5 DIY Mistakes Homeowners Make When Removing Textured Ceilings

Before and after ceiling texture removal in the entrance area of a Delta home.

Are you making these DIY mistakes when it comes to your ceilings?

I  have to confess to a mistake I recently made. I walked out of a public washroom with the bottom of my skirt tucked up into my underwear. I’ve heard stories about this happening to other people, but I thought it was an urban myth. How could someone not notice that their assets were on display for everyone to see? My saving grace is that I did notice it quick enough to avoid a ticket for public indecency. We all make mistakes. At least that mistake wasn’t costly. But when it comes to home renovations, DIY mistakes can be expensive. Ceiling mistakes can mean paying twice to get the results that you want. Here are some common pitfalls that homeowners often fall into, when it comes to textured ceilings.

 

1) Living with popcorn ceilings

It’s entirely likely that you currently live in a home with popcorn ceilings, or you have at some point in your life. They were especially popular in the 1970s – 1990s, but are still being used in new buildings and homes today. That’s because it’s cheaper and easier to spray texture on ceilings, than it is to finish them properly to a smooth surface. What you may not realize, is that you don’t have to live with them. They’re dirty, they collect dust and allergens and they look pretty hideous. A ceiling professional can resurface the texture and give you smooth ceilings that your neighbours will envy.

Before and after ceiling texture removal in the entrance area of a Delta home.
Before and after ceiling texture removal in the entrance area of a North Delta home.

 

2) Scraping the popcorn ceiling texture yourself

The DIY movement has everyone thinking they can do everything themselves. For instance, as these pins from Pinterest show, there’s a reason bakeries exist. Unless you’re Martha Stewart, buy a cake from a bakery for a special occasion. The same is true for removing popcorn ceilings. It’s not something that you should do yourself. If you don’t have the right tools, and most importantly the experience for the job, it’s a messy and time consuming job. What takes a professional just a few days, could take you weeks. And once the texture is off, your ceilings are going to look pretty rough unless they’re resurfaced. We’ve had several calls from homeowners looking for help after they tried the DIY approach.

The videos you watch on YouTube which explain the DIY process for getting smooth ceilings, are usually shot with some contractor’s cellphone camera, from 8 feet away, in a dimly lit home! They don’t really show how rough the ceiling looks when the DIY job is finished. Our process has been perfected over the years, and our finished product revolves around applying fresh compound to EVERY SQUARE INCH OF THE CEILING… AT LEAST TWICE! For a Do-It-Yourselfer to do this, it will take weeks.

Before and after popcorn ceiling removal in the living room of a Delta home.
Before and after popcorn ceiling removal in the living room of a Delta home.

 

3) Taking ceiling texture samples for asbestos testing to an asbestos abatement company

If you plan on removing your ceiling texture and your home was built prior to 1980, or you don’t know when the ceiling texture was applied, it needs to be tested for asbestos before removing. One mistake people unknowingly make, is to take a sample of ceiling texture to a company that specialized in asbestos abatement. Most of these companies are legitimate, but (and this is a big but), since they have a vested interest in finding asbestos so they can sell you on their abatement services, it is best to take it to a lab that is not involved whatsoever, in the abatement industry. A good lab in the GreaterVancouver area is HBM Environmental.  At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we offer a service to come to your home, professionally obtain a sample and deliver it to the lab. Once the results come back, we notify you and provide you with the report from the lab.

Before and after popcorn ceiling removal in the dining room of a Delta home.
Before and after popcorn ceiling removal in the dining room of a North Delta home.

 

4) Hiring a contractor inexperienced with ceilings to remove the popcorn ceilings.

While you don’t want to scrape the ceilings yourself, you also don’t want a contractor who is not experienced with ceilings specifically. Ceilings can be tricky to work with. We’ve been contacted by owners who needed us to finish the ceilings after someone inexperienced realized he was not quite skilled enough to complete the job. We’ve also been contacted by contractors themselves who didn’t want to get involved with removing ceiling texture because they weren’t sure they could deliver a quality finish. We work with ceilings every day. We know how to deal with waves in concrete ceilings, cracks around the edges of walls, or cracks running through the middle of the room. We’ve worked on vaulted ceilings and skylights and we’ve fixed water-damaged ceilings.

During photo and after photo of popcorn ceiling removal in the living room of a Delta home.
During photo and after photo of popcorn ceiling removal in the living room of a Delta home.

