If you’re planning to get your popcorn ceiling removed, it’s important to do it the right way. There are some things you need to prep for that can save you a lot of time, and even money. More than anything, it’s important to know these things to make sure your house gets the great makeover it deserves.
So, here are our 7 tips for popcorn ceiling removal that you should know about before trying it out.
7 Things You Should Know Before Trying Popcorn Ceiling Removal
1. Safety First
Before anything else, safety is the most important thing. Electronics are a safety concern because of obvious reasons, and just get in the way. Cover all the plugs, make sure there are no loose wires or anything that could cause problems when wet or damaged.
2. Asbestos Risk
Keeping in line with safety, it’s important to scope the ceiling out for asbestos. It’s commonly found in older popcorn ceilings, and you can get yours tested by sending a sample to local health departments. If there is asbestos, you’ll have to hire a contractor to help you safely remove it.
3. Prevent A Big Mess
To be level with you, there’s going to be a big mess no matter what you do. That’s just something that comes naturally with popcorn ceiling removal. But, you can do some serious damage control by taking a few precautions.
For starters, get rid of any and all furniture in the room going through the popcorn ceiling removal. You should also use a mud pan while scraping away the ceiling to catch most of the debris as it comes down.
4. Use Plastic Cloths
To really keep things clean, put plastic cloths all across the room, so almost every nook and cranny is covered. These will hold any water or debris that falls on them. Once you’re done, you can easily roll these cloths up and throw them away.
5. Baby Steps
In popcorn ceiling removal, working tiny areas bit by bit is much better than taking the whole ceiling on at once. That gives you the time and room to focus on one particular spot, which is only a few feet big.
That way, you can properly remove that instead of having to go around the whole ceiling in a hurry. That’s much better than trying to make sure the ceiling doesn’t dry too quickly from one place while you’re busy with another.
6. Patience Is Key
You can’t be forceful when removing popcorn ceilings. The texture is difficult to get rid of, but will happen in time. It’s important to go steady, so you do things properly and don’t damage the wall. Regularly water the spot you’re working on, and keep wetting it if it’s currently too hard to remove. With enough wetting and waiting, it’ll eventually scrape right off.
7. Take Care of The Ceiling
You need to take good care of the ceiling during and after the removal. Use plaster, drywall, and sandpaper to completely smooth it out after scraping. This can take over 24 hours to do, but remember that patience is still important for a job well done. After that, you should use a primer before painting all over it. With that, it’ll be all over.
Extra Tip: Get Someone Else To Take Care Of It
Honestly, DIY ceiling removal is a huge chore, and one that doesn’t work out too well without proper experience. You can save yourself a lot of time and potential problems by getting someone else to take care of it for you.
That’s where we come in. Get into contact with us and we’ll tell you more about if we service in your area, costs, how much time we need to get the job done, and any other details that need sorting. We can promise you a ceiling you’ll be proud of by the end of it!
