How to Sand a Popcorn Ceiling
- 1). Remove a small portion of the popcorn ceiling by scraping it into a small zip-close bag. The area should be about a 1-inch by 1-inch portion of the ceiling. Locate a local testing facility in your area to test the sample for asbestos. Your local hardware store will be able to assist you with a recommendation. If asbestos exists in the sample, you should consult a local contractor to have the ceiling removed. If no asbestos exists, you can move forward with the project.
- 2). Remove any furniture, rugs or decorations you don't want to get dirty from the room. If there are any light fixtures or ceiling fans in the room, you will need to remove them as well. In addition, disable the electricity for light fixtures or ceiling fans since you will use water in the removal process.
- 3). Lay out the tarp across the entire floor of the room. Use painter's tape to secure the tarp to the bottoms of the walls or the baseboards. This will prevent the tarp from moving and the popcorn ceiling from dropping onto the floor or furniture in the room underneath the tarp.
- 4). Starting in the far corner of the room, stand on a ladder and begin spraying a 1-foot by 1-foot section with water. While the ceiling is still wet, scrape the ceiling gently with the joint or spackle knife. If the section doesn't come off easily, try spraying more water on the area to loosen it further.
- 5). Repeat the steps for the remainder of the room.