Popcorn ceiling texture comes off with manual scraping.
Popcorn ceilings have a bumpy texture, often associated with homes built or remodeled in the 1970s. A number of homeowners are bothered by the popcorn texture and would prefer the more modern style of matching the ceiling to the wall texture. Ceilings remodeled or built before 1980 have the potential to contain asbestos. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency strongly recommends that you have your ceilings tested for asbestos before you proceed with any removal. A little hard work can get those ceilings smooth and flat over a weekend.
Instructions
1. Turn off the electricity to the room and remove the light fixtures. Cover the floor of the room completely with plastic sheeting. Tape a piece of to the walls from the top of the wall all the way down. Scraping the ceiling will be extremely messy.
2. File the sharp edges of the metal scraper to prevent them from gouging the ceiling.
3. Fill a pump sprayer with water. Spray a 6-foot-square area of the ceiling with water. Let the water saturate the ceiling texture for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Hold the metal scraper in one hand and a paint pan in the other. Work the tip of the scraper under the texture and push away from you to scrape the popcorn texture from the ceiling. Catch the material as it falls with the paint pan. Remove all of the texture that has been softened. Repeat for all sections of the ceiling. Let the ceiling dry completely.
5. Put a scoop of drywall compound or spackle onto a trowel. Smooth the compound onto the ceiling, spreading it with the trowel to create a smooth texture. Do this in any areas that were damaged by the scraping and also to match the texture of the walls. Let the compound dry.
6. Sand the ceilings with medium-grit sandpaper to smooth any uneven portions of the ceiling. Reapply joint compound as needed.
Tags: , metal scraper, plastic sheeting, popcorn texture, with water