Popcorn Ceiling Removal

Popcorn ceiling removal is now a common request.  A popcorn ceiling, also known as a stipple ceiling or acoustic ceiling, is a ceiling with a sprayed-on or painted-on applications. The resulting bumpy, or pimpled surface, is created by blending asbestos fibres, vermiculite, and/or polystyrene. 

The term popcorn ceiling is a generalized term often used to describe various ceiling texture materials used up and until the mid-1980’s when asbestos was finally removed from drywall products and ceiling textures.

Today, textured ceilings are largely made up of a Spanish texture, or increasingly, the industry is seeing applicators spraying watered down drywall filler through their hoppers.  (Watered down drywall filler, when sprayed onto a ceiling, creates a much brighter, harder texture that shrinks as it dries creating a finer, lower profile application.)

Why Is Popcorn Ceiling Texture Used?

Back in the 1960’s, 1970’s, and early 1980’s, popcorn ceilings were often used as a way to dampen sound and enhance fire protection.  Asbestos fibres used in these ceiling products, was believed to enhance fire guard capabilities.

Today, light, finer texture applications are used to conceal undulated waves that often form in drywall ceilings over time.  Ceiling texture also covers up a world of blemishes created by a bad drywall taping job, or repair.  While smooth ceilings are popular in today’s homes, rooms with a great deal of natural lighting show every blemish, or every wave in a drywall ceiling.

In rental units, ceiling texture is still used today to enhance sound dampening between lower and upper floor units.

Why Does Popcorn Ceiling Removal Cost So Much?

People are often surprised when they learn of the cost of popcorn ceiling removal.  On the surface, most people think it should be a simple process of scrape the ceiling and re-paint.

There are several factors which must be considered when costing the removal of a popcorn ceiling in order to attain a smooth ceiling.  Those factors include:

1. Does the popcorn texture on the ceiling contain asbestos?  If it does, then steps must be taken to remediate the removal of the asbestos.
2. Was the popcorn ceiling painted over?  Painted textures are ten times harder to remove, especially if they were painted over with an old oil based paint.  Painted ceilings, once the popcorn has been scrapped off, require skim coats of drywall filler to be placed over the entire ceiling area significantly adding to the cost of the process.
3. Finally, the ceiling must receive a final sanding, followed by a primer/sealer coat of paint.  Primer/sealer is very important as it provides a surface that regular paint can grip onto.

Is It Cheaper To Install New Drywall Over A Textured Ceiling?

Depending on the size of the ceiling and number of electrical fixtures as well as vents, it may be cheaper to strap the existing popcorn ceiling with 1″x4″ boards, and install new gyproc over top of the existing popcorn ceiling.  This often negates the high cost of asbestos remediation in many cases.

Here is an important note for those Do-It-Yourself enthusiasts…when installing new gyproc onto a strapped ceiling, always be sure to use an adhesive caulking between the new gyproc and the strapping, along with drywall screws.  Ceilings tend to vibrate when people walk on the floor above.  Drywall screws, when used alone on a ceiling, often fail to hold a drywall panel that is continually experiencing a vibration.  Caulking adhesive provides greater security to the ceiling.

Who Can I Call To Help With My Ceiling?

Texture-Ceiling-Repair.com can come look at your ceiling and advise you on the most affordable way to make a repair or change to your ceiling.  Simply pick up your phone and call or text 778-215-4337.  Or complete the form below.