Buying an older home? The look of an older homes can be easily improved to become more desirable. Flooring upgrades, along with bathroom and kitchen renovations, are the most common upgrades in older homes. In addition to the three upgrades, popcorn ceiling removal is also an easy way to make your older home more modern.
Although popcorn ceilings were popular in the past, they’ve been outdated. Despite their existence in older homes, most homeowners don’t find them appealing. Modern homeowners prefer beautiful smooth ceilings with nice surfaces for easy painting. However, popcorn ceilings shouldn’t stop you from buying your dream home. You can easily remove and replace it with a modern ceiling to give your new home a fresh feel.
You don’t need to strain your budget to remove the popcorn ceiling in the older home. It is easy to remove and is a DIY project. All you need is time and the right tools to get the job done. However, expect some hard work on your part and a mess to clean up when done. Here’s a guide to help you remove your popcorn ceiling like a professional:
A Step-by-Step Guide on Popcorn Ceiling Removal
1. Choose When to Remove the Ceiling
When is the right time to remove the popcorn ceiling? Remove the ceiling after renovating other parts of the older house, but before painting your interior walls. Popcorn ceiling removal can be messy, hence the need to work on the project before moving into your new home. Alternatively, you can remove the ceiling after moving in. However, despite covering your seats, cleaning won’t be easy.
2. Collect the Tools You Need to Remove the Ceiling
Popcorn ceiling removal is a hands-on job that requires you to use certain tools. Get a garden sprayer, a sander, a putty knife with mud, a roller, paint and a scraper. Collect these tools and have them ready before commencing the work. You might be having some of the tools already. You can buy what you don’t have or even borrow from a friend or neighbor.
Plan your ceiling removal properly and make sure everything is in order to ensure you start and finish the project on time.
3. Cover Your Furniture and Other Household Items
In case you’re already living in the older house with a popcorn ceiling, cover your things to prevent dirt and other debris from getting on them. If possible, move some things to other rooms or take them outside early in the morning before you start the project. Consider moving some things to the garage temporarily if you’ve got some space in there. When done, you can then bring them back inside after clearing the mess from removing your popcorn ceiling.
4. Spray Down a Section
Before you begin to remove your ceiling, treat it with a solution of hot water and fabric softener to make your work easier. The solution works to soften your ceiling so it comes off easily. Fill your garden sprayer with the solution and spray one section at a time.
Only spray the section you’ll be working on to prevent any likely injuries. Use the hottest water you can find for the best results.
5. Scrape Off Your Popcorn Ceiling
After spraying a section on your ceiling with the hot water, scrape it off gently, moving from one section to another. Do not gouge big holes on your popcorn ceiling to ensure your safety. Scrape the ceiling with the scraper until you can no longer see the popcorn.
6. Smooth Out residual Popcorn
When done scraping, your ceiling will have imperfections. Even out the ceiling with a sander to remove all imperfections, gouges and residential popcorn. Your goal is to make sure that your ceiling doesn’t just have the popcorn, but is also even. In case you find large gouges, don’t smooth them out as they need fixing.
7. Fix Large Gouges
After scraping and sanding, your ceiling should be perfect and ready for its new, modern look. However, fix large gouges that might remain on your ceiling before doing anything else. Fill the gouges using your knife and mud until it becomes smooth and evened out.
8. Paint Your Ceiling
At this point, you’re done with the first step of removing your popcorn ceiling and preparing the platform for its new look. Apply prime to give your paint a good undercoat. When done, let it dry for a few minutes before applying the actual paint. Choose paint of your desired color to complement your personality and style.
Although white is typical of modern homes, you can play around with other colors for the best look indoors. However, make sure you go for soft tones for the best ambience inside your home. Apply your chosen paint in a single coat or two. Let the first oat dry before applying the second for the best results.
What Else Should You Know About Popcorn Ceiling Removal?
With a new ceiling in your older home, you don’t just get to give your interior space an instant new look, but also increase the value of your property. Although removing your popcorn ceiling is easy and a viable DIY project, you can still hire professionals to get the job done faster and better for perfect results.
If you work on a busy schedule or not sure whether you can remove your popcorn ceiling on your own, find reliable and affordable professionals to get the job done. Expect to pay about $2 for every square foot.
Contact us to find out more tips about renovating your older house and modernize it for enhanced appeal and increased market value!