Remodeling: Selecting the Perfect Finishing Touches

5 Reasons to Remove Popcorn Ceiling

When people want to do a bit of renovation work around the house, one area that's particularly easy to forget about is the ceiling. After all, people don't spend a lot of time looking right at their ceilings.

However, some types of ceilings present several problems, and one of them is popcorn ceiling. Sometimes referred to as cottage cheese ceiling or acoustic ceiling, popcorn ceiling finishes have a tough texture formed by thousands of small bumps. They used to be quite popular, but there are quite a few reasons why you might want to have a popcorn ceiling finish removed to restore the original flat surface.

1. Removes the Danger of Asbestos

Back when popcorn ceilings were most popular, they tended to be made using asbestos. Unfortunately, it has since been discovered that breathing in asbestos fibres is extremely hazardous for your health. If left undisturbed, asbestos is not dangerous, but most people would prefer to have it removed. Not all popcorn ceilings contain the material, but it could definitely be worth removing yours for this reason.

2. Hard to Paint

You might think that you can liven up your ceiling simply by giving it a fresh coat of paint. Unfortunately, this is very hard when you're dealing with a popcorn ceiling. For a start, it can be difficult to get paint into every little nook when you're dealing with thousands of small undulations. Additionally, popcorn ceiling has a very heavy texture. This makes it hard to either change the colour of your ceiling or simply add a fresh coat to keep it looking its best.

3. Hard to Clean

Since the surface of a popcorn ceiling is so rough, you'll find that cleaning can be tough. This is particularly problematic in the kitchen, where lots of moisture, and sometimes a little smoke, is likely to reach the ceiling.

4. Hidden Flaws

If the popcorn ceiling was there when you moved into the home, it might be that it was used to cover something up. If the previous owner had trouble with the drywall or noticed a couple of cracks along the ceiling, they might simply have covered the imperfection over with a popcorn finish. Such small imperfections can become a real issue over time, so it's best to know about them as soon as possible

5. Style

Finally, there's the all-important consideration of style. Popcorn ceiling was once in vogue, but those days have well and truly passed; today, most people consider popcorn ceiling extremely dated, often to the extent that keeping it devalues a property's asking price. Additionally, popcorn ceiling doesn't tend to fit as well with more modern styles. Better to go for a smooth ceiling instead.


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