Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Virginia > Northern Virginia
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 03-30-2013, 09:29 PM
 
143 posts, read 336,314 times
Reputation: 87

Advertisements

My condo's got 'em and I don't like 'em!
I've been thinking about options for removing/covering up the popcorn ceilings, and I am wondering if anyone else has dealt with this issue. Since I am worried about the possibility of asbestos, I would most likely want to hire someone to do the work. Any suggestions or recommendations for local companies that deal with this issue? I know that removal would be pricey-- not to mention messy-- so I am thinking about putting ceiling tiles to cover it up.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 03-31-2013, 03:05 AM
 
Location: Alexandria, VA
206 posts, read 432,809 times
Reputation: 129
Unless your condo is really old (70s and earlier) it probably doesn't have asbestos. I suppose you can get it checked if you're really concerned.

My parents' place has popcorn ceilings and was built in 1997. I removed them myself from one room... I kind of had to. I accidentally got a patch wet while painting and it fell off. So, I just took a spray bottle to it, wet it down, and scraped it off. Wasn't hard at all. Vacuum up all the popcorn junk, sand down the ceiling, and you're good to go.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-31-2013, 03:22 AM
 
Location: Virginia-Shenandoah Valley
7,670 posts, read 14,259,018 times
Reputation: 7464
Had the same thing in my master bath. Rather than dealing with the mess of removing it I covered it with a new ceiling. Cheaper and easier.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-31-2013, 06:35 AM
 
Location: Central Virginia
6,567 posts, read 8,415,072 times
Reputation: 18864
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gekkota View Post
so I am thinking about putting ceiling tiles to cover it up.
Frankly, I think ceiling tiles would be as dated and an eyesore as the popcorn. I would make the investment to have it fixed properly. If you ever decide to sell, it wouldn't raise the value but it would make it more desirable to buyers.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-31-2013, 09:08 AM
 
939 posts, read 1,894,950 times
Reputation: 646
My place, which is a fairly modern high rise, was built in 1997 and has them. I can't fathom why someone thought it was a good idea that late in the 90s. What's the point of them, are they cheaper to build than actual smooth drywall? I'd love to not have them, but it's probably not worth thousands of dollars.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-31-2013, 09:29 AM
 
Location: northern va
1,736 posts, read 2,896,716 times
Reputation: 1688
Quote:
Originally Posted by GustavoFring View Post
My place, which is a fairly modern high rise, was built in 1997 and has them. I can't fathom why someone thought it was a good idea that late in the 90s. What's the point of them, are they cheaper to build than actual smooth drywall? I'd love to not have them, but it's probably not worth thousands of dollars.
bingo. less time making sure everything is straight/smooth
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-31-2013, 11:42 AM
 
4,709 posts, read 12,685,291 times
Reputation: 3814
Quote:
Originally Posted by kww View Post
bingo. less time making sure everything is straight/smooth

I'll second that. Popcorn hides a lot of defects.

They actually make 1/4 inch sheetrock that you can install over the popcorn (after scraping) and then finish properly....lotta work though.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-31-2013, 04:29 PM
 
181 posts, read 439,944 times
Reputation: 110
my loft condo, built in 1980 had orange peel walls and popcorn cathedral ceiling. The removed the popcorn in 2006 during the conversion. It too is now orange peel, which hides defects, also. I would try a small section with water and scraper...possibly vinegar....you gotta get to the paper membrane and it can come off clean. If you can only chew it up, then rip it out and put in new 15/32 drywall....it's about 20 cents psf.....

box-cutter, claw hammer....all you need for demolition
carpenter's square, box cutter, dry-wall, joint compound, sandpaper, primer, paint..........YMMV. I will give you a guaranty; of back pain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09Q4JQ3p8yg

If it has ever been painted...proceed to demolition.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-31-2013, 06:01 PM
 
Location: Northern Virginia
499 posts, read 2,157,917 times
Reputation: 1021
Removing popcorn ceilings is a major PIA. Personally, I'd cover them with drywall. If you're not familiar with drywall installation, hire a contractor. It won't be incredibly expensive but it can be time consuming as it takes multiple layers of mud and sanding to do the job correctly. One other thing-- it'll be messy. Drywall dust gets into everything but in the end, it will be well worth it. I don't know of anyone who ever said, "Once I saw those popcorn ceilings, I knew I had to have the place!" I know I wouldn't even consider buying or renting a place that had them.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-01-2013, 12:11 AM
 
Location: Eagle River
75 posts, read 87,845 times
Reputation: 71
If there is no asbestos I would just wet and scrape it off. Many videos out there to show how easy it is. Its messy though so prepping would be key. I had popcorn in my current house and it has a small amount of asbestos in it. Instead of paying thousands ($20k+) having an abatement company remove it, I just painted it and sheet rocked over it. No real loss in ceiling height.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2022 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Virginia > Northern Virginia
Similar Threads
View detailed profiles of:

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top