Is It Smart To Remove Popcorn Ceilings From A House

Popcorn ceilings have a textured surface. The bumps help hide unevenness and other drywall flaws. The texture was also easy to apply and may help minimize noise, according to MSN Real Estate. However, popcorn ceilings have several disadvantages that may make it beneficial for you to remove the texture. (ref 1)

Cleanliness

Popcorn ceilings trap dirt and dust, leading to an unattractive appearance over time. Additionally, the texture makes it difficult to clean because rubbing the ceiling may remove some of the texture. If your popcorn ceiling has sustained water damage and cracks, you also can't easily patch the damaged area to make it blend with the rest of the ceiling. In such cases, you can only fix the ceiling's appearance by removing the texture and refinishing it.

Design Factor

Popcorn ceilings became popular in the 1950s, but they have become outdated with time. Popcorn ceilings make a house look old. If you want to incorporate modern design in your house, it would be smart to remove the popcorn ceilings because otherwise, they would look out of place in the house. Popcorn ceilings have the same effect on the house that an outdated kitchen or bathrooms would have.

Home Value

Home buyers find popcorn ceilings unattractive, according to MSN Real Estate. Prospective home buyers may want to remove the popcorn ceilings and take the cost into account when determining the price to offer on the property. As such, popcorn ceilings may reduce the value of your house. If you plan to sell your property soon, you should consider removing the textured ceilings to help market your house at a higher price.

Warning

If your popcorn ceilings were put in before the 1980s, they may contain asbestos fibers. According to This Old House, only a small percentage of popcorn ceilings have this problem. Exposure to asbestos fibers can cause health problems such as respiratory disease and cancer. To minimize risk of exposure to asbestos, you should have a sample of your ceiling tested for asbestos at a laboratory. If your ceilings contain asbestos fibers, you should hire a professional asbestos remover to do the job. You may also consider leaving the popcorn ceilings alone if the appearance does not bother you and you don't plan to sell the house any time soon.

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