Why popcorn ceilings

A smooth ceiling can give a room an elegant appearance and blends seamlessly into the walls. Because of the way the paint is applied, it also reflects the natural light more readily on sunny days. Another point is a smooth surface visually raises the ceiling , which makes the room look larger and airier.

Since it can be difficult to get a smooth ceiling completely free of imperfections, a flat paint is suggested to help disguise them.

However, the surface will need to be cleaned and primed before starting to apply the popcorn texture, which is bought as a dry mix and then mixed with water. This technique provides the best coverage of the ceiling.

If more than one coat is going to be used, it needs to dry overnight between coats. When a smooth ceiling is applied, there is a lot of prep work beforehand.

If there are any small cracks, holes, or minor damage, then they need to be filled. Since the filler will shrink when it dries, it needs to extend past the area that is damaged. Once dry, it must be sanded 3 before a base coat is used to cover the repairs.

When the base coat is dry, the next step is to apply a skim coat, which is a thin coat of plaster 4. Then, the last step is to apply the paint color of choice. Plus, the area will need to be sanded 3 , wiped with a damp cloth, have a stain blocker applied, and then the entire area needs to dry thoroughly. In addition, only one coat should be applied at a time. This area needs to dry completely before applying more coats as needed. However, even with a repair job of good quality, the ceiling and repair may never actually match.

A smooth ceiling is easier to repair because a damaged piece can be removed. This is because the piece that is damaged can be cut out and a new piece of drywall 2 can be fitted to match the damaged area.

Plus, drywall 2 screws are used to attach it, which is easy to do. Next, a joint compound 8 is applied to smooth over any bumps, and when dry, the area is sanded 3. When the area is completely dry, it can then be painted to match the rest of the ceiling.

The maintenance of a popcorn ceiling can be difficult because of the rough texture. In addition, cobwebs, dirt, and dust can attach themselves to the bumps and crevices making it hard to clean easily. One way to clean it is to run a feather duster over it removing the dust. Another method is to attach the brush attachment to a vacuum and gently go over the ceiling.

If the ceiling is rubbed too hard, however, the texture may come loose or crack and fall off. The fact is, both of these rooms collect a lot of moisture. When moisture is absorbed in a popcorn ceiling, the texture of the ceiling loosens and eventually comes down.

In a bathroom with a smooth ceiling, paint that is designed to combat moisture can be used. If a home was built before and popcorn ceilings were installed, asbestos may be in the mixture.

In fact, asbestos 9 was used as a binder in popcorn ceilings before it was banned. Even after the ban, some materials with asbestos 9 that remained in stock was allowed to be sold. If there is a chance that asbestos 9 is in your popcorn ceilings, then a licensed professional must remove it. Smooth ceilings don't collect as much dust as popcorn ceilings because of the flat surface.

Because a popcorn ceiling has a rough surface, dust will attach itself to the bumps and ridges, which makes keeping it clean difficult. Popcorn ceilings are better at noise insulation than smooth ceilings because of the increased surface area. In fact, it can be used in rooms where noise is an issue for the homeowner. FIXR provides cost guides, comparisons, and term cheat sheets for hundreds of remodeling, installation and repair projects.

Log In. Loading, please wait Other than priming the ceiling with paint, there was no need to patch any cracks or smaller holes and sand them down before painting, because it would just be covered up by the texture. Popcorn ceilings provided a cost-effective, and time-efficient, solution for many families. Not bad! After this discovery, popcorn ceilings were made with materials such as Styrofoam to create the same stippled pattern.

Even though its popularity has waned, these ceilings still exist in many homes today. Depending on the look you want to achieve, popcorn ceilings can either be seen as outdated or well-suited to the interior of your home.

That said, one great benefit then, and now is that they hide imperfections, cracks, and scuff marks a lot better than regular, smooth ceilings. Since the three-dimensional texture is coarse and casts shadows, it can disguise or even completely cover those older, shoddy repair jobs, and no one would be the wiser. Smooth ceilings look more polished and modern, but because natural or indoor lighting reflects evenly on flat surfaces, those seams, cobwebs, and drywall touch-ups are harder to conceal.

The reason why popcorn ceilings are also called acoustic ceilings is because they are better at absorbing sound. This is in part because of the increased surface area due to all the raised bumps, which is said to help muffle noise.

A definite advantage if you have floors with lots of traction, or for those moments when you feel like grabbing a midnight snack! Popcorn ceilings can be a strategic way to insulate noise levels in certain areas prone to louder sounds. An unfortunate drawback to popcorn ceilings is the amount of work required to keep the surface area clean and fix any holes or cracks that may appear over time. Cobwebs, spiders, dust, and bits of dirt can easily get caught in the bumps, and smoke can eventually stain your ceiling, which can be difficult to remove.

A duster or the brush head of your vacuum cleaner can help get rid of debris, but if you press too hard, raised particles of your ceiling may break and fall off, causing more aesthetic harm than good. Should too many bumps fall off while cleaning, or if any holes form in your ceiling, it is time-consuming to repair them.

First, you need to scrape off all the bumps surrounding the damaged section and sand it down so it is completely smooth before applying some drywall plaster, sanding again, and painting it over. You cannot paint this type of ceiling with a regular brush! Removing a popcorn ceiling is a fairly easy and affordable DIY project that just requires some time and muscle. Should your ceiling need more TLC than just scraping and painting, there are also options for covering up popcorn ceilings, such as wood paneling, pressed tin tiles, or new drywall.

Ready to tackle the home improvement job yourself and learn how to get rid of a popcorn ceiling? We asked contractor Justin Krzyston, president of Stonehurst , how to remove popcorn ceilings safely and easily. If you go the DIY test route, make sure to use the appropriate safety gear, such as gloves, a ventilator or dusk mask, and eye protection. If your ceiling tests positive, you should have a professional licensed in asbestos abatement remove the texture or cover the entire ceiling with paneling or drywall.

The essential popcorn ceiling removal tools include:. Remove furniture from the room, and cover floors and walls with plastic sheeting.

Keeping the space ventilated will help you breathe easier as you scrape away. For experienced DIYers or professionals, estimates say it can take about 20 hours to remove square feet of popcorn from the ceiling. For the less experienced, it will likely be longer, and it can also be quite difficult on your body, with all that time on a ladder.