# Retexturing painted popcorn ceiling



## jbob (Nov 24, 2006)

Not in my experience.
If you try to re-texture without removing the popcorn,
the moisture in the new texture mix will probably cause
a significant portion of the popcorn to come loose.

Big, big Mess


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

kwehnes said:


> I would like to get rid of the popcorn ceilings in my house, but they have been painted. I plan to retexture the ceilings anyway...is there a way to retexture them without going through the pains of removing the painted popcorn?


Removing the painted popcorn: Try wetting it down first and then scraping it off. You shouldalso apply a 1 to 2 skim coats of compound over the popcorn to get a smooth surface prior to re-texturing.

Easier solution:
'Go over' the ceilings by installing 3/8" sheetrock using 2" drywall screws. Then finish them off smooth or apply a new texture. 
We have re-done hundreds upon hundreds of ceilings this way (especially many badly popcorn-ed ceilings)


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## mighty anvil (Oct 5, 2005)

Don't touch it until you have had it tested for asbestos. I would cover it with 3/8 GWB. Then just paint it and forget the texture.


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## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

You either have to remove it or apply more sr over it. In most cases removing it is messy, but not that difficult. As you probably already know from trying to paint it, this stuff is usually not bonded to the ceilings very well. Mix a couple of squirts of liquid soap and hot water in a pump sprayer and dampen the texture in an area. After it soaks for a few minutes, use a wide taping knife to scrape it off. You will get a few nicks in the ceiling to repair, and probably find nail spots that need to be floated again, possibly even visible taped joints. How poorly they left the floating depends on how heavy they were planning on applying the acoustic.I never try to skim it away because you are just applying more weight to a base that is already poorly bonded, and it almost always fails more when wet paint is applied.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

mighty anvil said:


> Don't touch it until you have had it tested for asbestos. I would cover it with 3/8 GWB. Then just paint it and forget the texture.


Good point about the asbestos, we just ran into that at a complex last month with painted popcorn ceilings (in Lawrence, MA)
Left it for an abatement company. The buildings are even all wired with aluminum.  ......Our electrician is having a ball there.

It's sometimes forgetten by people to take asbestos/hazardous materials into consideration as a possible issue to check on, during remodeling ....


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

troubleseeker said:


> I never try to skim it away because you are just applying more weight to a base that is already poorly bonded, and it almost always fails more when wet paint is applied.


We have done hundreds of ceilings by re-skim coating and texturing = not had problems....

The key is to make sure that you scrape all 'loose' or separated areas off prior to skim coating and painting or re-spraying'.

It's aways a crap shoot about that. You have to be real thorough in scraping or yes, it will separate and fall off the ceiling (Sometimes on your head or in your face - happened to one of our workers several times)

That is why I suggest going over with 3/8" S/R instead.

(FWIW: Never heard it called.... 'floating' in our area, we simply call it 'taping', tho some people refer to it as 'mudding')


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