Safe DIY Popcorn Ceiling Removal (and When to Call a Pro) • The Budget Decorator

Like all outdated tendencies, popcorn ceilings, also referred to as acoustic ceilings, have been as soon as a well-liked alternative in dwelling design. This was partly resulting from their potential to masks imperfections and take up sound. Nonetheless, these textured ceilings have fallen out of favor, with many householders choosing a extra fashionable, easy ceiling end. 

Eradicating a popcorn ceiling could be the very first thing you need to do once you purchase a brand new dwelling, nevertheless it’s a activity that must be approached with warning. In addition to being a messy job, there’s an opportunity your popcorn ceiling incorporates asbestos, during which case you shouldn’t be attempting to take away it your self. 

On this article, we’ll offer you a crash course on DIY popcorn ceiling removing, together with when it’s secure, when it isn’t, and when to name a professional. 

The Crucial First Step: Testing for Asbestos

Earlier than you even take into consideration scraping off that popcorn ceiling, it’s important to check for asbestos. This mineral fiber, generally utilized in constructing supplies earlier than the Eighties, is a standard drawback in older houses. It poses vital well being dangers if disturbed. Right here’s what that you must learn about asbestos and how one can deal with it safely.

Why Is Asbestos a Drawback?

Asbestos was broadly used for its sturdiness and warmth resistance, nevertheless it has since been linked to extreme well being points. When supplies containing asbestos are disturbed, tiny fibers can turn into airborne and inhaled, resulting in ailments like asbestosis, lung most cancers, and mesothelioma. Due to these dangers, it’s essential to find out in case your popcorn ceiling incorporates asbestos earlier than beginning removing.

What Would Occur if You By accident Eliminated Asbestos Popcorn Ceiling?

By accident eradicating an asbestos-containing popcorn ceiling can launch hazardous fibers into your private home, posing rapid and long-term well being dangers to you and your loved ones. Inhaling these fibers could cause severe respiratory sicknesses, which can not manifest till a long time later. Improper removing can even result in widespread contamination, requiring intensive and expensive skilled remediation to make your private home secure once more.

How Do You Take a look at for Asbestos? 

Testing for asbestos entails amassing a small pattern of your popcorn ceiling and sending it to an authorized laboratory for evaluation. Take a look at kits can be found at Home Depot when you choose to do that the DIY method, however be certain you accomplish that safely.

Listed below are the protection precautions you need to take if doing this step your self:

• Put on protecting gear, together with a masks, gloves, and disposable coveralls, to forestall publicity.
• Evenly spray the world with water to cut back the danger of fibers changing into airborne.
• Rigorously scrape a small part of the ceiling right into a sealed, labeled plastic bag.
• Contact an accredited asbestos testing laboratory for directions on how one can submit your pattern.

Don’t really feel comfy testing your ceiling your self? That’s completely comprehensible. You may rent an expert asbestos inspector to deal with the testing, making certain the protection of you and your loved ones.

What to Do if Your Popcorn Ceiling Incorporates Asbestos

In case your check outcomes come again optimistic for asbestos, it’s finest to keep away from any DIY removing makes an attempt. Don’t disturb the ceiling any additional to forestall asbestos fibers from changing into airborne, and get in touch with a licensed asbestos abatement contractor. They will safely take away or encapsulate the fabric in line with your space’s laws and security requirements.

Why Take away Popcorn Ceilings?

In spite of everything that discuss asbestos, it’s possible you’ll be considering you need to get it out of your own home ASAP in case your ceiling does certainly comprise the dangerous fiber. Nonetheless, the US Consumer Product Safety Comission strongly advises towards eradicating asbestos ceilings, warning “The most effective factor to do with asbestos materials in good situation is to depart it alone!” Undamaged asbestos isn’t a problem; the well being considerations solely come up after asbestos materials has been disturbed, releasing fibers into the air.

The one motive to take away popcorn ceilings, then, is for aesthetic functions. So solely fear about taking up this mission if it’s one thing that bothers you or when you’re in search of a approach to replace the look of your private home. There’s little doubt, it could actually make a giant distinction in any bedroom remodel, kitchen renovation, or as a standalone mission to easily replace your private home a bit. Different choices embrace overlaying up your outdated ceiling whether it is significantly broken or when you simply don’t really feel like coping with the trouble of scraping all of it off. Architectural Digest gives just a few options of their publish on popcorn ceiling removing.

