popcornceilings299

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What you must understand Before Removing a popcorn ceiling

Despite the name, popcorn ceilings don’t resemble the delicious movie theater snack. Instead, they look more like smashed-up kernels floating in a sea of Elmer’s glue. Some even lovingly refer to them as “cottage cheese.” They can be extra chunky like thick oatmeal, or more finely-grained like Cream of Wheat. No matter the look, though, they’re often met with disdain by most of today’s homeowners. So, why all the recent hate for the popcorn ceiling? For one thing, many homeowners agree that it makes a room look dated. There are also valid complaints that the lumps attract nearly every dust particle that floats by. Whatever the reason, most people dealing with popcorn ceilings today are looking for removal.

Removing a Popcorn Ceiling: Popcorn ceiling removal costs anywhere between $900 and $3,000. Prices depend on variables such as ceiling height and the overall complexity of the project. Dealing with asbestos calls for an asbestos abatement contractor near you, as removal could release dangerous debris into your home. You can also remove a popcorn ceiling yourself if you don’t mind a messy project. Once you’ve determined that the ceiling does not contain asbestos, removal is pretty simple: For unpainted popcorn ceilings, spray it down with water and scrape it away with a putty knife.If you want to hire a pro go here Patch Dudes get a local popcorn ceiling removal contractor is your best bet. Or, if you’re not able to get rid of it just yet, there’s nothing wrong with embracing the retro vibe. At the very least, adding some dim, ambient lighting can make the texture a lot less noticeable.

A Brief History of the Popcorn Ceiling: When popcorn ceilings were popular (roughly from 1945 to the ‘90s), they acted as a quick spray-on solution that covered flaws in one swoop. If you’ve ever finished a drywall ceiling, or if you’re familiar with how it’s done, you’ll know that it’s not an easy process. There are many layers of taping and mudding that can be difficult to master without flaws. Adding the extra texture was an easy way of covering these up. Nowadays, professional local ceiling contractors take care to ensure a smooth, flawless finish that needs no cover-up. The dated popcorn ceiling is now a feature that most homeowners wish to get rid of, especially before putting a home up for sale.

The Problem With Popcorn Ceilings: If you’re in a home built before the ‘80s, there’s a chance that your popcorn ceiling might contain asbestos. This once-popular building material was often used for popcorn ceilings before it became banned as a hazardous substance in 1978. Unfortunately, many older homes still have it, especially wherever there’s a popcorn ceiling. This doesn’t mean you need to rush and scrape off your ceiling ASAP. In fact, until you’ve had it tested by a local asbestos testing contractor, it’s extremely important to leave it as is. Even if there is asbestos, you should be safe if there’s no crumbling or structural damage that could release the particles into the air.

Painting a Popcorn Ceiling: If your popcorn ceiling is asbestos-free and you’re ready for a new look, painting it is an option. As long as there isn’t any flaking or other wear, a new coat of paint might be just the thing to refresh the old ceiling. Apply paint with either a paint sprayer or thick roller to fully cover the popcorn texture. Oh, and don’t forget to dust it off beforehand! Note that if you eventually want to remove the popcorn ceiling, a painted ceiling is a labor-intensive job to remove and will cost more,” says Bob Tschudi. “Once painted, the process of removing the popcorn ceiling requires physical scraping as opposed to a spray-and-scrape approach. It’s very labor-intensive, and thus more costly.