 

5) Painting the ceilings yourself

Once your ceilings are smooth, they’ll need to be primed and painted. Just as with ceiling texture removal specialists, professional painters have the skills and tools necessary to create a quality finish. This is especially important when there is a lot of natural light in the space. Any imperfection in the paint will show, so it must be done meticulously and skillfully. In a typical home, walls and floors are usually camouflaged with any number of decorations, including picture frames, cabinets, furniture and floor lamps. Therefore, imperfections will not be glaringly visible. But such is not the case with ceilings. Ceilings receive minimal decoration and therefore, you are more likely to see visible imperfections. This is why it’s so important to have a professional smooth the ceilings, and a professional painter to paint the smooth ceilings.

Finally, painting ceilings is pretty hard on the neck, shoulders and back for people who are not accustomed to it. By having a painter paint your ceilings, you might just avoid a trip to your chiropractor.

 

Hopefully these tips will prevent you from making committing the typical mistakes that homeowners, and especialy Do-It-Yourselfers make when it comes to dealing with their ceilings. To learn more about RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s texture removal process, or to get a FREE quote, give us a call at 604-420-7578 or contact us by email.

 

 

 

Avoid costly ceiling mistakes by contacting the ceiling experts, RemoveCeilingTexture.com!

Popcorn Texture Removal: Ditch the 70s

Kitchen before and after of popcorn texture removal at a Vancouver Condo

We’ve come a long way from tie-dyed skirts and leather-fringed vests. The interiors of our vehicles are no longer covered in thick shag carpeting (did no one see the respiratory health hazard there?). Any college-age kid will give you a blank stare if you mention the 8-track. And the beloved toys from the 70s and 80s are no competition for the electronic toys that today’s kids are zombiefied entertained by.

So why is it that our ceilings haven’t made the same metamorphosis out of that era? You’ve moved on from 1970s hairstyles (hopefully); isn’t it time to leave other relics of those days, like popcorn ceilings, behind too? Fortunately, popcorn texture removal is an option and smooth ceilings will transport your home into the modern age, where it belongs.

 

Popcorn Texture Removal – It Takes All Kinds

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com we see all sorts of ceiling texture. From the thick, chunky, popcorn-style texture popular in the 60s, 70s and 80s:

Popcorn texture removal at a home in North Vancouver
Popcorn texture removal at a home in North Vancouver

To the more subdued texture that is still being applied to new homes today:

This North Vancouver home gets popcorn texture removal after installing potlights
This North Vancouver home gets popcorn texture removal after installing potlights

We’ve even seen ceiling texture that looked like it belonged in some primeval cave:

Before & after of popcorn texture removal in Langley - Living room
Before & after of popcorn texture removal in Langley – Living room

And we’re not sure what look they were going for with this bizarre texture:

Before and after of texture removal in Coquitlam
Before and after of texture removal in Coquitlam

 

No matter the type of texture you have, popcorn texture removal will transform your home.

 

 ** If your home was built prior to 1982, your ceiling texture could contain asbestos. It’s important not to scrape this texture. Read more about our process for ceilings containing asbestos here.

 

Ceiling Repair and Popcorn Texture Removal

Here’s a look at a ceiling we recently worked on at a condo in downtown Vancouver. The homeowner had removed a wall so we repaired the ceiling at the same time that we did the popcorn texture removal.

Kitchen before and after of popcorn texture removal at a Vancouver Condo
Kitchen before and after of popcorn texture removal at a Vancouver Condo
Living room before and after of popcorn texture removal at a condo in Vancouver
Living room before and after of popcorn texture removal at a condo in Vancouver

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ceiling repair and popcorn texture removal at downtown Vancouver condo
Ceiling repair and popcorn texture removal at downtown Vancouver condo

 

You can read more about our process for popcorn texture removal here.  Or contact us–we’re happy to answer any questions you have. Our quotes are FREE and there is no obligation. Give us a call at 604-420-7578, or contact us by email to find out how popcorn texture removal can improve your home.

 

 

Want to bring your home out of the 1970s with popcorn texture removal? Contact us today for more information!

 

 

 

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings

Popcorn ceiling removal at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver - Dining Room

A Simple Guide on How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article: Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver - Dining Room
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver – Dining Room

 

Saturday – Begin Project

1.  Arm yourself with a scraper and determination.

2.  Haul out your old, rickety ladder. Hmmm, you’ve been meaning to get a new ladder…

3.  Go buy a new ladder. And several other things that catch your eye at Costco.

4.  Set up the new ladder in the bedroom.  Remove the popcorn. Easy.

5.  Realize the layers of paint on the ceiling do not make for easy scraping. Use some elbow grease.

6.  Curse at the hole you’ve gouged in the drywall by using elbow grease.

7.  Look at the small patch you’ve managed to scrape off so far. Look at the rest of the room ahead of you and think of the other bedrooms, dining room, living room and hallway still waiting. Sigh.

