Popcorn ceilings were popular in the 1960s and 1970s. They concealed flaws in the ceiling and were fashionable at the time. They, like many other trends, did not last. Many homeowners today groan at them and wish they were gone. The good news is that people who buy a fixer-upper home can easily sell it. Because it makes the home more appealing to modern buyers, removing a popcorn ceiling has the potential to be a high-ROI home improvement. Are you ready to update your ceilings? Continue reading to find out how to get rid of a popcorn ceiling.
Why Would You Get Rid of Popcorn Ceiling
The main reason to remove popcorn ceilings is that they are no longer fashionable. Buying a home is most people's largest investment, so it's worth taking the time to personalize it. Furthermore, the majority of prospective homebuyers regard them as outdated. There are also practical drawbacks. The rough texture attracts dust and cobwebs, and patch repairs are difficult to make in a way that matches the texture. Furthermore, the ceiling will eventually require painting, which is difficult and time-consuming on such a rough surface.
How To Get Rid of a Popcorn Ceiling
While there are alternatives, scraping is the most commonly used method for removing popcorn ceilings.
Asbestos may have been present in popcorn used prior to 1980. If your home was built in the late 1970s or earlier, you should be aware that asbestos may be present. You can find out how to do so from your local health department. If asbestos is found, it must be professionally removed. Alternatively, encapsulate the asbestos using one of the other methods.
Ceilings painted prior to 1980 may also contain lead paint. There are lead-paint home test kits available.
Scraping is a time-consuming task. Even with experience, scraping 500 square feet can take up to 20 hours. However, it is inexpensive and can be completed by one person. Here are some pointers to help you get the job done:
Alternatives To Scraping Popcorn Ceiling
Painted popcorn can be difficult or impossible to scrape. Scraping is dangerous if there is asbestos in the ceiling, so drywalling is a better option. The job requires a ceiling-grade board that is lighter than standard wallboard. It must be fastened with drywall screws and then taped and mudded like any other drywall. It takes time and skill, but if done correctly, it results in the smoothest possible surface.
Another option is to skim a new coat of drywall over the popcorn with a different design. Prepare the existing ceiling with quick-setting drywall mud, then apply a bonding agent before troweling on a new texture with a finishing compound. Swirls, circles, or any other pattern that fits the theme of your room can be created.
This is not suitable for everyone. Some people simply do not want texture on their ceiling, even if it is new and fresh. However, it is a less difficult DIY than drywalling. Textured ceilings can be a pleasant surprise, and the look may complement the ambiance, especially in an older home.
Popcorn ceilings are a thing of the past.
When confronted with unwanted popcorn, many homeowners opt to hire a reputable contractor, which is sometimes the best option. However, for those who want to do the job themselves, there are several options. While scraping can be time-consuming and expensive, removing popcorn texture from the ceiling is a great way to make a home feel brand new. Call Marcel Painting and let us handle the job for you.
Your search is over. This is the company you want to hire period. I received estimates from most the major painting companies in the area. One came in at DOUBLE the cost! Marcel were not only the LEAST expensive but their administrative professionalism and, most importantly, the QUALITY of their work was EXCEPTIONAL. Dean provided the estimate, answered when I called, and responded to texts regularly. I was lucky enough to be assigned Armondo and his crew to complete the actual prep and painting process as well. They worked incredibly hard to make every detail just right. They met every single one of my (sometimes picky) expectations and then some. The measure of a business is how they respond when unforeseen problems evolve. They did NOT try to take advantage of me when they easily could have. This ENTIRE organization did what they said they would do, on time, and worked with me to overcome the monumental task of applying over 45 gallons of paint just right - Oh yeah, they were also available in a week or two instead of 6 months out…just a great business to work with, with quality people, driven by what appears to be a high ethical ideal. I have a seven year warranty, in my particular agreement, and I will sleep easy on the assumption that they will respond to future needs as well as they did to my initial work.
Andrew StewartWe just had our house painted and could not be happier, Samuel was amazing and did an outstanding job. Job was easy and clean start to finish and we could not be happier with the experience. Highly recommend Marcel Painting for your painting needs.
