Acoustic ceiling removal or what most would refer to as popcorn removal is not hard to do in most cases, yet it depends on when and how it was sprayed on, to determine the complexity of the project. We do NOT take any shortcuts. Even if we are 100% certain that the Acoustic ceiling does not contain asbestos, we take every precaution exceeding the law to contain the teardown and protect ourselves and the environment with the required masks and clothing as well as plastic sheathing. Prepping the room and it’s surrounding with plastic is the first task… if your prep is done correctly, the containment will be easy… this is the most important task!
What to expect:
Prep, prep and prep! Make sure you cover the walls and floors with plastic and seal with tape and cover furniture that was not able to be removed separately.
Using a sprayer, spray acoustic ceiling with water. (Mixture should be whenever possible hot water and a little bit of normal dish washing soap). After the spraying, let the ceiling set for at least 15 - 20min.
The fun begins, using a hand scrapper, start removing the acoustic ceiling making every effort not to gouge the ceiling. All results will not be equal (some acoustic ceilings come off easily in sheets leaving a nice smooth finish, others will take a lot more force, leaving small pits (The pits are the most common, later having to skim coat).
Once you are done with the removal, let the dust set for at least an hour prior to removing the plastic.
If you have a smooth finish, wash it down thoroughly, prime and paint.
If you have a pitted finish, you will need to skim coat to the desired textured finish, to achieve a perfect smooth finish, plan to skim the ceiling at least 3 times.