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article:  Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver - Bedroom
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver – Bedroom

8.  Climb down the ladder and shake off all the popcorn and dust from your hair and clothes. Wonder if the dust is hazardous.

9.  Sit down at computer and Google “is popcorn ceiling dust dangerous”. Hide screen from your wife as you see the word ASBESTOS.

10.  Find out that your house is not old enough to have asbestos.  Phew.

11.  Check email, Facebook & Twitter. Find out if the ladder you bought is cheaper anywhere else.

12.  Eat lunch.

13.  March back to the bedroom. Try to ignore Rover’s sad puppy dog eyes and the leash in his mouth. Fail. Call for your wife to take Rover for a walk. Remember she has taken your daughter to a piano lesson.

14.  Be pulled along by Rover as he sniffs every bush and pees on every post. Realize, too late, that you forgot to bring a plastic bag. S#*t.

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article:  Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver - Hallway
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver – Hallway

15.  Revived from the fresh air, continue your work in the bedroom. Climb up and down the ladder multiple times as you move it foot by foot around the 200 square foot room.

16.  Greet your wife and daughter as they walk in the door. Wonder why their mouths are dropped open in horror. Look down from your perch on the ladder at the popcorn-strewn floor around you. Comfort them with the fact that at least it doesn’t have asbestos.

17.  Vacuum the popcorn-ceiling-dust trail that Rover has tracked all over the house.

18.  Eat dinner. Resolve that you will continue working after dinner.

19.  Decide to catch a bit of the game before continuing.

20.  Decide it’s too late to continue with the ceiling tonight. Continue to watch TV instead.

21.  Calmly answer your wife’s questions about the scrape marks and gouges in the bedroom ceiling.

 

Sunday – Continue Project

22.  Mow the lawn.

23.  Start removing popcorn ceiling in hallway.

24.  Remember you have to renew your car insurance before it runs out tomorrow. Go renew insurance.

25.  Start removing popcorn ceiling in hallway, until your wife suggests maybe the living room should be next.

26.  Start removing popcorn ceiling in the living room.

27.  Realize that starting this project may have been a mistake.

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article:  Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver - Living Room
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver – Living Room
How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article:  Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver - Living Room
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver – Living Room

28.  Have an early lunch because you have to go coach your daughter’s soccer team.

29.  Notice that your garage s pretty messy and spend several hours sorting through junk.

30.  Have dinner.

31.  Continue working on the living room ceiling until Game of Thrones comes on.

 

Monday – Friday: You’re too tired after work to contemplate working on the ceilings.

Saturday – Sunday: This weekend is your daughter’s soccer tournament.

Monday – Friday: You’re too tired after work to contemplate working on the ceilings.

 

Is Your Time Worth Nothing?

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article:  Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 71 Jameson Crt, New Westminster - Living room
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 71 Jameson Crt, New Westminster – Living room

The above timeline may be a bit of an exaggeration, but the point is, you have other responsibilities in your life besides removing popcorn ceilings. When you’re working on your own home, there are dozens of things to distract you. You may think, “But I’ll save money doing it myself!” That’s only true if you value your own time at zero, because as the saying goes, time is money. Also, no matter what the online guides say about how to remove popcorn ceilings, it’s not easy work. It doesn’t always scrape off easily, and you could damage the drywall beneath. Another thing these guides don’t usually mention is that scraping the texture off is only the first step to getting smooth ceilings. Your ceilings will still need to be resurfaced before you can think about painting them, or they will look rough.  It’s usually fairly easy to spot a DIY texture removal–they just don’t look quite finished.

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article:  Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 71 Jameson Crt, New Westminster - Dining Room
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 71 Jameson Crt, New Westminster – Dining Room

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com we cringe when we see the How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings guides online because we know that as with many DIY projects, it often turns into a headache and the end result is not ideal. We get a lot of calls to fix ceilings that were a failed DIY attempt at ceiling texture removal.

