Best ways to redo and remove a popcorn ceiling

There are a few things that can really outdate a home and bring down its esthetics and perceived value, and popcorn ceilings are one of them. While they may have been very popular among homeowners back in the day, they’re anything but these days. The modern homeowner of today no longer desires the look of popcorn ceilings, and as such, more and more of them are choosing to have the sprayed-on material removed. If your home currently has popcorn ceilings, you may have been considering having them removed. But how exactly can you get rid of your popcorn ceilings? What’s the best way to redo and remove a popcorn ceiling and create a surface that’s much more modern and stylish for your home? Here are a few suggestions. Scrape it Off Perhaps the most obvious ways to get rid of your popcorn ceilings is to simply scrap the material off. By doing so, you are essentially removing the sprayed-on material to expose the smooth surface beneath. To do this, the material will first have to be softened with water, which will make it much easier to remove the material. Then, you can easily slough off the material using a putty knife. However, before you do so, you’ll need to protect the flooring beneath with a drop cloth to catch all the messy ceiling material that will eventually fall. Further, you’ll likely be left with a bunch of knicks and dents from all that scraping. As such, efforts will have to be made to patch them up to reveal a smooth surface. From that point on, you’re free to create the ceiling that you love. Cover it Up Alternatively, you may decide to just cover up the popcorn ceiling with ceiling drywall. This will effectively eliminate the need to spend time and effort scraping the material and will avoid the chances of allowing any asbestos (if present) from becoming airborne. Again, this method takes a lot of effort and teamwork to accomplish successfully. Once the drywall is installed, the joints will have to be smoothed over, after which you can create the exact type of ceiling you desire. Apply a New Texture If you’re OK with texture but don’t like the bumpy look of your popcorn ceiling, you can simply apply another compound over top and create a new texture that’s more pleasing to your tastes. But before you do, you’ll need to test the material that’s already there to make sure that it’s strong enough to hold the added weight of the new material.