# Where new wall and "popcorn" ceiling meet



## klein (Jul 9, 2008)

I am building a new wall that will tie into an existing popcorn ceiling with a 2x4 top plate and sheetrock. The ceiling is popcorn and the wall will be painted, no texture. I don't want to install crown molding and I absolutely do not want to mess with the ceiling. I can accept a little bit of smudge factor because the wall is between 8' and 12' in the air (vaulted ceiling).

My question is how to mud the top of the wall tight to the ceiling? Just jab the knife into the ceiling with every downstroke? Is this scenario feasible?


----------



## Mop in Hand (Feb 5, 2009)

Well there's the proper way and there's another way. If your walls are built and the wall rock is not up yet. You could remove an 1/2 of popcorn along the ceiling (1/2" chisel works great), and then slide the drywall between the top plate and the popcorn. This will require a clean cut that butts up to the ceiling the entire distance. This can be done. Nail or screw down a little further than normal into the studs so you will not have to finish directly against the ceiling.


----------



## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

I think you're going to find it awfully difficult to cut your drywall tight enough to get away with just butting to the ceiling and caulking. You will likely have to carefully flat tape and mud at least parts of the joint. It will not be easy to keep excess mud off of the ceiling, but it can be done.


----------



## GarrisonCA (Dec 8, 2020)

bjbatlanta said:


> I think you're going to find it awfully difficult to cut your drywall tight enough to get away with just butting to the ceiling and caulking. You will likely have to carefully flat tape and mud at least parts of the joint. It will not be easy to keep excess mud off of the ceiling, but it can be done.


Love your closing: Having been both. 
"If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a soldier. Support our troops."


----------



## bjbatlanta1 (Dec 8, 2020)

GarrisonCA said:


> Love your closing: Having been both.
> "If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a soldier. Support our troops."


I thank you for your service in both "services", sir. My dad was a Major in the Army Air Corps in WWll, second oldest is a Warrant officer in the Army (17 years in, 2 deployments to Iraq), and my youngest is about to enlist in the Marines on the delayed entry program (Captain in the ROTC program at his high school). Both professions give so much for so little in return.....


----------



## bail0081 (Oct 4, 2018)

klein said:


> I am building a new wall that will tie into an existing popcorn ceiling with a 2x4 top plate and sheetrock. The ceiling is popcorn and the wall will be painted, no texture. I don't want to install crown molding and I absolutely do not want to mess with the ceiling. I can accept a little bit of smudge factor because the wall is between 8' and 12' in the air (vaulted ceiling).
> 
> My question is how to mud the top of the wall tight to the ceiling? Just jab the knife into the ceiling with every downstroke? Is this scenario feasible?


I recently scraped all the popcorn from my ceilings. You can do it too. You can also match the popcorn. I've matched areas by dabbing a brush to the ceiling with the texture material. A mini roller might work too. I would finish the joint as is typical and then match the popcorn or scrape the whole thing.


----------



## HuckPie (Nov 15, 2020)

Removing the whole popcorn ceiling would
be "the right way", but if that wasn't an option,
I'd be inclined to leave the corner from wall
to ceiling un-taped, and just caulk it in.


----------



## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

HuckPie said:


> Removing the whole popcorn ceiling would
> be "the right way", but if that wasn't an option,
> I'd be inclined to leave the corner from wall
> to ceiling un-taped, and just caulk it in.


Use an L bead it will make a nice straight line.


----------



## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I've flat taped/finished the top of the wall and then caulked once the mud work is done.


----------

