What tool do you use to remove popcorn ceiling with?
- Thread starter ive
- Start date
depends on a few things. has the ceiling been painted previously, was there paint added into the mix,
if it hasn't been painted & minimal paint in the mix, a good wet down with water and a 5 or 6" putty knife will do wonders.
a painted ceiling will be more difficult, and I've resorted to using paint scraper
if it hasn't been painted & minimal paint in the mix, a good wet down with water and a 5 or 6" putty knife will do wonders.
a painted ceiling will be more difficult, and I've resorted to using paint scraper
Here's a link for a 12", but I prefer a 24"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PPJQ15D/?tag=atomicindus08-20
And like Cobbler said, you need to spray it down with water and let it soften up.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PPJQ15D/?tag=atomicindus08-20
And like Cobbler said, you need to spray it down with water and let it soften up.
BarryWells
Well-known member
Snow shovel
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Floor scraper... but be gentle...
and another FYI, most popcorn texture has asbestos in it so you want to keep the dust down
BarryWells
Well-known member
Interesting about the asbestos.OTOH it makes sense because only an *** would spec a popcorn finish on a ceiling.Holds nicotine well tho ! It knocked down great. I used a 4 x 10 trowel and went behind a buddy spraying that **** and just kinda patted it down and it came out OK. Fast money.
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I doubt it was textured in the 50's, probably done in the 70's to 90's as a remodel/
as a homeowner you can remove it . a contractor needs to be certified .
if it has not been painted , soak it with water & get it off and picked up while damp so there's no dust . bag it up and toss it . do a room at a time and plastic off the room you're working in .
if it has been painted and wont absorb water ,well, drywall over it?
I have a colleague that skim coats it and paints it.
buy an asbestos rated mask & throw away suits
as a homeowner you can remove it . a contractor needs to be certified .
if it has not been painted , soak it with water & get it off and picked up while damp so there's no dust . bag it up and toss it . do a room at a time and plastic off the room you're working in .
if it has been painted and wont absorb water ,well, drywall over it?
I have a colleague that skim coats it and paints it.
buy an asbestos rated mask & throw away suits
BarryWells
Well-known member
Nah. Yellow page a REAL plaster company and they can Bondit and apply whatever texture you might like. No biggie really.
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
You just raised my blood pressure
I've scraped so many ceilings in the 80's and 90's I cant count them all
Never even wore a paper mask.Wish I had know about the wet and flatten trick, 90% of the ceilings I scraped got a knockdown treatment. Could have saved tons of money and time
And probably not worried about mesothelioma....You just raised my blood pressure
Wish I had know about the wet and flatten trick, 90% of the ceilings I scraped got a knockdown treatment. Could have saved tons of money and time
I belt sanded ceilings to feather the edges when doing repairs....I was covered in white dust from head to toe... so far I have no signs of anything nasty in my lungs. other than sarcoidosis
jask
Well-known member
you do not need a bunny suit, but wear a mask- a proper cartridge mask not a dust mask. use a garden pump sprayer and add a tablespoon of dawn per gallon _ AFTER_ you put the water in the sprayer... the soap helps it stick better and wet out the popcorn. I usually poly the entire floor, and plug the vents, or if it is going to have carpets replaced I will pull up the carpet but leave the underpad down to protect the floor and aid in clean up... the sectet to popcorn or asbestos removal is to always always always keep the **** wet! it is an inhalation risk and will not harm your body unless it gets to your lungs. wear a hat, so you will have less **** to wash out of your hair and ideally you want to shower right after you are done. start out by pumping up the sprayer and modersatly wetting the entire ceiling surface..let it sit for 5 minutes and re wet it.. then grab a 6" scraper with the corners rounded off ( so they do not gouge the base layer or taped joints ) and smoothly scrape off a strip of popcorn - it sould come off clean with NO dust dropping out behind the scraper... if there is dust respray. work on an area about 4 square feet at a time ith a combination of 4" scraper and a 10 or 12" scraper and have your helper "fog" the area you are moving into and wet down the product that hits the floor. keep your eye open for tape lines and do not cross them at right angles as you will risk tearing the tape edge. when you are done get a good light up close to the ceiling and wash it across the surface like you are doing drywall - it will allow you to see all the areas you need to wet out and lightly rescrape to smooth off roughness. Some of the installers in the olkd days used to spray a light dry mud coat first to gice the surface some tooth for the popcorn, and that surface will either allow you to do a really nice job smoothing out the ceiling or cause you grief and need lots of wetting and light scraping to smooth out. and did I mention to keep re wetting the ceiling? make sure everything on the ground stays damp and bag it up as quick as possible pull up the poly and or underpad and bag all that up while you are still wearing your mask. get it out of the house and shake off any loose **** on you skin cloths hair while you are out there.. then go have a shower toss your cloths in the machine and enjoy the pile of cash you did not spend on an approved contractor while you have a cold beer. make sure you round the corners of your scrapers- those little tears in the paper or tape are a PITA to tidy up. you are going to want to still wear a good mask when you do your drywall touch ups and sand and I usually use a primer/sealer to seal the surface before a coat of ceiling paint as it helps hide minor imperfections. after you have done a room or two you can develop a feel for it and move up to a 24-30" scraper for the first pass and really cover some ground! 
a two step ladder lets you get up and behind the work are and really see if the material is at all dry when it is coming off and lets you get close enough to learn to hear if it is wet or dry.
a two step ladder lets you get up and behind the work are and really see if the material is at all dry when it is coming off and lets you get close enough to learn to hear if it is wet or dry.toolmiser
Well-known member
I just did a bedroom this week. About 20 years old, no asbestos, with paint. Used a twelve inch "putty knife with the corners filed round. Held it almost against the ceiling and scraped using a very sharp angle. I had the whole thing done in 3 hours. I used a pole sander, but very little came off. I primed once and top-coated twice with good paint. I came out like a mild orange peel finish and we were very happy with that. I will probably have to do more rooms in the future.
Picture shows finished ceiling on left, and the room next door on the right.
Picture shows finished ceiling on left, and the room next door on the right.
metaldad
Well-known member
i recovered the kitchen ceiling with 1/4 sheetrock
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
A 6"knife in one hand, a bucket in the other. I use a 48" long work platform and move it around the room. Helps keep the wet, sticky mess to a minimum.
Empty the room and cover everything with plastic. Use warm water in a garden sprayer
Empty the room and cover everything with plastic. Use warm water in a garden sprayer