By George Apap, President of George Apap Painting Inc.
Are you looking to get rid of your popcorn ceiling in Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester, Orange, Ulster, Fairfield, and Litchfield counties? Why did contractors even install popcorn ceilings in the first place? The simplest way to answer is the process was a very inexpensive way to finish ceilings. Apparently at one time people found it attractive or at least interesting and they didn’t mind the appearance. Today very few people find popcorn ceilings attractive and many people that have popcorn ceilings want them smooth. If you are considering having your popcorn ceilings removed, it is extremely important to first have the popcorn tested. Asbestos was commonly used as an ingredient in popcorn for many years. If asbestos is in fact present, all is not lost. We won’t be able to remove the popcorn at first, we’ll simply drywall over the popcorn and safely encapsulate it.
Once we determine it is safe to remove it, we can do so in two ways – the best method depends on the condition of the ceiling. If the ceiling is very soft, we may be able to use a special vacuum sander and sand the texture off the ceiling. It’s not easy, and it’ll definitely be a shoulder workout, but it is the cleanest way to do it as more than 90% of the debris gets contained directly into the vacuum. Regardless of the method we choose we still need to completely mask and protect the entire contents of the room. Further, the ceiling still will require a skim coat before priming. The vacuum sanding method works well only on weak, unpainted popcorn.
Unfortunately many popcorn ceilings have been painted over and often times more than once. This hardens the surface and reduces the effectiveness of the sander. Typically, we are still able to remove popcorn with a wet method. We still need to fully protect the contents of the room as this method although wet is still messy. We utilize a sprayer to apply warm water mixed with wallpaper removing agents to moisten the surface. In time, typically the product will loosen the bond of the popcorn to the drywall. This allows us to scrape away the popcorn from the drywall. Once the popcorn is removed, we can apply a skim coat before painting.
Rarely, but sometimes the popcorn has been painted over too many times and it resists both the sanding and the chemicals. In this case, we install new drywall directly over the popcorn the same as we do if asbestos is present in the drywall.
If you’re looking to get rid of or repair your popcorn ceiling, we can help! In most instances our experts are able to repair areas and blend the texture to restore the popcorn. If you’re in Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester, Orange, Ulster, Fairfield, and Litchfield counties and interested in removal or repair of your popcorn ceiling, please contact the experts at George Apap Painting!