topic Re: Popcorn Ceilings! in Home

Popcorn Ceilings!

bichon mom — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 00:28:16 GMT

Since everyone here is so helpul I am looking for input about popcorn ceilings. We recently bought a house that has them. Needless to say, I dislike them!!!

I have been reading about how to remove them myself. Has anyone done this? Also, is it very expensive to have them professionally removed? I have no idea!

Thanks in advance!

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

Meowingkitty — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 00:39:33 GMT

My house has them and I don't mind them. There is no way I would spend the money let alone the mess of having them removed. I figure if I wait long enough they will come back in style.

Note* A 10′ foot by 10′ foot area =100 square ft. When calculating square footage.

REMOVE POPCORN CEILING COST ZIP CODE SQUARE FT.
Low Mid High
Remove Popcorn Ceiling – Labor & Material Prices $2925.00 - $3240.00 $3825.00 - $4725.00 $4950.00 - $5850.00
Remove Popcorn Ceiling – Waste & Haul-away Costs $450.00 - $450.00 $540.00 - $585.00 $675.00 - $765.00
Remove Popcorn Ceiling – Total $3375.00 - $3690.00 $4365.00 - $5310.00 $5625.00 - $6615.00
Remove Popcorn Ceiling – Total Average Cost per square ft. $3.53 $4.84 $6.12

Cost can add up quickly, especially if you’re a novice and have never attempted to Remove a Popcorn Ceiling before. I would strongly recommend you hire a licensed and Insured Remodeling, or General Contractor to Remove a Popcorn Ceiling for you.
Remove a Popcorn Ceiling – Pricing and Removal Cost Checklist
Get at least 3-5 estimates before hiring a Remodeling, or General Contractor — estimates are typically free, unless it’s a small job.
Expect Ceiling Removal prices to fluctuate between various Remodeling, or General Contractors – each and every company have different operation expenses and over-head.
Try to get prices in late Fall, early winter – you should expect aggressive pricing discounts by waiting for a contractor’s down season.
Try to budget and additional 7-15% more on top of what our calculator gives out – I.e; difficult configurations, Mechanical area space, the additional complexity of your home will add to the Popcorn Ceiling removal

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

Kachina624 — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 00:41:44 GMT

The fuss that potential home owners on House Hunters make over popcorn ceilings always mystified me. Every home in the Southwest has textured walls, and ceilings with slightly more texture, although I'm not sure it would be classified as "popcorn". Nobody pays any attention to it. Removing any texture is sure to make a huge mess, then new mud would have to be applied making more mess. I'd just learn to love popcorn.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

SouthFlorida321 — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 00:49:38 GMT

@Meowingkitty thanks for the informative post to the Original Poster. I was going to add that if your going to do it best before you move into a place!It's a real mess with the dust particles flowing from the air ducts for months, not to mention allergies.

Don't worry, when people come into your house they don't look up, strain their necks and say "hey look at that beautiful ceiling!! Haha. Focus on the floors, walls, decor, etc.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

millieshops — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 00:54:19 GMT

@Kachina624Lots of good points. And I'd add this - I don't think the "knockdown" (I guess that's what you mean by new mud) is all that much better looking than the popcorn.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

Scooby Doo — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 02:30:09 GMT

Oh boy, I know lots about popcorn ceilings. My house had lots of popcorn.

Depends on when your ceiling was sprayed. Back in the 60's and 70's the popcorn spray contained asbestos. If that's the case, you need to scrape some off and have it tested to determine the percentage of asbestos. It may be unsafe for you to remove it yourself. I had mine tested and got a bid for removal. The removal company said I would have to put all my furniture in storage. Then they put a tent around the house. Men in white suits remove the popcorn and take it to a special disposal site. Then you clean up and move the furniture back. Cost lots of $$$$$.

I opted to have a drywall contractor put new quarter inch drywall up over the popcorn. Sanded and painted. You can install molding if you see the edges. The cost was around $400. It's going to be messy either way. But it looks so much better, and around here houses with popcorn ceilings are hard to sell.