Sunny DI was in a hurry to get the entire interior of my new home custom painted before all of our furniture arrived. Everyone told me that would never happen. My realtor referred me to Marcel. They came out that day and gave me a great quote with excellent options. The team showed up the next day and was completely done in 2.5 days...I thought for sure the job was rushed and there would be so many mistakes...but after a thorough review (even with a general contractor friend of mine)...the results were too notch! Thank you to Marcel Painting and Armando...great work and customer service!!
Scott AldermanMarcel over-delivered on expectations! I largely relied on word-of-mouth and neighborhood experience to find Marcel. They delivered stellar results!!The crew was highly conscientious, professional and a pleasure to have around my home. Their prep work was meticulous and end result perfect! And price was competitive. What more could you want?
Donna VI hired Marcel Painting to repaint the exterior of my house. They did an excellent job! They finished everything in one day and it turned out great! I absolutely love it! I would recommend them to anyone who needs painting done. Thanks again!
Nicole AndersonSamuel of Marcel painting arrived on a Tuesday morning, alone, to paint my home. He completed the entire home by Friday afternoon. My home is a 2 story, 3,750 sq .ft house! He power washed everything (got my second story windows clean to boot), repaired areas of the plaster that had been damaged by sprinklers, and so many cracks I hadn't even noticed. He carefully taped up every window and opening to protect what areas were not to be painted and even made room in the rocks at the foundation to completely paint. He cleaned up everything and left my home looking brand new. I'm very pleased with the job. Thank you Samuel.
Lynne MoritzExcellent experience with Marcel Painting! Dean came out to give us a quote; he was friendly, knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. Our painter Samuel was awesome; he was punctual, carefully taped everything off and did a fantastic job on the painting. The new exterior paint took years off our home and we couldn’t be happier. Thanks so much!
Jenna MThe team from Marcel were simply wonderful to work with and the quality of their work was exceptional. We have a large house that had, until recently, been covered with vines. The team were exceedingly careful with the power washing and the exterior painting and the house looks beautiful as a result. It was a huge job but you would never have known it from their cheery engagement and enjoyment of bringing the house back to its original beauty.
Diana BowmanI contracted with Marcel Painting for the exterior of the house and the inside of the common wall. The crew arrived promptly. We thoroughly discussed the colors and the scope of the project. The crew cleaned, caulked, prepped the home with plastic to protect areas that were not needing paint. After the painting work was complete they had a detail crew go over every section to quality check the paint coverage. The items that they removed to have access to the wall surface they returned to the proper location when the painting was complete. I'm completely satisfied with the work provided. Highly recommend Marcel Painting.
Wendy KrankKelly and the team at Marcel Painting have painted several houses for me over the years!! They are very professional, priced well, and do an amazing job!! I highly recommend Marcel Painting for interior, exterior, or any of your painting needs!! Thanks Kelly for taking great care of me and my clients! Keep up the Great Work!!
mgfoulds13Last week Marcel Painting painted the exterior of our home. Their estimate was reasonable but the quality of their work was superior. The crew of Javier and Mario were attentive to our concerns and did everything we asked and more. If possible, I would give them more than 5 stars. We have already had compliments from our neighbor and requests for referrals. I would not hesitate to recommend Marcel Painting.
Charlene YoungMarcel painting did a great job! Fernando, Eduardo, Jose, and Juan were professional, courteous, and treated my home with respect. The crew was highly skilled and did high quality work. I plan to use Marcel Painting for all my future painting needs.
patricia finchI wanted to let you know how happy we are with our house painting! Your guys did an outstanding job! The house looks wonderful! They were clean and meticulous and very friendly too. The colors look even better than we imagined. The house looks new again! I’m happy to give you a 5 star review. Thanks again!
Steve TaylorGreat experience! The exterior of our home was painted by Marcel Painting. They did an excellent job in prepping the house and in cleaning up. The house looks great! Great job for a great price!
Micah CrawfordWe used Marcel Painting to paint our wrought iron pool fence and from the very first contact for the estimate through the completion of the project, they were responsive and very easy to work with. We will definitely use them again for our painting needs!
Debbie Halbert???? I stopped to get directions to another business that was nearby. But the gentleman that gave me directions was open and friendly. By that i would think Marcel Paintings has very top notch customer service. Idk about their products or pricing, but they seem like sweet folks. ?
izzatriteVery positive experience with Marcel Painting. My back porch ceiling had paint flaking off all over and drooping drywall. When they were done it looked like new.
