I hate popcorn

[Java]

personal victory this morning, got all the popcorn ceiling off my living and dining rooms and the nasty old carpet is out. I'm doing everything floor to ceiling, including base, chair and crown mouldings and wainscoat. Had the ceiling tested, no asbestos, just plaster / latex / cellulose. F***ing messy job, can't wait til all the demo is over!!

[The StRanger]

:thumb:

[Patrolman]

Will look awesome when you are done! We have 7 rooms with popcorn that need done. You are welcome to stop by. :)

[Serious Offroad]

http://persephonemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jon-stewart-popcorn.gif

[Jackie]

Years ago while living in Florida, we had a huge 3-season porch that I decided to paint. It had a popcorn ceiling. What I thought might take me 2-3 days to complete took me an entire week and about 5 times as much paint as I expected. What a mess with that crap soaking up the paint like melted butter and then falling off the ceiling onto my head. It would have been easier to scrape it all off, but I didn't know that going in... Never again!

[Jim]

By the thread title I thought you were eating popcorn and had broken a tooth on an "old maid".

I guess popcorn ceiling is better...

[96EXXLTinCO]

That's a big project!! Can't say I envy you for taking it on, but it will be worth it when it's all done. Nice work Paul.

[Brad]

Been there! Jenn and I had to scrape off popcorn in our old house that had been painted several times. I can't stand popcorn texture!

[Java]

Thanks everyone, it's been a PITA job!! I've been using two spray bottles with hot soapy water to soak it first, then it comes off in small sheets with a 6" scraper. Fortunately it was never painted except a little near the walls- anywhere it's been painted takes twice as long, the water doesn't soak in as quickly. The trick is figuring out how wet to get it so it comes off but you don't soak the drywall or the scraper gouges it.

when it's wet it comes off like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tf8NbEaRps

[Patrolman]

I watched something just last week on a home improvement TV show, maybe Ask This Old House, about removing popcorn. Their trick was water with a bit of liquid fabric softener.

Will you have to do any finish work to the drywall or do you think you can just paint it?

[dieseldoc]

Popcorn goes on a level 2 prep.
He should only need Repair the scars from taking that nasty carp down.
Only level 3 is any more preped as its getting some kind off paper.

[Brad]

We gouged our drywall in several spots. Just used spackle and sanded it down. There had to be 5 layers of paint on ours so the water tricks didn't work. Spent a entire weeks vacation just dealing with that.

[Jackie]

By the thread title I thought you were eating popcorn and had broken a tooth on an "old maid".

I guess popcorn ceiling is better...

I'd opt for the broken tooth. I'm not kidding.:rolleyes:

[Java]

I watched something just last week on a home improvement TV show, maybe Ask This Old House, about removing popcorn. Their trick was water with a bit of liquid fabric softener.

Will you have to do any finish work to the drywall or do you think you can just paint it?

I've seen a few ways, I used dishsoap and hot water in spray bottles from Home Depot. The drywall itself is pretty good, there are a few nicks where I started before I figured out the water and got it too wet, but otherwise it was never even primed, just corned. Whoever taped it was a rockstar, it's a shame they popcorned it. The mud softened up in places and where it was a little high I have some long narrow scrapes from the edge of the scraper. Also it builds up on the scraper as you go, so it leaves little pills behind, some of which I can pick up wet, but not all. I ducttaped a small scraper to a shopvac attachment so it can scrape / eat those when they're dry. Then it's basic patch / sand / prime / paint.

[jayson44]

you should have gotten one of these:

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

it's basically a sander/vacuum combo made for that very purpose. :)

J.

[Patrolman]

Popcorn ceiling 1.... child with purple helium balloon 0.

Our 5 year old got a balloon at a b-day party this morning. She LOVES playing with them, and this was her favorite color purple. I heard a "pop" and crying from up in her room just a moment ago. Just one more good reason to get rid of the popcorn.

[Java]

the ceiling is done, it came out pretty well. We put in a new ceiling fan and medallion. We're doing everything from ceiling to floor. we got rid of the carpet and I've put two boxes of screws into the subfloor so far, pulled about a million staples and nails, and filled everything bigger than a nail hole. It got a heavy coat of primer to seal up years of stains from pets and people, and I mixed 5 old paints in the primer bucket and painted the subfloor with it. On site recycling! I'm putting in wood floors, but until then it's clean and it was free + my labor. Next is chair and crown mouldings and paint. It's a lot of work but it's fun in it's way.

[Patrolman]

Looks good! You sure did a good job. I am sure there rest will turn out awesome!