So we're looking at a house to buy and the whole thing has those textured ceilings (which my wife hates). Has anyone tried to smooth it out, or scrapped it off? Just trying to get an idea of how big of a job it is. I imagine it creates a mess.
It not quite popcorn but it's textured, almost like a strange circular pattern. I'm lucky that it's in just one room so for now it stays while we knock out larger projects but it's the kind of job I envision myself hiring someone for.
It not quite popcorn but it's textured, almost like a strange circular pattern. I'm lucky that it's in just one room so for now it stays while we knock out larger projects but it's the kind of job I envision myself hiring someone for.
I just bought an old 60’s style Ranch this past year, and sounds like you have the same thing we did. I’m pretty sure it was all plaster over sheet rock, with a circular texture. Either way, our first thing we did was skim coat the whole thing over so it was smooth, ceilings and walls. Makes a huge mess, we had to redo the floors anyway as they were in rough shape so we just made a mess and moved as quick as possible. It’s definetly a huge PITA, my shoulders are burning just thinking about it as your arms over your head the entire time.
It not quite popcorn but it's textured, almost like a strange circular pattern. I'm lucky that it's in just one room so for now it stays while we knock out larger projects but it's the kind of job I envision myself hiring someone for.
You go over it with joint compound. If done right, it requires very little sanding. Of course floors need to be covered for each area you're working on. You can hire someone who does sheet rock work. They are skilled at it, work fast and minimize the mess.
depending on the age of the house it could be a lead/asbestos issue.
Figure $5-$10 a sf as a guesstimate if it's not lead or asbestos.
Soak it, scrape it, skim coat it, pain it. All while reaching above your head.
That’s a high guesstimate imo. Based on those numbers a small bedroom ceiling (10x12 =120 sf) would be $600-$1,200!
If you’re removing the popcorn it shouldn’t take someone more than a day to do that, tops. (Someone who has the tools and knows what they’re doing would probably knock that ceiling out in 3-4 hours max) If it’s a texture that needs to be skim coated probably no more than 2 hours a coat x probably three coats.
Then you’d have to paint which is maybe an hour per coat. Depending on if it’s popcorn or texture it shouldn’t take a pro any more than 6- 8 hours labor.
It not quite popcorn but it's textured, almost like a strange circular pattern. I'm lucky that it's in just one room so for now it stays while we knock out larger projects but it's the kind of job I envision myself hiring someone for.
Rather than scrape which takes hours and makes a huge mess, our guys just put plaster or something on it to smooth it t out. It looks great and at a fraction of the cost
I'm sure if you Google "removing textures ceiling" you can get a step by step.
Figure $5-$10 a sf as a guesstimate if it's not lead or asbestos.
Soak it, scrape it, skim coat it, pain it. All while reaching above your head.
I have been trying for 10 years to get someone to remove/replace our popcorn ceiling.
And no one wants to touch it.
I have been doing it myself over the past 10 years one room or contiguous space at a time.
I don't think textured would be much different.
youtube has a lot of DIY suggestions, none work well and all are messy.
I just bought an old 60’s style Ranch this past year, and sounds like you have the same thing we did. I’m pretty sure it was all plaster over sheet rock, with a circular texture. Either way, our first thing we did was skim coat the whole thing over so it was smooth, ceilings and walls. Makes a huge mess, we had to redo the floors anyway as they were in rough shape so we just made a mess and moved as quick as possible. It’s definetly a huge PITA, my shoulders are burning just thinking about it as your arms over your head the entire time.
Looks like a cream cheese shmeer?
I can't imagine not being able to find a pro who would since popcorn removal is so common nowadays.
Anyway, if you do it yourself, an extension pole is your friend.
Stepladder
A whole lot of plastic drop cloths
Skim coat of spackel
Advil for sore neck the next day
Figure $5-$10 a sf as a guesstimate if it's not lead or asbestos.
Soak it, scrape it, skim coat it, pain it. All while reaching above your head.
That’s a high guesstimate imo. Based on those numbers a small bedroom ceiling (10x12 =120 sf) would be $600-$1,200!
If you’re removing the popcorn it shouldn’t take someone more than a day to do that, tops. (Someone who has the tools and knows what they’re doing would probably knock that ceiling out in 3-4 hours max) If it’s a texture that needs to be skim coated probably no more than 2 hours a coat x probably three coats.
Then you’d have to paint which is maybe an hour per coat. Depending on if it’s popcorn or texture it shouldn’t take a pro any more than 6- 8 hours labor.
Quote:
It not quite popcorn but it's textured, almost like a strange circular pattern. I'm lucky that it's in just one room so for now it stays while we knock out larger projects but it's the kind of job I envision myself hiring someone for.
Looks like a cream cheese shmeer?
Yes, kinda like that.
So there's a risk you spend a lot of time and $$ to remove the texture only to now be greeted with other visual imperfections in the ceiling.
I was advised I could do this as well, but I have crown moldings along the ceiling that would need to be removed.
they look nice, so I'd rather not do that.