# Removing popcorn ceiling...



## MuddingSilly

I am a drywall contractor from NE Ohio and we dont do a lot of popcorn ceilings around here. So this is my first.

I have a whole house with popcorn that needs scraped and retexture with an antique/knockdown. 

How long do you think it would take to scrape a 2600 square foot house? It is a thick popcorn. 

Also if anybody with a lot knowledge about it please pm me if you dont mind discussing a few things. 

Thanks for your help.


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## Mudslinger

Scraping shouldn't take to long, it's what you find underneath you have to always worry about when bidding. Always throw some in the bid for the extras(cracked angles/blistered seams) that might show up, it's always better to come in on budget.


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## thefinisher

You also have to make sure if it is painted or not. If it isn't painted then 2 people can easily scrape that in a day. If it is painted it could be at least 2 days. We try to avoid jobs like that though as you never know what kind of mess they covered up with the popcorn. Thus the reason we always over lay the popcorn with 1/4" rock. But if you are retexturing then you should be fine if it is heavy enough.


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## MrWillys

Growing up in a large production residential drywall company in California we used acoustic as a way to reduce cost. Ceilings were taped, topped, and sprayed vs walls that were taped, topped, skimmed and hand applied textured. As others have mentioned, getting it scraped is easy if unpainted, but covering and cleanup should truly be considered as well as recoating to prep for the new finish. ACM (asbestos containing material) might also be a consideration.


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## endo_alley

Wet it down with a bug sprayer prior to scraping. Mask off floor with rosin paper, and walls with plastic.


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## Sir Mixalot

Or use a paint sprayer. :thumbup:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz63ATjiVdY


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## Mrdrywall

Wow I cannot believe the amount of water being sprayed on that ceiling. If your using water to remove popcorn texture your just asking for trouble. I use a grace 230 and spray mud mixed to the consistency of paint. It only wets the popcorn not the drywall.


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## Sir Mixalot

Mrdrywall said:


> Wow I cannot believe the amount of water being sprayed on that ceiling. If your using water to remove popcorn texture your just asking for trouble. I use a grace 230 and spray mud mixed to the consistency of paint. It only wets the popcorn not the drywall.


Nope not one problem in over 20 years of using the airless and water to remove popcorn. :no:


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## Sir Mixalot

Mrdrywall said:


> I use a grace 230 and spray mud mixed to the consistency of paint. It only wets the popcorn not the drywall.


So you spray on joint compound just to remove the popcorn ceiling texture?


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## Mrdrywall

If you were sitting at home and water started dripping from you ceiling you freak out. But then most drywall guys think nothing of saturating a ceiling with water. That's insane! To much water on Sheetrock and or mud joints is not a good idea no matter what direction it's coming from.


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## mld

Sir Mixalot said:


> Nope not one problem in over 20 years of using the airless and water to remove popcorn. :no:


I've actually used a garden house before. Spray it, scrape it, and within a couple hours that ceiling is as dry as a popcorn fart again. I like the mud idea though, might have to give it a try.


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## Sir Mixalot

Mrdrywall said:


> If you were sitting at home and water started dripping from you ceiling you freak out. But then most drywall guys think nothing of saturating a ceiling with water. That's insane! To much water on Sheetrock and or mud joints is not a good idea no matter what direction it's coming from.


The popcorn soaks most of the water up. :thumbsup:


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## Sir Mixalot

Mrdrywall said:


> If you were sitting at home and water started dripping from you ceiling you freak out. But then most drywall guys think nothing of saturating a ceiling with water. That's insane! To much water on Sheetrock and or mud joints is not a good idea no matter what direction it's coming from.


Yes there is a difference from which way the water is coming.


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## MrWillys

I had some tight radius work so I built a pool and soaked 1/4". Super told me that will cause mold. I said yep until it dries tomorrow.


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## Mrdrywall

Sir Mixalot said:


> Yes there is a difference from which way the water is coming.


Pretty sure the tape joints could care less what direction the water is coming from. But if you think spraying straight water on them is good. Then go with that.


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## mld

Mrdrywall said:


> Pretty sure the tape joints could care less what direction the water is coming from. But if you think spraying straight water on them is good. Then go with that.