As professional ceiling experts, our only responsibility is to work on your ceilings. We’re not distracted by taking dogs for walks, mowing the lawn, renewing the insurance, soccer games, etc., etc. We also have the tools necessary to get the job done. We have a special machine that takes off the texture and then we resurface the ceilings using a method that has been used for centuries by master artisans.

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article:  Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 71 Jameson Crt, New Westminster - Bedroom
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 71 Jameson Crt, New Westminster – Bedroom

The hawk and trowel. This method takes years of experience to master. Our experience and specialization in ceiling texture removal is what makes us unique. What may take you weeks to finish, we can accomplish in several days. Our end result is professionally finished, smooth ceilings.  Your time is valuable so why waste it with a trial and error attempt at removing popcorn texture?

To get a free quote for removing popcorn ceilings, give us a call at 604-420-7578 or contact us by email.  Also, take a look at some of our other before and after photos to see how ceiling texture removal can transform a room.

 

Find out more about popcorn ceiling removal done the professional way. Contact us today for a FREE quote!

 

 

Ceiling Corner Cracks

This Vancouver condo had ceiling corner cracks in the texture
This Vancouver condo had ceiling corner cracks in the texture
This Vancouver condo had ceiling corner cracks in the texture

Ceiling corner cracks. Cracked corners of the ceilings. Entrances to other portals. Whatever you call them, popcorn-texture cracks in the corners of your ceilings are ugly and should be taken care of.  And if they are indeed entrances to other portals, you risk the possibility of Narnia-like creatures invading and eating all the cookies in your cupboard. So there’s that.

But aside from thwarting mystical beings, there are practical reasons to get these cracks fixed.  To start with, the cracks look terrible.  Also, dust and moisture can get in there and create problems, possibly leading to more cracking in the texture.  And if that’s not bad enough, just think about insects and spiders setting up shop in there. The ceiling corner cracks have to go if you want peace of mind.

 

Why Do Ceiling Corner Cracks Appear?

Ceiling texture can crack around the walls
Ceiling texture can crack around the walls

Ceiling texture often cracks in the corners and around the edges of walls because of the way the drywall was finished.  If insufficient amounts of mud are applied to the drywall tape at these critical wall-ceiling meeting points, the tape will eventually become too dry and will start to lift off the drywall.  The ceiling texture is lifted with the tape and this creates a crack.  If you are experiencing this problem, we can fix it during the process of  removing the ceiling texture and  resurfacing the ceilings with fresh mud compound.  This stops the corners from delaminating and cracking again in the long run.

 

 

Fix the Cracks and Seal off the Portals

Ceiling Texture Removal in Kamloops - Close-up of ceiling texture in Kamloops
Close-up of ceiling texture in Kamloops

These homeowners weren’t sure what to do about their cracks. They decided to find someone who specializes in ceilings. That’s when they contacted us. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we deal with ceilings and ceiling texture each and every day.  Our experience makes us qualified in a way that drywallers and general contractors aren’t because they don’t specialize in ceilings. In fact, we’re often contacted by general contractors who know they don’t have the expertise when it comes to ceilings.

Because the drywall tape underneath the ceiling texture is the culprit, trying to fix the texture won’t solve the problem.  The corners are likely to keep cracking in the future. So the homeowners opted to remove the texture altogether and have the ceiling resurfaced. The mud compound we use will stop the tape from lifting. This fixed the ceiling corner cracks problem, but also gave them modern, smooth ceilings that literally freshen the home. Air quality is better after ceiling texture is removed because dust and other allergens can no longer become trapped up there.  Now they don’t have to worry about ceiling cracks, asthma aggravation, or half human-half goat fauns leaving muddy hoof marks in the living room.

 

Other types of ceiling cracks that we often see:

Water damaged ceilings in the living room. You can see the texture has cracked and is peeling.
Cracked, water damaged ceilings
Another crack fixed in the den of a Burnaby condo
Another crack fixed in the den of a Burnaby condo
Another view of ceiling cracks in Burnaby
Another view of ceiling cracks in Burnaby
Ceiling cracks in the living room of a Burnaby condo.
Ceiling cracks in the living room of a Burnaby condo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Living room ceiling cracks were repaired by RemoveCeilingTexture.com
Living room ceiling cracks were repaired by RemoveCeilingTexture.com

 

If you have ceiling cracks, or you just want more information on removing ceiling texture, contact us today. Call us at 604-420-7578 or contact us by email for a FREE quote.

 

Have ceiling cracks, or want your texture removed? Contact us today!

