How to Remove an Asbestos Popcorn Ceiling That Has Been Painted

Asbestos is a carcinogenic building material originally used because of its fireproof attributes. Many ceilings built before the 1980s contain asbestos in their popcorn ceiling material. If you don't know if your popcorn ceiling contains asbestos, remove a small sample and take it to a lab for testing before proceeding. The task of removing a painted asbestos ceiling is especially difficult and must be done with no ventilation in the room, minimal light and while wearing a respirator. If this task sounds too difficult, consider consulting with an asbestos removal contractor.

Plastic sheeting
Duct tape
Ladder
Tank sprayer
Detergent
Measuring cup
4-inch putty knife
Asbestos waste disposal bag
Latex primer paint
Roller or paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Remove all furniture form the work site and turn off any heating or air conditioning to the area. Place tape of over all the light switches and place them in the off position. Remove all smoke alarms.
- 2
  Cover all the walls, windows, floors and doors completely with plastic sheeting and duct tape.
- 3
  Set up the ladder at the front of the room so that you can work your way back.
- 4
  Spray a 10-foot square section of the room with the tank sprayer filled with water and 1 cup of detergent for every 5 gallons of water.
- 5
  Start scraping the ceiling with a putty knife to remove the asbestos. Keep the work area moist to avoid releasing the fibers into the air.
- 6
  Gather up all the popcorn ceiling and plastic liners and place them in asbestos waste disposal bags. Label each bag with your name, address, and the date of removal. Let the ceiling and room dry out completely.
- 7
  Paint the ceiling with a latex primer, using roller or paintbrush

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