The 3 Reasons Why You Shouldn"t Remove Your Popcorn Ceilings (Yourself)
In this article you will learn the 3 reasons why, even though you could remove your popcorn ceilings yourself, you shouldn't.
When you consider the overall value of having your ceilings professionally removed and refinished, you may see it is well worth it to leave it to the professionals.
Asbestos in Your Ceilings The first reason is asbestos.
If your home was built before 1978, there is fair chance that your ceilings contain asbestos, a known carcinogen.
Not only is it dangerous to breathe the asbestos fibers, it is actually illegal to remove asbestos without the proper equipment and certification in most states.
Most professional ceiling companies will take a tiny sample of your ceiling with them and have it tested for asbestos during their quote preparation stage.
The average cost for testing a sample for asbestos will vary but is usually less than $75.
If your ceilings do contain asbestos, they will need to be removed by a licensed abatement company.
The abatement company will remove the asbestos from your ceilings, test the air in your home to ensure that there are no asbestos fibers present, and dispose of the material properly.
The process for an entire home usually takes less than a day.
Refinishing Your Ceilings The next reason you should have a professional remove your popcorn ceilings is what comes after you have removed them; the refinishing of your ceilings.
Don't assume that when you remove the popcorn there will be a beautiful ceiling underneath, or else you will be in for a big surprise.
One of the biggest advantages of applying popcorn ceilings from the contractor's point of view was that they hid ceiling imperfections very well, and therefore very little preparation needed to be done to the ceiling before spraying the material.
However, once the popcorn ceilings have been removed, the ceiling will need to be refinished, textured, and painted.
A professional company will remove the popcorn, prep the ceiling, and then texture it with a modern finish.
Depending on the size of your home, this entire process is often completed in one day.
A professional company will also completely seal your home with plastic sheeting to protect it from dust and debris.
Professionals Are Inexpensive The last reason you shouldn't remove your popcorn ceilings yourself is cost.
Because it is just as popular now to remove popcorn ceilings as it used to be to have them, the cost to have it professionally done is very reasonable.
When you figure the cost of the tools you will need to purchase (and only use once), the materials, and your time, it just isn't worth it.
Additionally, unless you are an experienced professional, you will still need to pay a drywall finisher to repair and texture the ceilings after you have removed the popcorn.
When you consider the overall value of having your ceilings professionally removed and refinished, you may see it is well worth it to leave it to the professionals.
Asbestos in Your Ceilings The first reason is asbestos.
If your home was built before 1978, there is fair chance that your ceilings contain asbestos, a known carcinogen.
Not only is it dangerous to breathe the asbestos fibers, it is actually illegal to remove asbestos without the proper equipment and certification in most states.
Most professional ceiling companies will take a tiny sample of your ceiling with them and have it tested for asbestos during their quote preparation stage.
The average cost for testing a sample for asbestos will vary but is usually less than $75.
If your ceilings do contain asbestos, they will need to be removed by a licensed abatement company.
The abatement company will remove the asbestos from your ceilings, test the air in your home to ensure that there are no asbestos fibers present, and dispose of the material properly.
The process for an entire home usually takes less than a day.
Refinishing Your Ceilings The next reason you should have a professional remove your popcorn ceilings is what comes after you have removed them; the refinishing of your ceilings.
Don't assume that when you remove the popcorn there will be a beautiful ceiling underneath, or else you will be in for a big surprise.
One of the biggest advantages of applying popcorn ceilings from the contractor's point of view was that they hid ceiling imperfections very well, and therefore very little preparation needed to be done to the ceiling before spraying the material.
However, once the popcorn ceilings have been removed, the ceiling will need to be refinished, textured, and painted.
A professional company will remove the popcorn, prep the ceiling, and then texture it with a modern finish.
Depending on the size of your home, this entire process is often completed in one day.
A professional company will also completely seal your home with plastic sheeting to protect it from dust and debris.
Professionals Are Inexpensive The last reason you shouldn't remove your popcorn ceilings yourself is cost.
Because it is just as popular now to remove popcorn ceilings as it used to be to have them, the cost to have it professionally done is very reasonable.
When you figure the cost of the tools you will need to purchase (and only use once), the materials, and your time, it just isn't worth it.
Additionally, unless you are an experienced professional, you will still need to pay a drywall finisher to repair and texture the ceilings after you have removed the popcorn.