 

 

The Lowdown on Textured Ceilings

This condo at 518 Moberly Rd in Vancouver had the textured ceilings removed
This condo at 518 Moberly Rd in Vancouver had the textured ceilings removed
This condo at 518 Moberly Rd in Vancouver had the textured ceilings removed

If your home was built from about 1950 onwards, there’s a good chance you have textured ceilings, also known as popcorn ceilings or stippled ceilings. It’s even being used today in the countless highrises sprouting from the earth like fungi. You might think, wouldn’t they be able to sell the units for more money if the ceilings were smooth and actually looked finished? Yes, they most likely would, but the problem is that old adage: time is money. Textured ceilings are quick and cheap and they need to sell the units as quickly as possible. This keeps us at RemoveCeilingTexture.com quite busy.

 

The Nitty Gritty of Textured Ceilings

So let’s break it down. What are the arguments for and against textured ceilings?

 

“Textured ceilings are quick and cheap to build.”

This argument really only works for the developer. But this is about you, the homeowner.

Ceilings transformed from textured to smooth at a condo at 1230 Haro Street in Vancouver
Ceilings transformed from textured to smooth at a condo at 1230 Haro Street in Vancouver

You’re likely not pocketing the savings the developers made by spraying the

texture. Do you know what else is quick and cheap? Leaving the concrete floors unfinished and not painting the walls. How many developers do that? For some reason textured ceilings have become almost an industry standard and people put up with it.

 

“Textured ceilings mute sound.”

If you live in a modern condo building, the texture is not making a difference in sound transmission. Generally, you shouldn’t be able to hear your neighbours walking around.

Living room of Vancouver condo now has smooth ceilings - 1230 Haro St, Vancouver
Living room of Vancouver condo now has smooth ceilings – 1230 Haro St, Vancouver

However, if your upstairs neighbour insists on channeling her inner Victoria Beckham by walking in heels at all hours, textured ceilings will not make one iota of difference. You’re going to hear that clickety-clack whether or not you have textured ceilings. Likewise, the creaks and groans of an older home are going to come through regardless of the texture on your ceilings. The sound may not even be coming through the ceilings. If walls are missing insulation, sound will travel through. Unless you have a seriously sound proofed room that can silence a nine-year old boy and his drum set, you’re going to get some sound transfer.

The other sound issue people talk about is echo within a room.

Removal of textured ceilings in the dining room of a Vancouver Condo - 1230 Haro St.
Removal of textured ceilings in the dining room of a Vancouver Condo – 1230 Haro St.

Echoes occur when sound waves bounce off of hard surfaces such as walls and ceilings, multiple times. It’s true, if you have an empty room with no furniture, textured ceilings will slightly dampen echoes. But once you add softer components such as sofas, chairs, beds, carpets, rugs, etc., the sound waves will be absorbed by these softer items and won’t create an echo. So your textured ceilings are not helping.

 

“Textured ceilings don’t bother me.”

Are you sure about that? They may not bother you visually, but what they harbour could be affecting your health. Asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems can be aggravated by the dust and allergens that are present in every home. In most homes you vacuum, you dust…problem solved, right? Not so fast. The dust gets stuck in the nooks and crannies of textured ceilings. It can then fall back down at its leisure, making your symptoms worse.

Smooth ceilings appear higher - Vancouver condo at 1331 Homer St.
Smooth ceilings appear higher – Vancouver condo at 1331 Homer St.
Resurfaced concrete ceilings at a Vancouver condo - Bedroom at 1331 Homer St.
Resurfaced concrete ceilings at a Vancouver condo – Bedroom at 1331 Homer St.

Smoothing Out the Nitty Gritty

The good news is that you’re not stuck with textured ceilings. From penthouse condos to heritage homes and everything in between, we can provide smooth ceilings for pretty much every type of dwelling (we’ve yet to do a hobbit-hole, though).

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, our name only tells part of the story. Removing the ceiling texture is only the first step to smooth ceilings. Once the texture is gone, you’ll often see inconsistencies in the ceilings. If you were to paint at this stage, they wouldn’t look very good. The next, crucial step is where our expertise really shines:  resurfacing the ceilings. Our process will leave you with flawless, smooth ceilings that look fantastic.

Contact us today for a FREE QUOTE for getting rid of your textured ceilings. Send us an email, or call us at 604-420-7578.

Close-up view of corner after ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver
Close-up view of corner after ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver
Living room with smooth ceilings - condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver
Living room with smooth ceilings – condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tired of your textured ceilings? Contact us today for a FREE quote!

