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Remove Popcorn Ceiling
How Can You Remove Your Popcorn Ceiling?
One outdated feature in a home is a stucco ceiling. There are some benefits to removing your popcorn ceiling that I share below. Although this DIY home project is not difficult to do, it is a messy job. Therefore make sure to set the area up before you begin. If you live in a house that can use a simple ceiling upgrade, this is for you. This blog shares how to remove the popcorn ceiling in your place.
We focused only on the main floor, which includes the front foyer, powder room washroom, hallway and living room.
3 Reasons Why Removing Your Popcorn Ceiling Are A Great DIY Home Decor Project
REASON #1: It Looks Newer
When you remove the old style ceiling, the difference is positive and drastic. It automatically looks newer. The smooth top and clean white finish raises the appearance of the space.
It takes the old 1970s style and changes it to a fresher clean uplift. The ceiling looks more modern and fits today’s times. The upgrade does not take long to remove the stucco off of the ceiling, but it requires some physical labour. Your arms will feel tired after a while so make sure to take a few breaks in between. Stop, breath, grab some water and start again. If you have two people working on it or more, the better.
What Is The Best Way To Remove Popcorn Ceiling?
Steps To Remove Popcorn Ceiling
Prepare your work station. The area you are about to work on is going to get messy. Get some paint drop cloths and spread them all around the area you plan to remove the stucco off the ceiling.
Start by getting a large clean spray bottle. Fill it up with water. The painters drop cloths are on the floor or some plastic to let the scrapings from the ceiling to come down onto before you begin.
Stand on a ladder and spray the water on the ceiling. Within 30 seconds start scraping off the stucco from the ceiling using a plaster knife.
Use a bucket or a container in your hand to collect the scrapings rather than letting it fall on the floor, making a bigger mess on the ground. After the bucket fills up, throw it in a large garbage bag and move on to the next area.
The wet mushy stucco that is scraped off creates dirt everywhere, so make sure to cover up all of your furniture as well, using some plastic or old bed sheets. Another thing to take note of is that the stucco is heavy and it can stick to the floor. Be sure to clean the floor if some of the ceiling scraps come on it.
What Areas Of My House Removed The Old Version Ceiling?
I removed the old version of our ceiling from our front foyer, the main hallway and the living room. Working in small patches, I sprayed and scraped the ceiling. Afterwards, my partner sanded the ceiling, to help even it out. This is incredibly dusty so tarp off all areas. You do not want dust to go throughout your house. Open your windows while working so that there is proper air circulation throughout the place and the dust flows outside.
Most builders choose to spray stucco on the ceilings because it saves on labour for the taper to make the ceiling perfectly flat. It also saves labour for the painter because they add paint to the stucco mix and spray it on after the the ceiling has been taped.
The down side is that when you decide to remove that stucco, you are left with an uneven surface that was not even primed. Be prepared to apply a skim coat of plaster to your ceiling at the very minimum after removing the stucco.
REASON #2: Add Pot Lights
Added Bonus Upgrade On Your Home
Now that the stucco ceiling is removed, there is an opportunity to increase the appearance and value of your property. This is why adding pot lights is reason #2 as a benefit. Once the ceiling smooths out from removing the stucco, the appearance in the room changes drastically.
With this change you can install 2 or 3 lights if you like in the middle of your room. However, pot lights are more of a contemporary look and they are still in style today. Newer homes and renovated homes have pot lights in their houses around my area. It has become a standard feature.
Therefore it is a better value and appearance to switch to pot lights over small chandeliers.
To install pot lights, my partner drilled several holes in the ceiling to fish the wires for the pot lights.
Look For Sales
Purchase lights when you find a good sale. While shopping at a home renovations store, I came across pot lights on sale. We ended up purchasing 48 pot lights at a discounted price. They were selling $30.00 a box, 6 pot lights per box with light bulbs included.
This is a fantastic buy. Each purchase that helps save money while doing a renovation, even when it is a DIY, adds up and makes a big difference in the overall cost.
Take advantage of it while you can. Eight boxes later, at a well discounted price and we have brand new pot lights to install.
REASON #3: Great R.O.I. (Return On Investment)
How Much Does It Cost To Remove Popcorn Ceiling?
Saving Money With DIY
The total for the pot lights, excluding taxes cost $240.00. Typically they retail for $20.00/light. That is $120.00 per box, on average. You are looking at, $20×6(pot light)=$120.00 x 8(boxes)=$960.00. (Prices are subject to change in inflationary times). **The original post of this blog was published in 2021, therefore the prices of pot lights from this time have increased**
For an electrician to come to your home and install pot lights, he/she charges you anywhere between $70-$140 per pot light (based on 2021 standards), depending on how the wiring turns out inside your home. This is on top of the price you pay for the lights.
Some wiring is complicated and can take a lot more time just to install one pot light. The work can easily cost over $3000.00 using an outside source.
To give a fresh finish to the ceiling, apply white paint, which is about $30.00-$40.00. You will see what a huge difference there is after the paint job is complete.
Living in a home, we have a chance to do our own upgrades at a fraction of the cost. It is a rewarding experience. Additionally, you are increasing the value of your space. The return on our investment is worth the effort. Living in a space that is upgraded also feels good. It is a valuable subtle change to your place.
Hire A Licensed Professional Electrician
Shop around to find the best electricians price, as far as labour. As well as you can remove the stucco on your own without having someone come into to your home and doing it for you.
You can still save a lot more money on doing some parts of it on your own without having an outside source do everything and charge you at least a 30% profit. Removing your popcorn ceiling is worth an upgrade and great return on investment for your home when you consider selling it.
How Long Does The Work Take?-Remove Popcorn Ceiling
The larger the space is the greater the mess and the more time it will take. It is better to do the job all at once rather than letting it linger on for days. We completed the work in two full weekends. The job took approximately 30 hours, cleaning and set up included.
Sanding is a messy job as well. You will have dust all over the house if you do not protect your space properly. Make sure to close off the areas you are working on to avoid a bigger mess. Aside from that, the cost to DIY saves you a lot of money.
Please leave a comment. Thank you for reading and your support.
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Green Thumb
I am the founder of Everything Handmade. I am helping others become self-sufficient using their own hands. This website is sharing DIY home renovations, gardening vegetables in the city, cooking our own meals and building a solid foundation in times of economic instability.
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