Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Scraping off Popcorn style ceiling texture

How to remove Popcorn style ceiling Texture. By Ken Rader Owner: Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C. In the 1970's and 1980's a lot of homes were built and the ceilings were textured with popcorn style texture. Sometimes heavy and sometimes light. They even sprinkled a little glitter on some ceilings. Well here we are in the 21st century and that texture will not do. Out of date and no chance of coming back into style. IT HAS TO COME OFF! Here is a list of the tools you will need. 1. 6" putty knife (for scraping) 2. Small bucket or dust pan (to catch the scraped texture) 3. 30 gal. trash bags 4. Plastic film for covering up floor and anything else left in the room. 5. Step Ladder 6. Gloves 7. Masking tape and paper and a masking machine if you can afford it. (Cost about $50.00) 8. Safety glasses 9. Ball cap or hat to cover you head 10.Dust Mask. Everything about this job works against you because gravity is pulling everything down. To keep the mess to a minimum you will need to use the bucket or dust pan to catch the texture as you scrape it. 11. Pump up garden sprayer Begin by removing as much furniture and items from the room you are going to scrape the ceiling in. Whatever you cannot remove will have to be covered with plastic or a drop cloth. Fill up the sprayer with hot water and adjust the spray to a fan pattern, not a single stream. Wet down a section about 5' by 5' square. Wet it down two or three times since the texture will usually soak up the water. The wetter it is the easier it will scrape. Now take your bucket or dust pan and hold it under your scraper and scrape the texture off allowing it to fall into the bucket or dust pan. You will not catch all of it but whatever you catch is that much less on the floor. After a few scraping passes you will have to empty your bucket into the trash bag. Wet texture is heavy. Go at an even steady pace, no need to hurry. If the texture begins to dry out then wet it down again. Keep it wet because it will scrape easier. Once you do the first section then move on to another section. Sometimes ceilings have been painted and this makes it a little more difficult to scrape because the water will not soak into the texture because of the paint. It this is the case you will have to scrape in layers. First layer texture nibs, next layer some of the texture sheetrock mud, and finally the last of the texture from the sheetrock. Once this is done you will need to do some repairs from gouges and perhaps replace some sections of sheetrock tape. Then you will need to decide if you are going to texture the ceiling again or not before you paint it. You will almost always have to texture the ceiling again. The texture covered up a lot of mistakes in the original sheetrock job and all of them will be visible again. Most people will either texture the ceiling with orange peel or knockdown texture that matches what they have on the walls of their home. Here are some picture of a large room we just finished. Texture was removed, repairs made, Ceilings textured with a knock down and the wall textured with an orange peel. Paint was then sprayed on the ceiling and then rolled on the walls. Be patient and remember this is not a quick clean job. Most people will tire out quickly because you are working with your hands and arms above your head. So take a break every few minutes and keep the texture wet so that it will scrape easier. Have fun, call in a few favors for some extra manpower. Don't take any shortcuts and be thorough. If you leave gouges or do not make the repairs needed, a coat of paint will not make the go away. They will still be there only in a different color. If you put on a new texture it will usually not hide any problem areas that you should have fixed. We hope this information helps Happy Painting and Decorating Ken Rader Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C. Professional Painters and Decorators Serving Northwest Arkansas since 1987 Licensed and Insured visit our web site at www.kenraderinteriors.com or follow us on facebook at www.facebook.com/ken.rader.interiors

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