 

 

Ceiling Finishes

Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings - Living room with smooth ceilings in Port Coquitlam

Your Own Personal Sistine Chapel

Ceiling finishes are pretty much only limited to your imagination.  From Michelangelo-esque works of art to wallpaper to coffered ceilings, the one thing required before beginning is a flat surface. Popcorn ceiling texture gets in the way of most ceiling finishes.

Ceiling Finishes:  Smooth ceilings in North Vancouver - Fireplace
Ceiling Finishes: Smooth ceilings in North Vancouver – Fireplace

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we specialize in not only removing the texture, but more importantly, in creating sleek, blemish-free surfaces. They are beautiful left this way, or use them as a base to apply mouldings, medallions or stencils to get the look you want.

 

Sashimi, Steak Tartare, Egg Nog:  Must Our Concrete be Raw Too?

If you live in a highrise building, you likely have concrete ceilings.  Designers of these buildings use various concrete ceiling finishes to achieve whatever look they’re going for. Sometimes they’re left bare for a raw, industrial look. This look isn’t for everyone.

Ceiling Finishes:  Smooth Ceilings - Texture removed from concrete ceilings in Vancouver
Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Texture removed from concrete ceilings in Vancouver

While it may look glamourous in magazines or movies, in real life it can feel cold, impersonal and just plain unfinished. Other times the concrete’s sprayed with ceiling texture just like drywall ceilings are. Why? It’s cheaper to spray popcorn texture than it is to finish them to a nice smooth surface.  If you have over 100 condos in a building to finish, speed usually triumphs over quality. RemoveCeilingTexture.com can remove the texture, fix any cracks and holes and skim over the concrete to create a warmer, finished look.

 

 

Smooth Ceiling Finishes

Ceiling Finishes:  Smooth Ceilings - Dining room in Port Coquitlam has the texture removed
Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Dining room in Port Coquitlam has the texture removed
Ceiling Finishes:  Smooth Ceilings - Living room with smooth ceilings in Port Coquitlam
Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Living room with smooth ceilings in Port Coquitlam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ceiling Finishes:  Smooth Ceilings - Close up of texture removal around a light fixture in North Vancouver
Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Close up of texture removal around a light fixture in North Vancouver
Ceiling Finishes:  Smooth Ceilings - Stain in North Vancouver living room is gone, along with the ugly texture
Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Stain in North Vancouver living room is gone, along with the ugly texture

 

 

Contact RemoveCeilingTexture.com today for a FREE, no obligation, quote for ceiling texture removal. Send us an email, or give us a call at 604-420-7578. We’d love to discuss your project and answer any ceiling related questions you may have.

 

Contact us today for a FREE quote on ceiling texture removal!

Popcorn Ceiling Removal

Popcorn ceiling removal in dining room of Burnaby condo
Popcorn ceiling removal around a ceiling fan that could  not be removed in a Vancouver condo
Popcorn ceiling removal around a ceiling fan that could not be removed in a Vancouver condo

You know the saying, popcorn doesn’t grow on trees? Oh, that’s not the saying? Well, it doesn’t grow on trees. And it shouldn’t grow on ceilings either. Popcorn ceilings is another term for textured ceilings. I guess they started calling it popcorn ceilings because warty ceilings just doesn’t have the same ring to it, does it?

 

*On a side note, I did a Google image search for warts when writing this post. Do not do that. Ever.

 

 

Whether you call it popcorn ceilings, textured ceilings, stippled ceilings, or what it really looks like, diseased ceilings, you can have it removed. RemoveCeilingTexture.com specializes in popcorn ceiling removal.

 

So Popcorn Ceilings Look Bad, What’s the Big Deal?

Apart from the fact that they’re hideous to look at, popcorn ceilings are harmful to your health.

Entrance area of a Vancouver condo that has had popcorn ceiling removal
Entrance area of a Vancouver condo that has had popcorn ceiling removal

Since they are next to impossible to clean, dust gets trapped up there. Do you know what dust is composed of?  It’s a mixture of many things, including plant pollen, hair, and skin cells. Yes, all those things are trapped up in your popcorn ceiling. If you or a family member has allergies, you’ll benefit from smooth ceilings. Even if you don’t have respiratory problems, I think we can all agree that when it comes to breathing in skin cells, less is better. Now that you’re completely grossed out over popcorn ceilings, how can you have them removed?