Oh, and if it's been painted it won't come off.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

kitcat51 — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 02:31:48 GMT

You can do it yourself, it's really easy but time consuming & messy. Just takes plastic to cover the floor, warm water & a scraper. I've done it & would do it again if needed. My suggestion is to start with a small closet & see how that goes before starting a room. Good Luck.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

ccassaday — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 02:52:33 GMT

We have popcorn ceiling in the family room. We hate it. That's one thing we didn't fix to put the house up for sale. To much of a pain to remove it.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

GCR18 — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 02:53:56 GMT

I haven't removed it, but would if I had popcorn ceilings. I've seen it done on home improvement shows. You wet the ceiling and start scrapping. I imagine you need strong arms. My arms turn to jello when I work above my head. I would hire it out and do without something else. 😀😀 you could probably find a utube video showing the process.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

RedTop — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 04:40:00 GMT

It is easier to install new sheetrock over the old ceiling and finish it out with a flat finish. I had that done to my bedroom ceiling, and intend to do that in my daughters bedrooms when they move out. Several local contractors prefer to do this rather than remove the popcorn finish.

**My sheetrock guy charged me $400 to do my bedroom ceiling, and had it done in 5 days. 1st day hung the new sheetrock, second day taped all seams and put first coat of spackle on, third day put second coat of spackle on, fourth day he sanded the seams, and the last day he textured the new ceiling. It was well worth the price.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

homedecor1 — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 03:23:49 GMT

@bichon mom

I'd think twice! Don't know your ceiling height or sq. ft. of your

home but I got 5 estimates to paint my entire home 1978 sq ft w/18" ceilings in living areas, bedrooms reg ceilings with popcorn. I hated them at first but the cost & mess to remove them I thought not spending that big $$$.

Lowest:

The painting estimate (not inc. paint) $3,471

Removal of popcorn $4,992.00 (w/o any damage or replacement drywall)

Ceilings painted: $1400

They are professionals paint job will take 7-10 days max.

I'm always shocked what contractors cost!

PS: I'm having them painted when the house is painted - professionally. Plus, after they are painted (which I'm sure they never were!) I think they'll be fine. The only room I really see it is in kitchen because I had it remodeled & everything is fresh & newer.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

Azcowgirl — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 04:41:38 GMT

We had the painters spray paint the popcorn ceiling in my dads house when they painted the interior. It made the ceiling look a little smoother, not so popcorny. If I were going to live in the house, I like the idea of the quarter inch Sheetrock. We use it as a rental house.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

phoenixbrd — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 10:00:32 GMT

When we remodeled, had the popcorn removed and recess lighting put in.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

Graciea — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 18:14:08 GMT

I have popcorn ceilings in my vaulted living room. I hate them. I tried to have them professionally removed and nobody would touch them. They said it would be easier to replace them. However, I was told that I could not just put another layer of drywall on top of it, that whole thing would have to be Removed. Not worth it to me.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

Snicks1 — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 19:03:31 GMT

I have them in my entire house, hate them, too much work and expense to remove them, so I just live with it. Ugh.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

NickNack — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 20:59:29 GMT

I have them and don't like them. I had a decorator help me at one time and she wanted me to have them removed. I looked into it and didn't want to get into the huge mess it would make. I didn't even get as far as finding out how much it would cost.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

Regal Bee — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 21:01:41 GMT

I don't know what all the fuss is about popcorn ceilings. We had a 'knockdown' ceiling put in our family room at a huge cost and I woudn't do it again. But....it really comes down to what you like.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

SilleeMee — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 21:06:47 GMT

Why do people hate them so much? Just curious. Watching too much HGTV!...lol!

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

spot555 — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 21:23:43 GMT

I have that type of ceiling in my family room. I had it painted, & it looks great. I don't understand all the fuss about a textured ceiling being SO BAD.

Re: Popcorn Ceilings!

granddi — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 22:08:51 GMT

We wanted to get rid of pop corn ceilings for a long time. So when we decided to recarpet, we decided it was now or never.

So I went to the Sherwin Williams early am and lots of professional painters were there. So I asked what to do. Several said they used a sprayer worn like a back pack. Spray the ceiling and then scrap off the wet mud with a large putty knife. Did a patch test and it worked great.

So we jumped in. It was such as mess. The mud would fall on your head, or run down your arm, or if it fell on the floor must be careful not to step in and track elsewhere! We settled on the technique of using a tray to try to catch the mud as it is scraped.

Now after it is scraped, it really needs to be retectured (mud and tape). We did not do this. We just repainted. Over a few years, cracks developed bc the ceiling was not prepared properly.

Hire it done