Tools for Removing a Popcorn Ceiling Texture

Spray Bottle

• A spray bottle will help you to wet your ceiling prior to removing popcorn texture. This will help to keep dust from permeating the air as you scrape away the ceiling. Saturate the plaster with a fine mist of water before spraying to keep plaster dust out of the air as you scrape. Although this is a good practice for all popcorn ceilings, it is critical to use this technique to control asbestos if you are working with a popcorn ceiling that uses asbestos for the popcorn texture. If you suspect that your popcorn ceiling is made using asbestos, you may be required to hire a professional to remove the texture, or obtain a permit before removing the texture yourself. Asbestos is a known health hazard.

Knife

• The primary means of removing popcorn texture from a popcorn ceiling is to scrape the texture away from the ceiling. A wide range of painter's knives will be useful as you scrape the ceiling. At the start of the project you can remove much of the popcorn using a 4-inch wide utility knife. As you attempt to remove stubborn, stuck-on texture you can switch to a 12-inch drywall knife. Painter's scrapers and knives are also handy for applying joint compound for filing in imperfections and gouges that you create while removing the finish.

Drop Cloths

• Drop clothes should be placed over your floor and any furniture that you haven't removed from the room. A drop cloth may consist of a tarp or plastic sheeting that will help you to catch the popcorn texture and dust that is loosened from the ceiling as you scrape away the texture. You can also tape polyethylene sheeting drop cloths over doorways with masking tape to prevent dust from escaping the room and causing a mess in other rooms in your home.

Ladder or Scaffolding

• Unless you have low ceilings or are a very tall person, you will need a ladder or scaffold to reach the ceiling in order to remove the texture. Extension ladders are not good ladders for removal of texture, because they must lean against a wall and will not be useful for working in the center of the room. A folding ladder can be set up in the middle of the room for removing texture. A scaffold is the best choice for working in all areas of a home because it is a wide, stable platform.