 

 

Popcorn Ceiling Removal by the Experts

Popcorn ceiling removal in Vancouver - Living Room
Popcorn ceiling removal in Vancouver – Living Room

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we’re experts in creating smooth ceilings. But it’s not as easy as simply scraping the popcorn off. There are a few steps involved. First the popcorn is removed with a special machine to minimize any mess. After this step, the ceilings look rough and unfinished. The second step, ceiling resurfacing, is where the real magic comes in. This is where we even out any dips, waves, or other blemishes apparent when the popcorn comes off. The last step is a quick sanding to make the ceiling flawless. Read more about RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s unique process.

 

Bedroom of Burnaby condo after popcorn ceiling removal
Bedroom of Burnaby condo after popcorn ceiling removal
Popcorn ceiling removal in dining room of Burnaby condo
Popcorn ceiling removal in dining room of Burnaby condo
Brighter hallway after popcorn ceiling removal
Brighter hallway after popcorn ceiling removal
Popcorn ceiling removal in the living room
Popcorn ceiling removal in the living room

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Strings Attached

If you’re like us, you believe that popcorn belongs at the movies, not stuck to your ceilings. Contact RemoveCeilingTexture.com today for a quote on popcorn ceiling removal.  Unlike some companies, we don’t charge for providing a quote and our quotes are always obligation free. So send us an email, or give us a call at 604-420-7578.  

 

Get a FREE quote on popcorn ceiling removal!

 

 

Increase the Value of Your Home

We can work around things like fire sprinklers when removing ceiling texture.

Do you want to increase the value of your home? That’s kind of like asking someone if they like pancakes. No rational person answers no to that!  So unless you’re one of those weird, pancake-hating monsters people, here’s a simple way you can add some value to your home. (If you do hate pancakes, that’s okay. I’m sure your mother still loves you.)

 

Increase the Value of Your Home with Ceiling Renovations

Easy way to increase the value of your home: This West Van condo had ceiling texture removed
Easy way to increase the value of your home: This West Van condo had ceiling texture removed

Renovations. The very word invokes fear in some and manic glee in others (you know who you are). But before you haul out the chainsaw and start hacking away at walls, a huge mortgage-your-house transformation may not be necessary. If your home is in decent shape but could use some tweaking, consider having RemoveCeilingTexture.com remove your ceiling texture and refinish the ceilings. Removing the popcorn ceilings can dramatically change your home’s appearance. Ceiling texture is outdated, dusty and full of allergens. It also makes rooms feel small. Smooth ceilings reflect light better and make spaces appear larger.

 

If you are planning a large renovation, smooth, refinished ceilings can be the crowning glory. But a smooth ceiling is also a great option if your house just needs a little bit of TLC and you’d like to increase the value of your home. The great thing about RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s ceiling texture removal process is that you don’t have to put your life on hold while the renovations are being done. We can work around you. In just a few days your ceiling will go from a lumpy, breeding ground for spiders to a smooth surface that makes the space feel more welcoming.

The kitchen in a Main Street condo gets an update simply by removing the popcorn texture on the ceilings
The kitchen in a Main Street condo gets an update simply by removing the popcorn texture on the ceilings
We can work around things like fire sprinklers when removing ceiling texture.
We can work around things like fire sprinklers when removing ceiling texture.

Seller Beware: Smooth Ceilings Sell Better

We’ve dealt with many buyers who are in the process of putting an offer on a home.

Living room of Vancouver condo feels larger with smooth ceilings
Living room of Vancouver condo feels larger with smooth ceilings

They contact us to see how much it will cost to have the ceiling texture removed, and they’re going to factor that into the offer.  If your ceilings are already smooth, your home will naturally fetch better offers from potential buyers. If the choice for a buyer is between your home and a similar home, you want to get whatever edge you can. If one has modern, smooth ceilings and is move-in ready and the other has dingy popcorn ceilings that will need to be dealt with before the buyers move in, it’s clear which one is going to be the winner.  *Unless the purchasers hate pancakes. In that case they are loose cannons and there’s telling what they’ll do!

 

Ceiling texture removal in Vancouver - Bedroom
Ceiling texture removal in Vancouver – Bedroom

 

It couldn’t be easier to increase the value of your home. RemoveCeilingTexture.com provides FREE, no obligation quotes for ceiling renovations and ceiling texture removal.. Contact us today at 604-420-7578 or send us an email.

 

Would you like to increase the value of your home with ceiling texture removal? Contact us today for a FREE quote!

