# How to remove Pop Corn texture from a ceilng.



## bobpeters (Mar 16, 2011)

What is the easiest way to remove Pop Corn Texture from a ceiling that has already been painted?


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## Imkindofbigdeal (Mar 15, 2011)

From what I can tell bobpeters, it can only be done by scraping it off, thus will ruin any paint job you already have. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWmmjPhC5R4 check out the link for a good tutorial on how to do it. You will end up having to repaint your ceiling though. 

Good luck,
Ben


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## brenda o (Sep 25, 2009)

*removing popcorn*

i'm having this done and they are actually sanding it off.


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

brenda o said:


> i'm having this done and they are actually sanding it off.


I'm hoping you are joking about this.


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## brenda o (Sep 25, 2009)

*i'm not the contractor is doing*

this using some kind of sander attached to a vacuum. i told him i had never heard of it. and i am paying him. now i'm wondering...


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

brenda o said:


> this using some kind of sander attached to a vacuum. i told him i had never heard of it. and i am paying him. now i'm wondering...


As long as it's a very powerful and effective vacuum, I guess it's OK. (Possibly not legally compliant, but most likely won't kill anyone) The only problem I would have might be the possibility that the original popcorn (under possibly several subsequent paint jobs) has insufficient adhesion to the drywall surface.

Much of the time priming was not applied before the popcorn was first sprayed. This often allowed the popcorn to dry and pull away from the drywall then begin to flake and chip off after a period of several years. Just sanding the surface paint coat down to the level of the popcorn will do nothing to help the original popcorn gain any more adhesion.

A possible fix might be to apply a very serious penetrating primer coat after sanding and prior to re-texturing and/or painting.


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## Anti-wingnut (Oct 18, 2009)

brenda o said:


> i'm having this done and they are actually sanding it off.


What did the abestos test results say


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## canadaclub (Oct 19, 2006)

brenda o said:


> i'm having this done and they are actually sanding it off.


 
God Lord, what is that costing you??


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## sharpsport (Mar 30, 2011)

It all depends on what it was painted with. When I removed the popcorn texture from the ceilings in my house, I first wet the surface with a hudson sprayer, then scraped it off with a 12" knife attached to an extension pole. Some friends of mine recently bought a house and had their ceilings smoothed. The guy they hired initially tried the same technique, but was unable to remove the popcorn due to it being painted. He ended up having to sand it smooth. My suggestion would be to test an inconspicuous area in your house by wetting it with a sprayer, allowing it to stand for 5 or 10 minutes, then try scraping it. Short of that, you may need to hire someone who knows what they are doing especially if your house was built before 1978. That was the year asbestos was banned in such material. Good luck!

Rick
http://myhandyadvice.blogspot.com/


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

I scrape as best a I can with a scraper attached to a vac, then sand with a power sander also with a vac attached. Prime, skim surface as necessary, sand and paint....


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## stoner529 (Nov 12, 2010)

Check out my website on Removing painted popcorn ceilings It gives alot better insight than Ron Hazeltons video. I have heard of sanding off painted popcorn before. They just use a roto sander, and the box cuts down on dust quite a bit. Removing Painted popcorn depends on how much it has been painted. We have removed a ceiling in which we wound up peeling off the entire paint first, and then was able to remove the popcorn paint free. We basically wet the painted area. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes. We then peeled away the paint into a huge 20' by 40' sheet from a vaulted ceiling. It wasn't easy but was the best way to do it. It came out perfect. All paint is different. Some can come off quite easy. We have been doing this for over 10 years so we do know something about it.


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## brenda o (Sep 25, 2009)

thanks for all the info everyone. after the "are you for real" on the sanding thing, i talked to the contractor. see, my popcorn has never been painted, i always wanted to but thought it would fall off when wet so didn't. bjatlanta wrote in exactly what my contractor is going to do so i'm feeling better about it now. as for cost, there are some drywall pieces that will need replaced but its almost 3 thousand....


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## brenda o (Sep 25, 2009)

for three larger rooms and two small ones. home built in 90's so no asbestos


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## stoner529 (Nov 12, 2010)

brenda o said:


> thanks for all the info everyone. after the "are you for real" on the sanding thing, i talked to the contractor. see, my popcorn has never been painted, i always wanted to but thought it would fall off when wet so didn't. bjatlanta wrote in exactly what my contractor is going to do so i'm feeling better about it now. as for cost, there are some drywall pieces that will need replaced but its almost 3 thousand....



I am thinking the only reason to sand it off if it is non painted is to reduce on masking and such. i have never thought of that and it may actually work quite well. if it has the vaccum it may be alot less messy. the joints would probably be re skimmed i imagine.


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## brenda o (Sep 25, 2009)

yep, thats the plan. going to a smooth finish finally


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

In an unoccupied space, the "wet and scrape" method is probably the easiest. I figure by the time you do all the masking and set-up to "wet and scrape", using a scraper and power sander with a good vac system is pretty much a "wash". I use the vac system for all repairs to reduce dust anyway. When I replied, I was answering more along the lines of a painted surface, but personally I would use the same method either way. I know a lot of people use the "wet and scrape" with great success. And yes, the joints will need at least one skim coat....


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