Popcorn Ceiling
Removal
San Diego.
Remove the texture, skim coat the ceiling flat, prime, and paint. On pre-1978 San Diego homes, asbestos testing happens first — before a single scraper touches the ceiling. No exceptions.
Not just scraping.
Finishing.
Popcorn removal contractors who stop at the scraper leave you with a patchy, uneven ceiling that looks worse than the texture it replaced. The finish is in the skim coat — a thin, flat layer of compound floated over the entire ceiling surface before primer and paint.
We do the full job: test, remove, skim, prime, paint. The ceiling at the end looks flat and smooth — not like a ceiling that used to have texture.
- 1Asbestos test (pre-1978 homes)
Popcorn texture applied before 1978 may contain asbestos. We test before any removal work starts. If asbestos is present, we coordinate licensed abatement before proceeding. We do not skip this step.
- 2Protect the room
Furniture moved out or covered with plastic sheeting sealed to the floor. Doors masked to contain dust. HVAC vents covered. Your belongings are protected before a drop cloth goes down.
- 3Wet removal
The texture is lightly misted to soften it, then scraped clean. Wet removal controls airborne dust and is easier on the drywall below. Dry scraping is faster but leaves more repair work and more dust.
- 4Skim coat
A thin layer of joint compound is floated over the entire ceiling. This fills imperfections left by the texture and the scraper and leaves a consistent, flat surface.
- 5Sand and prime
Dried skim coat is sanded smooth, dust removed, then a drywall primer is applied. Priming seals the fresh compound and gives the finish coat a consistent base to adhere to.
- 6Paint
Two finish coats of flat or low-sheen ceiling paint. We do not use one coat on ceilings — one coat on fresh primer shows every roller texture and lap line.
- 7Cleanup and walkthrough
Room cleaned, furniture replaced, final inspection with the homeowner. If there is a soft spot or edge that needs attention, it gets done before we leave.
Not every popcorn
ceiling needs to go.
If the ceiling has been painted over multiple times since the texture was applied, removal becomes significantly harder and messier — the paint traps the texture against the drywall. Painting over the texture instead of removing it can be the right call depending on the condition and your goals.
We will tell you which option makes more sense after we look at the ceiling. It is a 30-second assessment, not a sales pitch.
- Painted-over texture
If previous owners painted the texture, removal is harder and messier. Painting over it again is often the cleaner result.
- Confirmed asbestos, tight budget
If testing confirms asbestos, abatement is required before removal. If the budget does not cover abatement, painting over encapsulates the material safely.
- Ceilings in good shape
If the texture is intact, uncracked, and the room is being sold as-is, removal adds cost without necessarily adding value to a quick sale.
Walk the job with Joe or Alex.
Tell us what you're thinking. We'll come look, point out what we'd do differently, and only quote what we'd paint in our own house.