Do you dread the thought of acoustic ceiling removal and all that it entails? Many people do as this is a very messy job. With the right tools and preparation, the job can be completed and your house won’t be a disaster. You can also save a great deal of money by doing the work yourself. Although the job can be rather time consuming, the money you save will make your effort worthwhile.
Getting Set Up
Gather all supplies together to remove a popcorn ceiling. Goggles are the most important item as you need to protect your eyes from the ceiling components. A ladder is a necessity as are drop clothes and thin plastic to cover the walls. Water must also be brought in when scraping acoustic ceiling materials. Either a spray bottle or a garden hose with a misting nozzle is needed. A scraper, tape, drywall primer and ceiling paint will complete your purchases.
Before You Begin
Furniture must be removed from the room before you undertake popcorn ceiling removal. If you have pieces that are just too heavy to take out of a room, cover them completely with drop clothes. This will protect your furnishings from damage. Cover the walls with thin plastic at this point. Tape the plastic right along the seam between the ceiling and the wall. Once this is complete, lay drop clothes across your floor. Overlap these so the floor is completely covered. Once the drop clothes are laid, you may wish to slide the edges under the plastic on the walls and tape them down. This ensures no gaps are present. The more gaps, the more you will have to clean up. Remove light fixtures and tape electrical wires so they do not interfere with your work. It is recommended that you cut the circuit breaker for the room off also.
Removing the Actual Texture
Start by putting your eye protection on and then wet the ceiling. Removing popcorn ceiling textures requires that you completely saturate the section to be removed. Use the garden hose or the spray bottle, whichever you are more comfortable with. When the area is drenched, you may begin the scraping process. Some just allow the materials to fall on the drop cloth. It is better to place them in a plastic bag or bucket, but the choice is up to you. Once you finish removing texture ceiling from an area, wipe it down with a damp sponge or rag and move on to the next area. Complete this until the entire project is done.
The Final Touches
Now that removing texture ceiling is complete, it is time to finish the job. The drywall must be primed before you continue. Finish up with two coats of premium paint. This will ensure you don’t have to paint again anytime in the near future. Once the ceiling is dry, it is time to clean up. Remove all plastic from the walls and drop clothes from the floor. Try to keep all materials inside and throw them away. Your acoustic ceiling removal is complete and you have a room to be proud of.