Recommendations for Popcorn Ceilings

Rule Out Asbestos

• Asbestos was used in the making of popcorn ceilings until around 1980. If your home is old enough that the popcorn ceiling could have been added during this time frame, it's important to know whether your ceiling contains asbestos. Hire a professional asbestos inspector to find out. Because of serious health implications, removing asbestos is quite dangerous for homeowners. There are companies that specialize in the removal of asbestos. Inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to serious health concerns, including lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Remove by Scraping

• Wetting down the popcorn ceiling makes for an easier scraping job. Prior to wetting and scraping, however, it's important to tape plastic on the walls and floors to prevent water damage. This is a big project for homeowners to take on, as it requires experience and know-how. After wetting and scraping the popcorn texture off of the ceiling and allowing it to dry completely, it's often necessary to apply an even skim coat of drywall mud to the entire ceiling.

Hire a Professional for Removal

• There are general contractors available to remove popcorn texture. There are also companies that specialize in this field. Because they have the proper tools, knowledge and experience, professionals can get the job done quickly and efficiently. They take care of everything from masking off walls, scraping the ceiling, applying the skim coat and finishing the ceiling.

Install a New Layer of Drywall

• One other option is to simply attach new drywall to the popcorn ceiling. This cuts out the lengthy process of masking walls, wetting the ceiling, and scraping. Adding new drywall will lower ceiling height a bit. Mudding and taping the seams and corners of the new drywall is necessary to finish the ceiling.