Popcorn Ceiling Removal

Popcorn ceilings, also known as stucco ceilings, acoustic ceilings, and cottage cheese ceilings, were hugely popular in buildings and residential houses built between the 1930s and 1990s.

The stippled “popcorn” look was a cheap alternative to properly painted ceilings, and because of how easy it was to apply the mix builders didn’t need to concern themselves with fixing minor ceiling imperfections such as cracks and small holes since they would just be covered up by the texture.

As with most home improvement projects, popcorn ceiling removal is not necessarily considered a must-do item for most homeowners. Even so, there are a handful of compelling reasons that may shoot popcorn ceiling removal to the top of your to-do list. Before we look at the popcorn ceiling removal process and talk about the cost of removing a textured ceiling, let’s quickly go over some of the benefits of this home improvement project.

If your home was built before 1979 and has popcorn ceilings, the texture may contain asbestos fibers, which can cause serious illnesses such as asbestos cancer, mesothelioma, and respiratory complications, among other serious conditions. The EPA banned the use of asbestos in spray-applied surfacing products in 1978, but asbestos was commonly used in popcorn textures before then. If you have an older home and suspect that your popcorn ceilings may contain asbestos, removal is the best option to protect your health. (If you suspect your ceilings contain asbestos, please contact an abatement or asbestos testing service provider.)

Although spray-on textured ceilings were once highly appealing to builders on budgets, popcorn ceilings eventually went the way of other home fads (remember shag carpets and linoleum floors?) and have since fallen out of favor with modern homeowners. If you’ve gone to any lengths to modernize your home, popcorn ceilings can undermine your efforts by showing just how old your home is. A smooth, uniform and freshly painted ceiling can take years off the visible age of your home.

For all of the reasons above, popcorn ceilings may actually lower the perceived value of your home. That’s not to say popcorn ceilings necessarily lower the actual market value, but buyers may shy away from taking on a place they know will need extra renovations after moving in, or if they are interested in the house they may try to use the popcorn ceiling as a bargaining chip to negotiate a lower closing price.

Even for experienced do-it-yourselfers, popcorn ceiling removal can present many challenges. Not only is popcorn ceiling removal an incredibly messy job, but improper removal can damage the substrate underneath the popcorn or stucco. This is a labor-intensive job that is best left to professionals. And if you plan on painting the freshly exposed ceiling afterward, you can save even more time and hassle by hiring a professional interior painting company. From removal to disposal to repainting, hiring a painting company to handle your popcorn ceiling removal can streamline the entire process.

The question you may be asking at this point is how much does professional popcorn ceiling removal costs? There are numerous factors that can affect the price of popcorn removal, including:

• Square Footage – Professionals usually charge per square foot. It may go without saying, but the cost to remove stucco in a large living room or in multiple rooms will be higher than a smaller job in a single room or across a smaller home. If you don’t know the square footage of your home or the room with popcorn ceiling, you may only receive a general estimate until someone can measure the exact square footage of the popcorn ceiling that will be removed.
• Prep and Setup – Prep and setup are usually included in the fees, but there may be exceptions if anything about the job requires additional work beyond what is “normally” expected for these kinds of jobs. For instance, unpainted stucco is easier to remove than painted stucco, which requires increased effort to remove and often requires further prep after removal due to the substrate being affected. Asbestos is another factor. The presence of asbestos can turn popcorn ceiling removal into a much more complicated (and expensive) process.
• Finishing – What do you want to do with your ceilings after the popcorn texture is removed? This is one of the first questions you will be asked when calling for a quote on popcorn ceiling removal since the answer directly impacts the total cost of the project. You don’t necessarily need to repaint your ceilings, but even if you want to keep them exposed there is some level of finishing needed to complete the job. If you choose to go the painting route, the type of paint you choose can also impact the total cost.

Everyone loves popcorn, but no one loves their popcorn ceilings. If you’re ready for a change of scenery inside your home, the professionals at The Painting Company San Diego can help. We’ve been in the business of creating beautiful home interiors in San Diego County since 2007. In addition to our great interior painting services, we provide non-asbestos popcorn ceiling removal for homeowners in San Diego County. Contact us online for a quote on a popcorn ceiling removal project today!