What's the easiest way to remove the "popcorn" from ceilings?

Beth
by Beth
I just purchased a large, open concept condo that has popcorn ceilings throughout. I've researched various techniques that include spraying with water and scraping but the place is already furnished and was hoping someone may have found a less messy or easier technique. I'll probably end up having to do it myself.
  4 answers
  • B. Enne B. Enne on May 10, 2015
    Drywalling over top is faster and less messy. If you scrape the texture and don't spray it first, you will have more dust, and thus a bigger mess (speaking form experience). I did it with furniture still in the room. I did a bit at a time, with a $ store spray bottle, a cardboard box lid to catch the fall out, and a wide plastic scraper. I found it to be the best way to avoid too much mess, and I could cover the furniture as I went along. I tried a metal scraper and even ordered a specialized ceiling scraper with a bag holder. I am short and found it to be more of a pain (heavy, awkward, and didn't make contact with the surface due to my ceiling not being completely level I guess). You have to make sure there is no asbestos or lead in the finish. Although some people put foam tiles over it after 'knocking down' the peaks, this company does not recommend it: http://www.ceilume.com/how-to-install-glue-up-ceiling-tiles.cfm Good luck!
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    • B. Enne B. Enne on May 10, 2015
      @Beth I'm the Queen of unfinished projects :D Good luck!
  • Ouina Ouina on May 10, 2015
    Some have put up another medium such as tongue and groove wood planks or beadboard directly over the popcorn ceiling. Google that and also search through Hometalk to see what others have done. We are currently removing our popcorn ceiling and it is a pain. We cover the floor and furniture with plastic sheeting so that it goes a couple of feet up a wall and tape. Then tape more plastic sheeting from about 2" down from the ceiling to the wall. That way you can spray and scrape and let the mess fall to the floor. Ball all the sheeting up and dispose. Good luck!
    • Beth Beth on May 10, 2015
      @Ouina Thank you, I like the idea of taping the plastic sheeting to the wall. I did see a post about putting up wood planks that looked very nice in the setting it was in but it just wouldn't work with the style of my condo.
  • Terra Gazelle Terra Gazelle on May 10, 2015
    There are some fake ceiling tiles..they are very cheap and can be painted. They can be glued up and cover up that pop corn. I am going to use them on a wall... http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ceiling+tiles
    • Beth Beth on May 10, 2015
      @Terra Gazelle Thank you for the link, I'll look at the options they have!
  • Kim Kim on May 11, 2015
    Use watered warm rag? It should work. Once my brother somehow got skittle coloring on my door and I did the same hing and it worked