How to Remove Popcorn Ceiling Texture

Removing your popcorn ceiling will give you a clean modern look, and it actually isn’t that hard as long as you do your prep work. Learn how to remove popcorn ceiling texture in this Lowe’s video:

Prep Work:

Ceilings applied before 1980 may contain hazardous asbestos. Scrape a small amount to send to a testing service, or call a pro.
Painted popcorn ceilings are much harder to remove. Test a small area in a corner to see if your ceiling is painted or not. Spray water on the area, let it sit for a few minutes, and scrape it off. Painted texture will not come off easily; normal texture will. Use a paint stripper to remove painted texture; be careful as paint stripper is very toxic. You may want to call a pro for this job.
Cover all outlets and fixtures with plastic sheeting and tape to protect them from water. Cover the floors and bottom third of the walls with plastic.
Turn off power to the room.

Removing Texture:

Fill a garden sprayer with plain water.
Spray a five foot square section at a time. Wait 10 minutes for the water to absorb.
Scrape off the popcorn with a large putty knife or trowel. Move the trowel carefully to avoid scratching the ceiling underneath.
Spray difficult areas again to loosen them; let them sit, and scrape them again.

Finishing the Ceiling: