Finished popcorn ceilings came out of style many years back, yet numerous older homes and some new ones still have them. While bringing down a finished roof is not that hard, it is a messy task that requires diligent work and very special safety precautionary measures.

Equipment required

To do the job you will need:

  • Plastic sheeting (2-3 mil for dividers, 6 mil for floors)
  • Rosin paper
  • Painter’s tape
  • Rags
  • Putty cut
  • Pump up sprayer
  • Liquid dishwashing cleanser
  • Six(6) inches or more extensive floor scrubber
  • Mesh sanding cushion with handle
  • Drywall joint compound
  • Drywall joint tape
  • Dust cover or respirator
  • Coveralls

Preparation

Removing a finished roof is a messy task so great prep work is vital to keep from spoiling your dividers or floor and to make clean up less difficult.

  1. Remove all furniture from the room.
  2. Turn off the warming or cooling system and close any vents. Roof vents should be eliminated and secured with plastic.
  3. Cut off the power to the room and remove any roof lights or air fans.
  4. Cover the divider outlets and switches with plastic, fixing them with painter’s tape.
  5. Cover the floor with plastic, extending it a foot up the divider and joining it with painter’s tape.
  6. Run painter’s tape on the divider around the roof along the dividers and join the 2-3 mil plastic sheeting to it, covering the plastic along the base of the divider.To help with the clean up, cover the floor with rosin paper, covering the sheets and taping them together.
  7. Make sure to wear a mask or respirator and protective glasses, and keep the part of the roof you are dealing with sodden to minimize dirt.
  8. To help with the clean up, cover the floor with rosin paper, covering the sheets and taping them together.

Getting It Down

Make sure to wear a mask or respirator and protective glasses, and keep the part of the roof you are dealing with sodden to minimize dirt.

 

  1. If your roof wasn’t painted, fill a pump off sprayer with warm water and include two(2) tablespoons of dishwashing cleanser per litre of water.
  2. Saturate a 4-6 foot square area of the roof with the solution. Wet it enough to make it loose, yet less that it does not harm the drywall under the surface.
  3. Wait 15-20 minutes for the soapy water to be consumed by the surface material.
  4. Use a scrubber, or other wide bladed equipment, to tenderly rub away the popcorn surface. Be mindful so as not to gouge the drywall or tear the drywall joint tape.
  5. If the surface becomes hard to remove, splash it once more, hold up a couple of minutes, and attempt once more.
  6. Use a putty blade to remove any remaining material and to get into the corners.

 

Repairs and Finishing Touches

You’ll likely need to do some drywall texturing to the roof after the surface has been removed, including:

 

  1. Hammer any noticeable nails or screws beneath the surface and cover them with joint compound.
  2. Replace any spoilt drywall tape and smooth out the joints with joint compound.
  3. Once the repair work has dried, sand the roof with a sanding cushion with a long handle. Sand only to expel the high spots, as excessive amount of sanding will spoil the ceiling.
  4. The last touch is to prime and paint the roof with latex ceiling paint.

Removing that dated popcorn roof will spare a trek to the exercise center by giving your arms and abdominal area an extraordinary workout. Notwithstanding you’re protruding biceps, the smooth roof will bring an incentive in your home and make all the hard work beneficial.

If this work seems more difficult that you can handle, contact a professional paint contractor to get it done right.