How To Remove Popcorn Ceiling From High Ceilings

11 Tips on How to Remove a Popcorn Ceiling Faster and Easier

Popcorn ceilings were all the rage dorsum in the '60s and '70s. Applying the texture to drywall and plaster ceilings was a quick and easy way to hibernate imperfections and didn't require any painting afterward. Only the crude texture catches lots of grit and cobwebs and information technology can be hard to know how to remove popcorn ceiling. Information technology tin be a real pain to lucifer if yous have cracks or holes in demand of patching. Figuring out how to remove a popcorn ceiling texture from a ceiling is a messy chore simply worth the effort if the substrate underneath is in good shape. Here are some tips to take some of the pain out of popcorn ceiling removal.

Every editorial product is independently selected, though nosotros may exist compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. Ratings and prices are accurate and items are in stock as of fourth dimension of publication.

1 / 12

remove popcorn ceilings Family Handyman

Practise a Scrape Examination

Before you go to all the trouble of prepping the room, endeavour scraping a pocket-sized area while learning how to remove popcorn ceiling. Try it dry first, so dampen the texture with water and try again. Some texture comes off easily without h2o, but in nearly cases wetting is best. If the water doesn't soak in and soften the texture, the ceiling has probably been painted or paint was added to the texture mix. In that case, wetting the ceiling may non assist, and you'll have to decide whether you want to tackle a actually tough scraping chore or choose another way to hide your popcorn ceiling.

2 / 12

Family Handyman

Test for Asbestos

Any popcorn ceiling installed earlier 1980 might contain asbestos—a known crusade of lung cancer. Before trying to figure out how to remove any popcorn ceiling texture, contact your local wellness department and enquire about getting a sample tested. So you're wondering how to remove a popcorn ceiling with asbestos? If the test comes back positive, comprehend the popcorn with new drywall or natural language-and-groove planks, or hire an asbestos abatement contractor to assist in removing popcorn ceiling.

ⓘ

3 / 12

Family unit Handyman

Prep for a Big Mess

Embrace floors and walls with plastic driblet cloths as you brainstorm your how to remove popcorn ceiling project. Don't use canvas drop cloths because water can soak through. Cleanup is easier with plastic too, because yous can just ball information technology all up when you're done working and throw it in the trash. Leave the plastic in place after popcorn ceiling removal to catch the mess y'all'll brand repairing and sanding the ceiling later on.

4 / 12

Family Handyman

Get the Furniture Out

If possible, remove all article of furniture from the room y'all'll be working in. When learning how to remove popcorn ceiling, it is messy piece of work, and you won't desire article of furniture in your way every fourth dimension you move the ladder around. If moving everything out of the room isn't possible, cluster information technology and cover it with drop cloths.

five / 12

Family Handyman

Remove Ceiling Fixtures and Fans

You might think it's easier to go out light fixtures and ceiling fans in place as you figure out how to remove popcorn ceiling, merely they'll but be in your mode and get covered with wet popcorn. Plus, you don't want to accidentally spray water into an electrical fixture.

six / 12

Family Handyman

Protect Can Lights From H2o Spray

If you lot have recessed "can" lights, stuff newspaper or rosin paper inside them to keep them dry when completing a how to remove popcorn ceilings project. Too, brand certain the ability to those fixtures is turned off at the excursion breaker panel or fuse box.

7 / 12

Family Handyman

Wet it With a Pump Sprayer

For easier scraping and practically no dust during popcorn ceiling removal, use a garden pump sprayer to mist the ceiling and allow it soak in for nigh fifteen minutes before scraping. Only give it a light misting—too much water could damage the drywall or loosen the articulation tape. If the texture hasn't softened later fifteen minutes or then, spray information technology over again and wait another ten to 15 minutes.

If the texture still hasn't softened, it might be painted, or paint might take been mixed into the texture earlier application. In either case, water won't easily penetrate. If the texture is painted, you might be able to dry-scrape it start to betrayal some of the unpainted texture and follow up with moisture scraping. If the texture has paint mixed in, y'all might have to dry-scrape the whole ceiling or encompass information technology up with drywall or T&G boards.

eight / 12

Family Handyman

Cover Electrical Boxes

Shut off the power to any electrical junction boxes in the ceiling and cover them with painter's tape to go along the wiring dry out when spraying water on the popcorn every bit y'all complete a how to remove popcorn ceilings projection. Overlap the sides of the junction box with the tape, and so trim around the perimeter with a utility pocketknife, being conscientious not to nick the wires.

9 / 12

Family Handyman

Work in Small Sections

Only spray and scrape a small expanse at a fourth dimension—nearly iv 10 four ft. If you work too large of an area at once, the popcorn might dry out earlier yous have time to scrape it off. If that happens, respray the surface area and look another x to xv minutes earlier scraping.

10 / 12

Family Handyman

Tame the Mess With a Mud Pan

Use a mud pan—the kind for holding joint compound—to catch the wet popcorn earlier information technology hits the floor. That way, you lot're not tracking it all over the place when you walk and move the ladder around. Also, utilise the edge of the pan to clean off your scraper when it gets loaded up with wet popcorn.

11 / 12

Family Handyman

Forestall Gouging

Round off the corners of your popcorn scraper—whether it's a wide putty knife or drywall taping knife—so information technology won't gouge the ceiling and leave yous with dozens of ceiling wounds to repair. Use a file, a sander or an electric grinder to do this.

12 / 12

Family Handyman

Smooth Subsequently Scraping

Scraping alone won't leave you with a paint-ready ceiling. You lot'll probably have pocket-size dings and gouges to prepare. At a minimum, y'all'll take to sand the ceiling to go information technology perfectly smooth earlier painting.

Originally Published: October 17, 2022