· by Michael Blair, Nashville's Drywall Repair
Popcorn ceilings are common in Nashville houses from the sixties through the eighties, and texture from that era may contain asbestos. Testing before disturbing it is the first step, not an optional one.
Test first
Asbestos was used in ceiling texture into the early eighties, and material of unknown age should be assumed suspect until tested. A sample sent to a laboratory is inexpensive.
Undisturbed asbestos texture is not a hazard. Scraping it is exactly what makes it one.
If it is negative
Removal is messy but straightforward. Clear the room, sheet everything, mist the ceiling with water to soften the texture and scrape with a wide blade.
Misting is what makes the difference between a manageable job and a dust storm, and it needs to soak in rather than just wet the surface.
- Test before disturbing anything pre-1980s
- If positive, licensed abatement only
- Mist thoroughly and let it soak before scraping
- Expect to skim and sand afterwards
- Painted texture is much harder to remove
What comes after scraping
The ceiling underneath is rarely finish-ready. Expect to skim, sand and prime, and possibly to re-tape seams that were never finished properly because texture was going over them.
That second stage is usually the larger part of the job and it is what people underestimate.
Painted texture
Texture that has been painted resists water and scrapes far less willingly. Removal is considerably harder and sometimes covering it is the better answer.
Covering with thin drywall over the existing ceiling is a legitimate option, and it is often the practical route where the texture tests positive.