So what do you tape and coat with? Dry powder out of the bag?


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## Sir Mixalot

Mrdrywall said:


> Pretty sure the tape joints could care less what direction the water is coming from. But if you think spraying straight water on them is good. Then go with that.


Hmm. If water comes from the roof- The water will flow right on top of the exposed backside of the tape joint .

If water gets on the face of the drywall and tape joints- it gets soaked up by the popcorn and then a lot gets scraped off. What little is left dries quickly...:thumbsup:

Are you opposed to spraying primer and paint on a drywall ceiling too? :whistling2:


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## endo_alley

MrWillys said:


> I had some tight radius work so I built a pool and soaked 1/4". Super told me that will cause mold. I said yep until it dries tomorrow.



We will sometimes make a pool out of a piece of 6 mil plastic by tying a knot in each of the four corners of the plastic. But for really radii, we add a little fabric softener to the water. It will dry out pretty quick. It seems that the mold issue arises from something that is repeatedly damp over a longer period of time.


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## Mrdrywall

Sir Mixalot said:


> Hmm. If water comes from the roof- The water will flow right on top of the exposed backside of the tape joint .
> 
> If water gets on the face of the drywall and tape joints- it gets soaked up by the popcorn and then a lot gets scraped off. What little is left dries quickly...:thumbsup:
> 
> Are you opposed to spraying primer and paint on a drywall ceiling too? :whistling2:


You say primer and paint is the same as water  trust me there is a difference. I know you have been doing it for 20 years but I've been doing it for 35. So allow me to elaborate on my above comment. When you spray a ceiling down with water everyone knows the wetter that you get it the easier the popcorn is to remove. So also like on that video you posted people saturate the ceilings and you can see on the video that you posted When the water soaks in what do you think it's soaking in to? Yup the drywall. It's like a sponge the surface may dry quickly. On the paper. But if the mud joints get to wet they will sometimes crack as they dry out.
That's why I don't use water. 
Source: me doing drywall for 35 years and I do a house every day of the week popcorn removal.

Also since I'm in a helpful mood that video you have posted on your website where you were patching knocked down on the back porch the problem was not that the ceiling was not primed the problem is there's no insulation up about that porch ceiling the heat baked it off. Also happens in most garage ceilings.&#55356;&#57096; The more you know.


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## Sir Mixalot

Mrdrywall said:


> Also since I'm in a helpful mood that video you have posted on your website where you were patching knocked down on the back porch the problem was not that the ceiling was not primed the problem is there's no insulation up about that porch ceiling the heat baked it off. Also happens in most garage ceilings.�� The more you know.


Yes, I do a lot patios and garages. That ceiling was several years ago. I think it was heat too because it was right below a hip in the roof. Probably not a lot of air flow and either no insulation or too much.

As far as garages, that's what I tell my customers. It's the hottest part of the home with no a/c. Then they pull their hot car in, which essentially bakes the drywall and tape. Plus the vibration of the garage door going up and down several times a day over the years. A lot of times I end up rescrewing the ceiling especially if it's was attached with those damn old school small dimpled nails.


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## MrWillys

I don't get the pissing contest here? When acoustic was used we did a tape top and spray. Therefore, if you remove it you must coat it to bring it up to a reasonable finish. Mrdrywall would freak out when doing core construction before the roof is water tight. Drywall must be kept wet for long periods of time to really do damage like flooding or a plumbing leak. Getting it wet for scraping or bending most will agree is completely acceptable.


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## Mrdrywall

MrWillys said:


> I don't get the pissing contest here? When acoustic was used we did a tape top and spray. Therefore, if you remove it you must coat it to bring it up to a reasonable finish. Mrdrywall would freak out when doing core construction before the roof is water tight. Drywall must be kept wet for long periods of time to really do damage like flooding or a plumbing leak. Getting it wet for scraping or bending most will agree is completely acceptable.


We are talking apples and oranges here. Core construction wtf show me someone that hangs drywall when a house is not dried in and I'll show you a fool. But that's not even what I'm talking about I've never mention mold I'm specifically talking about the mud joints the tape. And if you guys are telling me that saturating the mud joints has no effect on them then you need to go back to Drywall school.


