How to Remove a 1960s Popcorn Ceiling
- 1). Call a certified asbestos contractor or take a small sample of the popcorn texture to a laboratory qualified to test for asbestos. Not all popcorn ceilings contain asbestos, but if yours does, you'll need a professional asbestos-removal contractor to remove the popcorn ceiling.
- 2). Remove furniture from the room and cover the floor with a large tarp. Scraping off a popcorn ceiling will cover the floor with the debris. Wear protective eyewear, old clothing and a respirator mask to keep from inhaling the particles.
- 3). Start with a dry ceiling, position a 10-inch trowel against the surface of the ceiling, and scrape off the popcorns without gouging the corners of the trowel into the drywall underneath. Depending upon the material used to apply the popcorn; this may be all you need to do to scrape off the old texture.
- 4). Dampen the ceiling lightly with a pressure sprayer filled with warm/hot water and give it about five minutes to soak in if you find it difficult to remove the popcorns when the ceiling is dry.
- 5). Continue scraping until all the popcorns are removed. Let the ceiling dry if it's damp, then sand it thoroughly with a drywall pole sander to remove tiny bits of stuck-on matter.