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Pop off the Popcorn ceiling

Popcorn Ceilings gotta go

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One of my least favorite features in a house is a popcorn ceiling; and many of my clients who are looking at buying seem to feel the same way.   They are many reasons to get rid of it, but here’s my top reasons:

• It’s dingy
• If it’s not painted,it fades
• It can get stained easily
• It can start flaking off
• It attracts cobwebs, dirt, and soot
• It’s the mark of an older home
• AND, most importantly it’s ugly

Some Realtors (including myself) think popcorn removal is one of the best improvements to do to a house before selling.

Here’s some important steps to keep in mind

The most important step before you start ………… have your ceiling tested to see if it contains asbestos, banned in the late 1970’s.   Check out your local yellow pages for asbestos testing as there are many companies than can come and run the tests.   If your ceiling contains asbestos it’s not just the removal process that is risky, but you will also have to make sure that the hazardous debris from the ceiling is disposed of properly.  

Here’s some of the steps involved in pulling the popcorn off the ceiling.  Also, remember if the popcorn ceiling has been painted it is more difficult to remove than if there is no paint on it.   Unpainted ceilings are wet down and scraped clean whereas a painted ceiling can be a a bit more resistant.

Before you start get your tools ready.

(2)       First step: remove furniture and completely cover the area to keep the debris confined to a specific area.

(2)       The second step: wet the popcorn ceiling with a small water sprayer. The key to removal is to keep the ceiling wet.

(3)       The third step: carefully scrape away the popcorn without damaging the drywall underneath.

(4)       The fourth step: use drywall compound to touch up any areas that need it.

(5)       The fifth step: apply your selected texture by hand.

(6)       The sixth step: prime and paint the ceiling after the texture is fully dry.

Another alternative could be to install a new drywall ceiling over the popcorn. You would lose about 1″ of ceiling height but it might be the most hassle-free way of getting rid of that popcorn.

Ktorline@msn.com   Kathy Torline  719-287-1049

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Tags: asbestos in popcorn ceilings, home improvement for home sellers, Popcorn Ceilings, reasons to get rid of popcorn ceilings

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 11th, 2009 at 4:02 am and is filed under For Buyers, For Sellers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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