Getting ready for DIY Popcorn Ceiling Elimination

If you happen to check your ceiling and it’s 100% free from asbestos, it’s secure to go forward along with your DIY popcorn ceiling removing. Similar to any DIY mission, preparation is essential! Right here’s how one can get began. 

The Instruments You’ll Must Take away Popcorn Ceiling 

Right here’s a listing of the required instruments you’ll have to scrape away that outdated 1960’s texture off your ceilings: 

• Security glasses, a mud masks or respirator, gloves, and outdated clothes to guard your self from mud and particles.
• Plastic sheeting to cowl flooring, partitions, and furnishings, defending them from water and falling particles.
• Painter’s tape to safe the plastic sheeting in place.
• A sprig bottle or backyard sprayer crammed with water to dampen the ceiling, making it simpler to scrape off the popcorn coating.
• A large paint scraper or putty knife or a specialised popcorn ceiling removing instrument to scrape off the popcorn texture.
• A step ladder to achieve the ceiling safely and comfortably.
• A bucket to gather the eliminated materials.
• Drop cloths as extra safety for flooring and bigger items of furnishings.
• Joint compound and sandpaper for repairing any injury and smoothing the ceiling as soon as the feel is eliminated.
• Paint curler and paint for repainting the ceiling as soon as your DIY popcorn ceiling removing is full. 

If you have already got primary portray provides like drop sheets and a ladder, you possibly can see that the popcorn ceiling removing price is fairly low cost once you do it your self. 

Easy methods to Prep Your Room for DIY Popcorn Ceiling Elimination

As we mentioned, eradicating popcorn ceilings is all about preparation. Observe these steps to prep your room for eradicating popcorn ceilings: 

• Take away all furnishings, decorations, and every other objects from the room.
• If eradicating massive furnishings isn’t potential, transfer it to the middle of the room and canopy it with plastic sheeting.
• Use plastic sheeting or drop cloths to cowl the ground, extending it up the partitions barely. You may additionally need to cowl the total wall in areas with texture that can seize mud, as proven within the photograph under from Home Depot’s guide to popcorn ceiling removing.
• Shut and canopy all vents and doorways with plastic sheeting to forestall mud from spreading to different components of your private home.
• In case your ceiling has any electrical fixtures, flip off the facility on the circuit breaker to keep away from any electrical hazards. 
• Put in your protecting gear, together with security goggles, a mud masks, and a long-sleeved shirt.
• Tape over electrical shops.

For the protection of you and everybody else in your house, it’s essential to take these steps earlier than you begin your DIY popcorn ceiling removing.

Easy methods to Take away Popcorn Ceilings: DIY Steps

So, when you’ve safely ready every part, it’s time to start out your DIY popcorn ceiling removing. We’re going to interrupt this into three steps – wetting the ceiling, scraping the popcorn, and smoothing the ceiling for portray or ending. 

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Wetting Your Popcorn Ceiling

Wetting the ceiling is essential for softening the popcorn texture, making it simpler to scrape off and decreasing the quantity of mud generated. Dry scraping can get fairly messy and isn’t one of the simplest ways to take away textured popcorn ceilings as it isn’t solely harder, however can even end in you inhaling mud from the ceiling.

 what to do: 

1. Fill a twig bottle or backyard sprayer with heat water. For additional effectiveness, you possibly can add just a few drops of dish cleaning soap to assist penetrate the feel.
2. Begin by frivolously misting a small part of the ceiling, about 2-3 sq. toes. Wait about quarter-hour to let the water soak in.
3. After ready, contact the world to see if the tough texture has softened. If it hasn’t, mist it once more and wait just a few extra minutes. Keep away from over-saturating, which might injury the drywall beneath.

Whenever you’re proud of how moist your ceiling is, you can begin the scraping course of. 

Scraping Off the Popcorn Ceiling 

As soon as the ceiling texture is moist sufficient, you possibly can start the scraping course of by following these steps:

1. Use a large putty knife or a specialised ceiling scraper to softly scrape the popcorn texture off the ceiling. Maintain the scraper at a shallow angle to keep away from gouging the drywall. ‘The Family Handyman‘ recommends this useful tip: contemplate rounding the corners of your scraper with a file or sander to forestall gouging the ceiling.
2. Work in small sections, about 2-3 sq. toes at a time, to make sure the feel stays moist and straightforward to scrape. Re-wet areas as wanted.
3. As you scrape, permit the particles to fall onto the drop cloths or tarps under. You can even connect a plastic bag to your scraper to catch the falling texture and decrease cleanup.
4. For areas which might be tough to scrape, re-mist with water and wait just a few extra minutes earlier than attempting once more. Use a smaller putty knife or a utility knife for tight spots or edges.

