off the electricity to the room before you start the operation.
Step 2: Secure and Get the Area Ready
Remember that popcorn ceiling removal is an unsanitary procedure. Despite this, with proper preparation, post-job cleaning may be significantly reduced. Take everything out of the room before you start. Afterwards, use masking tape to cover the room's floor and the lowest portion of the walls (about 16 inches high) with heavy-duty plastic laminate.
Make sure not to overlook the upper walls either; they should also be secured. Once you've wrapped the tape around the room's perimeter—which should be just below the ceiling—use more tape to secure it. If you want the process to proceed more easily, you may have to take down any ceiling fixtures, such lights, molding, or fans.
Scorch, Hold, and Scrape Again (Step 3).
Divide the ceiling into four-foot-square sections for easier handling. Start by soaking the first section for about ten to fifteen minutes after thoroughly saturating it with a garden sprayer. Ascend a ladder to reach the dampened area, and don your protection gear—a dust mask and goggles—to ensure your safety. Try holding the putty knife at a thirty-degree angle to the ceiling while you start scraping off the popcorn texture. Moving from one area to another, repeat the steps of spraying, waiting, and scraping until the whole room is covered.
Finally, Prime, Paint, and Finish the Job
Keep going until you've exposed the drywall surface behind the popcorn texture that covers the whole ceiling. After you finish the operation, you might choose to prime and paint the ceiling for a fresh look. You should have no trouble with this as you have already covered the area with plastic. Remember to wait until the last layer of topcoat has dried fully before removing the sheeting. Before you switch the power back on, double-check that you've reinstalled any fixtures you removed.
Upon reflection, you may now fully grasp the significance of the shift! The removal of the popcorn ceiling will instantly transform the room into a lighter, more modern environment. I hope you're enjoying your new digs!
