# Removing painted popcorn texture from ceiling



## jonathan03 (Dec 30, 2008)

You can drywall over the popcorn or buy a scraper. Either way, there will be a lot of patching and mudding. Go to Home Depot and in the paint aisle there is a tool about 8-10" long with a 4" razor blade on the end of it. Get that and scrap the popcorn off. Once you get past the paint, water should help dissolve whats left. Its not an easy or quick job.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

I did a light scrape on my popcorn ceiling leaving the base texture on the ceiling
Be aware that asbestos may be in the older popcorn ceilings


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

The sure fire way to get it to come off is to trick it. Make believe you are trying to paint it and it will stick to your roller cover in seconds. I have said before and will say it again. Popcorn ceilings are the work of the Devil!:laughing:

Seriously, with patience, I can usually get most of it if I can grab a corner and get my thin, wide drywall knife under it. Sounds like you have tried this though.

My Fein multi-tool has actually come in handy for this a time or two. One of the many things I never thought I would ever use it for. You might think about one of the cheaper alternatives out there if you don't want to spend the money on Fein. I do use mine all the time. It is one of the best tool investments I ever made.

I've also got a large orbital sander that sometimes works but you have to feed it a fair amount of paper. Do heed Dave's warning about potential asbestos. Where a temp jumpsuit and regardless of what it is a mask or aspirator. Block the dust from getting to your furnace cold air returns if that is the system you have.


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## antlerdancer (Oct 6, 2009)

One tool that I have used in the past is a plain old brick:wink:. It also works for removing painted on sand:yes:.You also get really big shoulders:laughing:


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## brons2 (Jan 25, 2010)

sdsester said:


> The sure fire way to get it to come off is to trick it. Make believe you are trying to paint it and it will stick to your roller cover in seconds.


I painted my popcorn ceilings with the Glidden ceiling paint that goes on pink and dries white using a 1 1/4 Purdy nap and had very little issue with the popcorn coming loose. Maybe because it had been painted so many times before? 45 year old house.

I ended up tearing down the ceiling anyways, later on in the project :laughing:


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