You can update a popcorn ceiling without having to deal with the trouble and cost of taking it down by painting it. Discover how to paint a popcorn ceiling while minimizing the amount of mess.
Which Paint Type to Use
The best paint for popcorn ceilings is interior acrylic-latex paint. The conventional finish for ceilings is flat or matte because it lessens light bounce. Use eggshell, satin, or semi-gloss paint sheens if you need to shield your ceiling from dampness.
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Options for Popcorn Ceilings
Paint: One approach to make a popcorn ceiling look better is to paint it. The texture can also be eliminated or covered. The least-priced choice is this one. It’s a quick and simple method of covering asbestos that’s also safe.
Cover: Wood planks or thin drywall can be used to cover a popcorn ceiling. Although it adds thickness and weight, this alternative smoothes out the ceiling.
Remove: A scraper and warm water can be used to remove a popcorn ceiling. This technique flattens the ceiling, although it is messy. If asbestos is present in the texture coating, stay away from this choice.
Safety Considerations
There may be asbestos in some popcorn ceilings. Lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis have all been linked to asbestos exposure. Homes older than 1978 may have popcorn ceilings that contain asbestos.
The asbestos can stay in place and be painted over as long as it is not disturbed. If asbestos is chopped, shattered, drilled, sawn, or sanded, asbestos fibers could be released into the air.
How To Neatly Paint Popcorn Ceiling
Keep the Room Safe
Take out everything that can be taken out of the area, including lamps, tables, chairs, and other smaller furniture. Use plastic sheets to cover the floor and everything. Either remove the ceiling light fixtures or use painter’s tape to cover them. The majority of electrical junction box faceplates made of plastic can be painted over.
Check for asbestos
Test the material if you think the texture of your ceiling may contain asbestos. You can either have a local testing business come to your home and test for asbestos or use a home asbestos testing kit, which involves collecting samples and mailing them to a lab.
Check for Coatings
Flick a few drips of water onto the ceiling while standing on a chair or ladder. The texture may not be painted at all or may have a weak coat that allows absorption if the water absorbs quickly. It’s possible that glossy or semi-gloss paint was used to paint the ceiling if the water beads up.
Clear the ceiling
Attach the shop vacuum’s brush attachment. Dust and cobwebs can be eliminated by vacuuming the popcorn ceiling as a whole. The popcorn texture may flake off if you apply too much pressure to the brush.
Make a brush cut in the ceiling
Cut all of the edges where the ceiling and walls meet using the 2-inch brush. To help keep clean, straight lines, you can also use painter’s tape on the wall next to the ceiling. Paint the areas surrounding impediments, such as ceiling lights.
Get ready to roll paint
Fill the 5-gallon bucket with 2 to 3 gallons of paint. On the inside of the bucket, hang the roller screen from the side. Attach the roller frame to the extension pole using screws.
Install a roller cover with a nap of 3/8 to 1/2 inches. Roll the roller on the roller screen after dipping it in the paint to squeeze it out.
Roll out Paint
On the ceiling, roll the paint. Finish a 4-by-4-foot portion that begins at one edge. Please proceed to the next section and paint it. The texture of the ceiling should be completely covered, but not so thick that paint drops.
Put on a second coat
To encourage ventilation, open windows or turn on fans. Give the paint at least two hours to dry. Put on a second coat.
Painting Advice for Popcorn Ceilings
- Control how much paint is applied to the roller cover. A thick layer of paint is necessary for popcorn texture, but too much paint can make the texture less distinct.
- When using the vacuum to clean the ceiling, only use the soft brush attachment.
- Before painting, cover every item in the space.
- To examine the ceiling from every angle, move the work light around a lot.
- Use a can of popcorn spray texture to cover minor spots that lack it. Even though the majority of cans can cover up to 125 square feet, they function best in small spaces.
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