Popcorn ceilings (or stucco ceilings) used to be standard in American homes, but now, they give a house a dated look. If you are looking to update your home but want to do this yourself and save the cost of a decorator, here is the process to remove the stipple of this treatment and give your ceiling a fresh, smooth look
Preparing To Get Rid of The Stale Popcorn
The following are the things you will need for this DIY popcorn ceiling removal project:
- mudding knife/scraper
- vinegar
- water
- spray bottle
- topping compound
- sandpaper
- tarp/floor covering
- safety
mask
How to Smooth a Popcorn Ceiling
So, how to remove a popcorn ceiling and change into a smooth ceiling?
Removing a popcorn ceiling and transforming it into a smooth, elegant-looking ceiling is no easy feat. Although it can be a 100% DIY job, it can be messy—and most of all, it can be a dangerous DIY project.
That is why it is important to evaluate what you can and can do when removing your popcorn ceiling. If you are up for this DIY project, here are the steps you can follow to successfully remove your popcorn ceiling and make your space more cozy and clean-looking.
Step 1 – Cover the floor
This project will result in a lot of stippling treatment on the floor. For personal protection, wear a safety mask to shield yourself from dust.
It is incredibly important to note that if you live in an older house, popcorn ceilings potentially had asbestos fibers in them. Exercise caution, and if in doubt, consult a home improvement technician.
Step 2 – Spray down the ceiling with a vinegar mixture and let soak
Dillon encountered a popcorn ceiling coated with oily semi-gloss paint in our project. To remove this, create a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part vinegar and put it into a spray bottle.
Spray onto the ceiling and let soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 3 – Scrape the paint from the ceiling
If your ceiling is coated in oil-based paint, like in our example, take a mudding knife and scrape the soaked area at a 45-degree angle. Use force to remove the first coat of the oily layer of paint to get to the popcorn treatment.
Step 4 – Scrape the popcorn texture from the ceiling
Without the paint in the way, repeat the process from earlier. Spray the 1:10 vinegar-water solution on the texture and let soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
This time, the popcorn texture should be removed more easily and peeled off.
Step 5 – Coat the ceiling with topping compound
The topping compound is specifically made to provide a smooth finish. When removing the rough texture, you may have noticed an uneven result or even dark brown spots where the outer layer of the drywall was cut
Apply one layer of topping compound across the entire ceiling with your mudding knife
Step 6 – Sand the ceiling
Once dry, sand using drywall sandpaper to make the first coat even
Then, apply a second layer of topping compound to finish replacing the texture.
The ceiling is now ready to paint!
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