Whether you are interested in updating the look of your master bedroom or wish to increase the safety of your living conditions, acoustic ceiling removal allows you to upgrade the look and feel of any room. If you have purchased a house built during the 1970s, chances are great that the ceiling displays what is known as a "popcorn" texture. At the time, numerous contractors made it a cost-efficient habit to spray the lumpy texture onto their newly built homes. Today, more builders and homeowners are interested in the traditional flat or surface textured ceilings, which means acoustic ceiling removal becomes quite essential.

Necessary Materials

In order to begin an acoustic ceiling removal project, there are various tools, supplies, and materials you must purchase in order to complete the job. The materials associated with acoustic ceiling removal include heavy-duty plastic, plastic floor sheeting, painter's tape, rosin paper, joint compound, primer, joint tape, paint, and optional texturing material. Tools and supplies needed for acoustic ceiling removal includes a circuit tester, ladder, garden sprayer, file, joint knife, bucket, sanding mesh, dust mask, sanding pad (with pole attachment), and a putty knife (six inches).

Asbestos Warning and Other Concerns

Before approaching an acoustic ceiling removal project, it is important to recognize the possibility of hazardous health conditions. Most important, the threat of asbestos is known to arise when dealing with sprayed-on acoustic ceilings applied before 1980. A simple test will identify asbestos-containing ceiling materials, where a small sample sent to an EPA-certified testing lab for analysis is recommended. It is highly suggested to wait for the results before starting your acoustic ceiling removal.

If the results of your test show no asbestos, it is still important to approach scraping and sanding with caution, as dust control and other chemicals prove dangerous to adults, children, and pets. For example, sometimes lead is contained in the paint used to coat older ceilings. Also, before entering acoustic ceiling removal, you should familiarize yourself with local laws, rules, and regulations. It is also important to recognize that the project often becomes physically exhausting and potentially dangerous. It is vital to make note of your breathing conditions, protective clothing, eye protection, potential wall and ceiling damage, and wiring and electrical power concerns.

Acoustic Ceiling Removal Preparation

Protecting your walls and floors from damage is one of the most important preparation steps to consider. First, you should remove all of the furniture from the room. Since water is part of the process of acoustic ceiling removal, the electricity should be turned off with extra checks using a circuit tester. Next, removing any light fixtures from the ceiling are suggested, followed by placing small pieces of plastic over each outlet. Heavy-duty plastic should line the walls and floors with plastic floor sheeting taped to the edge of the walls. This helps eliminate water damage.

Next, about ¼ inch below the ceiling, you should run a strip of painters tape along the upper edge of the walls, which creates a good seal at the top. A layer of rosin paper should be rolled out, which will absorb a great amount of fallen water and prevent slippery floors. Last, you should tape the edges of the paper together to make sure it stays in place as you work.

Popcorn Ceiling Removal

With the use of an average garden sprayer, plain water is used to wet down the ceiling. When working, it is suggested to utilize a workspace about four to five feet square by executing a couple of passes and then letting the water soak into the ceiling. It is important to know that a high level of water absorption is expected and a common mistake is to over wet the acoustic material. If you spray too much water, the underlying paper surface will become damaged.

Using a joint knife, scrape the moistened material from the ceiling, after filing down the sharp corners to prevent ceiling gouging. Some homeowners find that the popcorn ceiling will fall off by itself – thanks to the water. You may also encounter hard spots that require extra scraping. To avoid further stress, simply add more water and wait until it becomes softer to manage. During this time, if the floor becomes too messy, you may unroll a second layer of rosin paper on top of the clutter. After all acoustic ceiling removal is complete; you may remove the plastic sheeting from the walls and begin the clean-up process. This includes the simple task of rolling up the wet paper and plastic on the floor.

Repair Work

Sometimes the water used in the acoustic ceiling removal process may have caused a bit of damage to paper joint tapes. Bare joints needing attention may surface. This is where the joint compound comes in, as you should apply a thin layer along the joint line, using a six-inch putty knife. In a bucket of water, dip the joint tape, squeezing any excess material between your fingers. Wet tape will stick better to the joint compound, as well as lessen the chances of suffering air bubbles.

Nail holes may also erode due to the use of water during acoustic ceiling removal. Joint compound may fill in depressions left behind by nail or screw holes. Once the joint compound has dried, sanding the material is required. Instead of using the commonly selected sandpaper, sanding mesh is suggested. This item attaches to a sanding pad that is connected to the end of a long pole. This allows sanding without the use of a ladder.

Finishing Touches

The final steps associated with acoustic ceiling removal include the application of one or two brief coats of joint compound to any low spots. Light sanding should follow. Next, the ceiling should be primed with a product designed for wallboards. At last, the project is complete when a final coat of paint is applied or the ceiling undergoes a round of texturing to make sure the rest of the room matches the walls. This is where personal preference comes in.

Overall, the general acoustic ceiling removal project isn’t that hard for a homeowner to take on and in the end, the updated ceilings is a personal accomplishment one may truly admire on a daily basis.