Popcorn ceiling removal (condo, concrete, vent, construction)

[simplyaged]

Originally Posted by Figment 07

I've done that (spraying water and scraping the ceilings), but rather than the popcorn, mine was a heavy, hideous spackle that looked as if someone had created a textured ceiling by dipping a mop in wet drywall compound and dabbing it overhead. It was tough work to remove.

Take plenty of breaks. After a few days of pretty much non-stop scraping, I discovered that I had injured my shoulder and I had serious pain for a couple of years.

But I no longer have the pain of looking at those ugly ceilings.

That is what our ceilings are. They called it textured. We call it a huge dust collector. I can't wait to get started on getting rid of it.

[rrufast]

I'm glad I stumbled on the post.. I might have to start out small, like the guest bathroom..

Our house was built in '95 and it has popcorn ceilings as well. The cathedral ceiling in the LR will be left to someone else who (1) knows what they are doing and (2) has the proper equipment to get the job done right...

I would presume that the mess is easier to clean up in a room with tile or hardwood floors than one with carpet? No?

[SunnyKayak]

Originally Posted by rrufast

I'm glad I stumbled on the post.. I might have to start out small, like the guest bathroom..

Our house was built in '95 and it has popcorn ceilings as well. The cathedral ceiling in the LR will be left to someone else who (1) knows what they are doing and (2) has the proper equipment to get the job done right...

I would presume that the mess is easier to clean up in a room with tile or hardwood floors than one with carpet? No?

It is very messy so remove everything possible from the room as possible.
Buy painters paper floor covering not plastic unless you need a good laugh and watch someone slide into the white goo.

Wear old clothes and shoes even though it washes out pretty easy it can get gum up in the washer.

On carpet floors if it does land on the carpet wait til it dries before vacuuming it up and use a shop vac not a house hold vaccum it will just get gummed up in the brushes.

I would also suggest wiping down the walls and baseboards before vacuuming.



I use one of those pump water sprayers and just soak the ceiling scrape and clean up.
You may need to sand a few spots it is easy to remove and dont stand underneath where you are scraping or you will ruin your stylish painter hat.

[Coldjensens]

Just get it wet. warm water with any kind of sprayer. I used a garden sprayer. Cover the floor with plastic. Soak it good. whatever does not fall off, just scrape off with a plastic putty knife. Be careful not to tear the drywall paper underneath. You cna do a room in less than an hour.

[Nepenthe]

Is there any research to support its acoustic properties? I own hi-fidelity audio equipment (two systems) and am much more concerned with the acoustics of a given room than with the appearance of the cieling (also why I wouldn't have tile, laminate, or wood in a room used for critical listening or even in the main movie-watching room). Since I hear "popcorn" also referred to as "acoustic" I was wondering whether it actually did serve a purpose in deadening the reverberant sound signature of a room. If it does, have people found the acoustics significantly degraded after switching to a smooth cieling? Are there any acoustically damped alternatives to "popcorn?"

[Caoimhín P. Connell]

Good morning, Lizardlips –

I have not read through all of the posts, so this may have been covered already; if so – apologies.

As correctly mentioned by one poster the material could be asbestos. As also almost correctly mentioned by another (JBrown) asbestos hasn’t been used for a long time. Actually, asbestos wasn’t banned in spray-on materials in residential structures as assumed by so many people, (instead, asbestos was regulated) and asbestos pop-corn ceilings were still being sprayed into place in the early 1990’s - sometimes legally and sometimes illegally, and sometimes inocently (but illegally).

Although JBrown is correct that there is a greater probability that the material is (poly)styrene or similar non-ACM, the only way to know is to test it. Grab a sample and send to your local lab and ask for a “point-count PLM asbestos analysis.” Cost= about $12 Small beer, and well worth it.

Cheers!
Caoimhín P. Connell
Forensic Industrial Hygienist


(The opinions expressed here are exclusively my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect my professional opinion, opinion of my employer, agency, peers, or professional affiliates. The above post is for information only and does not reflect professional advice and is not intended to supercede the professional advice of others.)

AMDG

[NorthmeetsSouth]

Keep in mind that when the sheetrocking crew is going to popcorn or stipple the ceiling they don't do as good a job taping the seams as they would have if they were doing smooth ceilings. Once you get the popcorn off you may have to do quite a bit of mudding before it is smooth enough to paint.

[Carrie Abfall]

Hey-
I'm absolutely new to the area - and I'm from Indiana which does you little good for a local contractor.
BUT - Popcorn ceilings are drywall finishers work - which is a complete art.
There are many different styles that they can do. Swirling (which is a deco style around recessed/light fixtues in the ceiling, TREE bark (which looks like tree bark - except in drywall), and smooth finish (where they scrape off yours current and repaint it smooth.
I'd recommend calling local drywall contractors in your area. Find a "local" lumberyard (not a chain) and they should be able to give you a list of local drywallers in your area.
Basically, the nasty dirty job involves sanding down your "popcorn" and either leaving it "partly sanded" or completely removing it and then repainting.
I think as a realtor, that partly sanded with no danglies - is a perfectly wonderful compromise.
Carrie

[texdav]

If it is the styrofoam type you can get a long drywall knife and hold it as flat as you can to the ceil and scape it off. I don't recommend the water. That will leave a texture and you can spray and knockdown of you want a more mediterran knock down. Messy but not hard. Have a good shop vacuum handy. If you use the water it can really get messy as the styrofoam as dry wall in it and gets gummy.Its like dripping a brush in dry wall and flipping it around.Look after you thru because it was often used to cover poor dry wall finishing.

[harborlady]

Originally Posted by simplyaged

Haven't done it myself yet, but I have a friend who did. And just like Golfgal and MoMark said, she also said it is easy to come off but very messy and labor intense. Lots of over the head and/or moving the ladder. She said she would never do it again, but she is glad she did it herself. She was worried that someone else would get it all over her cabinets.

I plan to do this myself once I complete my current project and I must say I am dreading it due to I'm not as young and agile as I use to be. But I'm the type that trust my own work more and if I am capable of saving a buck, I do it no matter what the job. Although I have had to fire myself and call in an expert from time to time . And after my husband curses and calls me a compulsive project freak, he helps me finish.

OOOOHHH with age comes wisdom! No boyfriend of mine will believe I know how to do dishes. :::innocent look::::
hahahahaa