Marc CasanovaJavier is a "one-man" show. He removed our "popcorn ceiling", textured, painted bedroom walls and doors, painted the exterior trim of our home---all in two days. Good work, Javier.
Lance CarterI contracted Marcel Painting to Paint the exterior of my rental house and they showed up on time, did a fantastic job, and were on there way. I will defiantly use them again.
Brian GaffneyMarcel Painting did a great job with our painting project. Kelly came to our home and gave us a fair & honest quote. His crew arrived on time and were very attentive. We are very happy with the results! I would highly recommend Marcel Painting. Great job!
Steve TaylorWe hired Marcel Painting to paint our two-story lobby at my office building. They did a wonderful job! Kelly was great to work with and his staff was kind, punctual, and did a great job! We are incredibly happy the quality of work! We would hire Marcel Painting again in a heartbeat!
RoseAnn LinsmeyerBest painting ever!
Jimmy DurdenWe had the interior of our house painted and it turned out great. The two painters were very good at protecting the floor with plastic. Removing and replacing wall plates. Masking things like fans and lights. Very neat and tidy. Had the popcorn ceiling in the garage removed and had the garage interior painted as well. From dingy dirty garage to bright clean work space and car sanctuary. Price was fair and reasonable... really felt like I got my money’s worth. I just had my backyard fence stuccoed and plan to contact Marecel’s when it’s time to paint it. My experience leads me to highly recommend. PS: I think it helped quite a bit that my wife and I moved all the furniture into the center of the rooms, emptied the garage and just made the work space suited for painting. I was paying for painting services, not furniture moving. Again... very pleased with the final product.
George CookWe had a great experience with them. The painting crew was very courteous and did a great job. The owner was very understanding and made sure we would be happy with our choices. They even happily came back out to touch up some places in the house. We plan to use them for our exterior painting project as well.
GoldebeanEXTERIOR HOUSE PAINTING: MESA, AZ Marcel Painting was a recommended quality painting company doing business in Mesa, AZ. The subdivision HOA restrictions for the paint exterior house/trim/paint requirements made it challenging in selecting the appropriate paint company. The HOA paint requirements were more stringent than a typical home owner could imagine. We were also concerned for the finished quality as the home has various clay tile roof lines and multiple variations to the structure. Kelly provided staff to investigate the HOA requirements and confirmed that the painting would confirm to all the HOA requirements. Kelly and staff of Marcel Painting were professional, responsive, prompt with excellent communication skills. Unexpected issues were attended to immediately and solved within short order. The entire exterior painting was completed within time and quoted price. We are pleased with the quality of painting and completeness of the project. We would highly recommend Marcel Painting for any future exterior painting. We will also consider Marcel Painting for painting the interior. Thank you Kelly and staff at Marcel Painting
EDOAbel Hernandez and his crew painted my daughter's house and they did an excellent job. The wood on part of the house was terribly dry and faded. Now it looks brand new. It is clearly the nicest house on the block. I highly recommend Marcel painting and specifically ask for Abel Hernandez.
Shirley MorenoAbsolutely fantastic paint job! Quick, efficient and timely from bid to completion process :) Our company is beyond satisfied and we have referred Marcel Painting to personal friends and other companies. Will use them in the future! Thanks Kelly! -Francine over at Genius Network :)
Admin AssistantVery happy with our experience with Marcel for house exterior. They were priced well, quick to respond, and very thorough. Painters were very courteous, cheerful, and polite.
Crystal GorishekThis was my second time using them, first for interior and now exterior. They were responsive, on time, quick, and thorough. I had a lot of vines and bushes in my yard and was concerned about painting around them, but they were able to accommodate. I would definitely hire them again.
Brian BresnahanI was very pleased with Marcel Painting! They painted the interior of my condo which had very challenging design elements: vaulted ceilings, textured walls and a staircase. They completed the job in one and a half days. They were prompt, professional and clean. The place looks beautiful! The owner, Kelly, answered all my calls and texts in a timely manner. Even when I changed my mind last minute and wanted to have my ceilings painted, he was more than happy to have his crew complete my request the same day. Very satisfied!
Cynthia Pohle