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## Mrdrywall

This is like being in the Twilight zone where everyone says but we've always done it this way.


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## MrWillys

Mrdrywall said:


> We are talking apples and oranges here. Core construction wtf show me someone that hangs drywall when a house is not dried in and I'll show you a fool. But that's not even what I'm talking about I've never mention mold I'm specifically talking about the mud joints the tape. And if you guys are telling me that saturating the mud joints has no effect on them then you need to go back to Drywall school.


The core of a highrise? You think they wait until the tower is complete to start shaftwall and restrooms? In 1985 I did a 10 story in Concord CA. I'll never forget the water that poured down through that building in a hard rain. Shacks are simple, it's when you get outside the box where it gets fun. 
Plus, we used to stock our shacks prior to the windows going in. The board would get wet and we'd hang moldy board. The tapers would spray it with Clorox and once dry finish the house. Preach all you want but I'm not part of your choir and my qualifications are reasonably deep.


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## Mrdrywall

MrWillys said:


> The core of a highrise? You think they wait until the tower is complete to start shaftwall and restrooms? In 1985 I did a 10 story in Concord CA. I'll never forget the water that poured down through that building in a hard rain. Shacks are simple, it's when you get outside the box where it gets fun.
> Plus, we used to stock our shacks prior to the windows going in. The board would get wet and we'd hang moldy board. The tapers would spray it with Clorox and once dry finish the house. Preach all you want but I'm not part of your choir and my qualifications are reasonably deep.


You sir have now bested me. No way I can argue with such solid logic of hanging new moldy drywall and then spraying bleach on it
If that was even what I was talking about. And it was not.
But I'm sure sirmixalot will thank you lol


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## MrWillys

Mrdrywall said:


> You sir have now bested me. No way I can argue with such solid logic of hanging new moldy drywall and then spraying bleach on it
> If that was even what I was talking about. And it was not.
> But I'm sure sirmixalot will thank you lol


 These decisions were above my pay grade at the time and I'm just telling you the truth. If there's no moisture present mold can't survive. Your to good for the rest of us is an old tale. Lumber gets mold when framing sits out in the weather. Should we get all freaked out about it? I'll never forget those pretty colors of drywall. However, we weren't small time. 50 plus guys and we stocked our own board too. You can be a smug as you want. I've always said I didn't do drywall to make friends I did it to make money.
Maybe your could invent a drywall ziplock bag to keep your precious rock in?


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## Mrdrywall

Ok let's start this over. I am not talking about mold. I agree sometimes Sheetrock gets wet and is very fixable when that happens. The point I am bringing up is when the ceiling joints gets to saturated with water. It can cause the tape to fail. Not sure why this is even being debated.


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## endo_alley

Mrdrywall said:


> Ok let's start this over. I am not talking about mold. I agree sometimes Sheetrock gets wet and is very fixable when that happens. The point I am bringing up is when the ceiling joints gets to saturated with water. It can cause the tape to fail. Not sure why this is even being debated.


I've never seen a tape joint come un fastened by dampening it because of water used in acoustic popcorn texture removal. But if it does, pull the tape off and redo it. Not the end of the world.


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## Mrdrywall

endo_alley said:


> I've never seen a tape joint come un fastened by dampening it because of water used in acoustic popcorn texture removal. But if it does, pull the tape off and redo it. Not the end of the world.


Lmfao.......  and you do a lot of popcorn removals ehh.


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## endo_alley

Mrdrywall said:


> Lmfao.......  and you do a lot of popcorn removals ehh.


I admit I try to avoid it. That is bottom of the barrel work usually. Around here popcorn tends to be in old run down rental apartments where people don't really have enough money to pay what it is worth to redo the drywall. That being said, I have done quite a bit of it.


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## Mudbronco

Too much water will tend to release the old tape. You won't notice till it gets painted when it starts cracking and breaking away. For a small room it is cheaper to overlay with new drywall. For larger jobs we try to screw off old ceiling after scraping. I mostly depends on the year on original taping. The older the job the more you have to be careful.


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## Lovin Drywall

Drywall power sander hooked up to a vacuum does well usually and fast then just skim coat the ceiling and retexture


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