Textured ceilings can collect dust and give your home an outdated look. If you’re planning a renovation or just want a cleaner, more modern feel, removing the texture might be worth it. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most common method—scraping—step by step.
How to Remove Textured Ceiling
Textured ceilings—often known as popcorn or stipple ceilings—were popular for decades because they helped hide imperfections and reduced sound. However, they tend to trap dust, are difficult to clean, and can make a room look dated. Many homeowners choose to remove the texture for a smoother, more modern finish. While scraping remains the go-to method for removal, it often requires significant cleanup and time investment. In this guide, we’ll explain how to scrape a textured ceiling step by step, what tools you’ll need, and how to protect yourself and your home throughout the process.
Is it Worth Removing Textured Ceiling?
If the grooves in your textured ceiling collect dirt easily, you can scrape it or smooth it with plaster. This can be a challenging process for the entire house. Instead, you might consider painting the textured ceiling with a long-nap roller.
Can Textured Ceilings be Smoothed?
To smooth a textured ceiling, you can either scrape it off or cover it with a layer of plaster. However, the most common method is scraping. Here’s how to do it step by step.
How to Scrape Textured Ceiling
For this project, we recommend using a sturdy, sharp scraper with a long handle, a garden sprayer to mist the ceiling with warm water, a dust mask, goggles, and overalls for protection. We also suggest covering furniture and floors with drop cloths, and using 180 to 220 grit sandpaper for smoothing the ceiling afterward. Additionally, we recommend applying primer paint and using an adjustable handle scraper to make it easier to scrape a textured ceiling.
1-Prepare the Ceiling
Before you start scraping the textured ceiling, you should remove any ceiling fixtures. Get rid of obstacles that will slow you down. This will help you move faster. Remove the ceiling fixtures and cut the power to eliminate the danger of the cables.
2-Cover the Floor
Cover the furniture with a drop cloth. This will help eliminate most of the dust generated during the scraping process. Even if there is no furniture in the room, you can reduce the cleaning time by taping drop cloths to the floor.
3-Protect Yourself from Dust
Wear overalls, dust mask and goggles. The dust may contain asbestos. You must wear a mask to avoid exposure to very harmful asbestos. Work goggles are also very useful to protect your eyes from dust.
4-Use a Quality Scraper with a Long Handle
Use a scraper with a sturdy tip and a long handle. Your arms and shoulders will become tired when scraping the textured ceiling. A scraper of good quality, equipped with an adjustable handle, will significantly ease the job.
5-Work in Multiple Directions
Scrape in different directions. If scraping is difficult in one direction, change direction. If the scraping is very difficult, spray the ceiling before you start scraping. Let the water soak into the rough ceiling for about half an hour. This will make it easier to scrape and get rid of dust.
6-Check if The Ceiling is Smooth Enough
After scraping, check that the ceiling is smooth enough and, if necessary, sand and smooth some areas. Wipe the entire ceiling with a damp cloth.
8-Clean the Dust
After all the scraping is done, start cleaning. Even if you cover the floor and furniture, dust will still get into some parts. Therefore, cleaning is also necessary. Remember that dust can also cling to the walls. Remove dust from the walls and floor. “Related post: How to clean walls without leaving streaks.”
7-Apply Primer Paint
Use primer paint. Once the ceiling is sufficiently leveled, use the appropriate primer for your new project. However, if you are considering a coating, you may not need a primer. “Related post: How to get rid of popcorn ceiling.”