After you’ve completed scraping the ceiling, it’s time to easy and put together it for portray. 

Getting ready Your Ceiling for Portray or Re-Ending 

Whether or not you select to color your ceiling or re-finish it in another method, you’ll have to first be sure that it’s easy and prepped for no matter’s subsequent. Right here’s how: 

1. As soon as all the feel is eliminated, examine the ceiling for any remaining tough spots or injury. Use a utility knife to take away any small items left behind.
2. Evenly sand the whole ceiling with a sanding pole and fine-grit sandpaper (220-grit) to easy out any imperfections. Put on a mud masks and goggles.
3. If you happen to discover any gouges or holes, fill them with joint compound utilizing a putty knife. Enable the compound to dry utterly, then sand it easy.
4. Apply a coat of primer designed for ceilings. It will seal the floor, cowl any stains, and supply a uniform base on your paint or end.
5. As soon as the primer is dry, paint the ceiling with high-quality ceiling paint or apply your chosen end. Use a curler with an extension pole for a fair utility.

There you’ve got it! Your ceiling is now free from the ugly popcorn texture and prepared so that you can modernize it – what a reduction! If you happen to’re in search of methods to degree up your ceiling’s look, take a look at our concepts for DIY moulding and trim subsequent. However in fact, you’ll want to wash up your mess first…

Easy methods to Clear Up After DIY Popcorn Ceiling Elimination

When you’re freed from your popcorn ceiling, it’s time for the cleanup. Be sure to preserve your protecting gear on, then start by fastidiously folding up the drop cloths or tarps with the collected particles inside. It will assist comprise the mess and make it simpler to move.

Use a HEPA vacuum to wash the flooring, partitions, and every other surfaces the place mud may need settled. HEPA vacuums are designed to seize positive particles, together with any residual mud from the popcorn ceiling.

With a moist fabric or mop, wipe down all surfaces, together with partitions, flooring, and any furnishings that may have been uncovered, to take away any remaining mud. If you happen to had vents or ducts lined in the course of the removing course of, fastidiously uncover them and vacuum any mud which will have settled close by. Guarantee your HVAC system is freed from particles earlier than turning it again on.

Disposing of Popcorn Ceiling 

After the cleanup is full, that you must take into consideration how one can get rid of your waste. Earlier than disposing of any materials, examine your native laws relating to the disposal of development particles. Place the scraped materials in heavy-duty rubbish luggage. Double-bagging is really helpful to forestall any tears or leaks throughout transportation.

Take the baggage to a delegated development and demolition (C&D) waste facility or a hazardous waste disposal web site, if required. These amenities are geared up to deal with and course of such supplies safely. 

If you happen to’re uncertain about how one can get rid of the fabric correctly, contemplate hiring an expert waste disposal service. They will be sure that all supplies are dealt with and disposed of in compliance with native laws.

When Ought to You Keep away from DIY Popcorn Ceiling Elimination and Name a Skilled As an alternative

Taking issues into your individual palms is a good way to chop down on the price of eradicating popcorn ceilings, nevertheless it’s not at all times a secure DIY mission. If your private home was constructed earlier than the mid-Eighties (as most houses with popcorn ceilings have been), there’s an excellent likelihood you’re coping with asbestos ceilings, and until you’re 100% assured in your skills to check for your self, it’s possible you’ll desire to name a professional. 

Particularly when you’ve got well being considerations equivalent to bronchial asthma or allergy symptoms, skilled popcorn ceiling removing could also be the most effective route for you. They’ve the instruments, protecting gear, and expertise to make sure a easy, secure, and high-quality removing course of, which suggests much less stress and an incredible finish outcome for you. 

Remaining Ideas on DIY Popcorn Ceiling Elimination 

Eradicating a popcorn ceiling can dramatically rework the look of your private home, making it extra fashionable and visually interesting. Whether or not you select to sort out the mission your self or name within the specialists, it’s important to prioritize security and correct preparation. 

By testing for asbestos, utilizing the proper instruments, and following cautious procedures, you possibly can safely take away asbestos, leaving you with a clean slate ceiling to create any kind of aesthetic you’re in search of. Good luck! 

Searching for extra fast initiatives to replace your private home? Take into account trying out ways to cover up an old backsplash, DIY faux granite countertops, and ways to organize your home subsequent!