How to Safely Remove your Outdated Popcorn Ceiling

There are a few things you should know about your popcorn ceiling.  First, it is ugly, outdated, and difficult to paint (well, you probably already knew that).  Second, it may be messy to remove, but it is definitely something you can do on your own.  And finally, it could contain asbestos, a fire retardant that was used in building until people became aware that it was carcinogenic (cancer causing).  All of these factors may play a role in determining if and how to remove your popcorn ceiling.  But if you decide to go ahead with the process, here are a few tips to ensure that you do so as safely and efficiently as possible.

How to Safely Remove your Outdated Popcorn Ceiling

Wish your ceiling look more updated?

Image via: Home The Lovely

Safety practices

For starters, you want to practice safety first.  This means having a professional come out to test your ceiling for asbestos.  If your home was manufactured in the late ‘80s or after, there’s a good chance it doesn’t have asbestos.  While the manufacturing of this type of ceiling material was banned in 1978, installation continued until products ran out (so into the early ‘80s).  However, it doesn’t hurt to check and be sure (since you definitely don’t want to inhale the harmful toxin as you work).  Engage the services of a contractor to take a sample and send it to a lab for testing.  Once you know if there is asbestos in your ceiling you can better determine how to proceed with your home beautification project.

Check for an asbestos popcorn ceiling

If there is asbestos present you will almost certainly want to hire a professional crew to remove it (or can the project altogether).  Since the EPA has strict regulations concerning the handling and disposal of such hazardous materials, you really can’t handle the project on your own (nor should you).  However, if you happen to have a newer home and there is no asbestos you can go ahead and remove the ceiling on your own.

Tools Needed

To start you’re going to need some tools.  The first items you should procure are a mask and goggles; even without the worry of asbestos you definitely don’t want to inhale the dust that is sure to result from scraping your ceiling.  You’ll also need a ladder, a spray bottle, and a scraper (such as a putty knife), as well as plenty of plastic sheeting and painter’s tape.  Begin by emptying the room, turning off the power, and removing any ceiling fixtures.  Then cover at least the floor with plastic sheeting (this is going to get messy!).  You may want to cover the walls, as well, but you could always vacuum them later.

Learn what tools you need to remove your popcorn ceiling

Image via: Apartment Therapy

Loosen up ceiling fibers

Now comes the hard part.  You should start by spraying a small area of the textured ceiling with water to loosen up the fibers.  Wait about ten minutes for the water to soak in and then begin scraping away at the dampened section.  It’s a good idea to round the edges of your scraper beforehand (with a file) in order to prevent gouging the ceiling.  The surface should scrape off pretty easily, but if you hit a rough section simply hit it up with more water, wait a few minutes, and try again.

Once you’ve completed your scraping, you’re going to want to revamp your ceiling with a new look.  This could mean adding texture, installing acoustical elements (like Dune Supreme ceiling tiles), or simply slapping on a coat of paint.  It simply depends on the look you’re going for and how much energy you have left for the project.

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s YouTube Channel, click here.