 

Ceiling Refinishing

Ceiling refinishing using the same method used by plaster artisans

Most fads of the 60s and 70s have pretty much disappeared. Except pet rocks. Like parrots and other long-living animals, pet rocks often outlived their owners, ending up abandoned in animal shelters.

This condo at 55 Blackberry Drive in New Westminster has had ceiling refinishing
This condo at 55 Blackberry Drive in New Westminster has had ceiling refinishing

Anyway, for some unexplainable reason, popcorn ceilings, sometimes known as stippled ceilings, are also still hanging in there. What you may not know is that you can do something about it! Ceiling refinishing is an option that will leave you with smooth ceilings.

 

Can’t I Just Scrape Off My Ceiling Texture?

Getting smooth ceilings isn’t as simple as scraping off the texture. There are other things to consider, outlined below, and this is why a professional who has a lot of ceiling experience should be hired. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, our entire business is built around ceiling refinishing. We have the expertise necessary to turn your outdated, textured ceilings into smooth, flawless surfaces.

 

Asbestos:

If your home was built prior to the early 80s, the ceiling texture could contain asbestos. Asbestos fibres are generally not dangerous unless they are airborne, which they will become if you scrape the texture. These fibres are microscopic and when breathed in can get lodged in your lungs. This can lead to breathing problems, scarring and in extreme cases, mesothelioma. If you do have asbestos in your texture, you can still have smooth ceilings. RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s unique process can give you smooth ceilings without disturbing the asbestos fibres. The fibres are sealed in and won’t be disturbed unless there’s some sort of home demolition, or a major earthquake, in which case, ceiling texture would be the least of your problems.

 

Painted Ceiling Texture:

People often don’t know what to do with dirty ceiling texture. It can’t be cleaned, so they just slap some paint over it. This method is not an ideal solution. Who wants to repaint their ceilings every 6 months? If the texture has been painted, it won’t scrape off easily, if at all. It’ll be very difficult to remove it without gouging the ceiling. This is another great reason to have the professionals at RemoveCeilingTexture.com deal with your ceilings.

 

Uneven Ceilings:

The reason stipple is applied to ceilings is so that they don’t have to be finished properly. This saves the builder time and money. If you do manage to remove the texture from your ceilings, you will likely find that they’re in rough shape. They may be uneven or wavy. Wavy ceilings are seen especially in condos with concrete ceilings. The concrete frames they use are not perfect, so you’re left with waves, ridges, holes and other blemishes. This is where ceiling refinishing comes in.

 

What is Ceiling Refinishing and What is Remove Ceiling Texture’s Process?

If there is no asbestos in the ceiling texture, the texture is removed with a special sander/vacuum. This is not some Red Green inspired duct-taped contraption, but a refined piece of German engineering created specifically for the wall and ceiling industry.

*If there is asbestos in the ceiling, we skip the sanding step and add an encapsulant to the mud compound for the skim coating step below.

The first step to smooth ceilings is sanding the texture with the Festool specialty sander
The first step to smooth ceilings is sanding the texture with the Festool specialty sander
The Festool sander is German-engineered for the wall and ceiling industry
The Festool sander is German-engineered for the wall and ceiling industry

Next comes the crucial step that will make your ceilings look professional: ceiling refinishing. A mud compound is applied by hawk and trowel, the same method used by plaster artisans for centuries. Depending on the condition of the ceiling, one to three coats are applied in this fashion, with time for drying between each coat.

 

Ceiling refinishing using the same method used by plaster artisans
Ceiling refinishing using the same method used by plaster artisans
During the ceiling refinishing process a mud compound is applied
During the ceiling refinishing process a mud compound is applied

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last step is sanding. Our method of applying the compound is so precise that the ceilings don’t really need much sanding at all. Just a light sanding and the finished product is revealed: a smooth, flawless surface.

 

Ceiling refinishing and repair in Vancouver
Ceiling refinishing and repair in Vancouver
Refinished ceilings with potlights in Vancouver
Refinished ceilings with potlights in Vancouver

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Immediately Regret This Decision

A North Vancouver homeowner called Remove Ceiling Texture after a failed DIY attempt
A North Vancouver homeowner called Remove Ceiling Texture after a failed DIY attempt

So you thought getting smooth ceilings would be easy. You armed yourself with a scraper and the same single-minded determination that wives often witness when husbands refuse to follow the IKEA directions (seriously though, you need the Rosetta Stone to figure out those Swedish hieroglyphics). You thought, “I’m a handy guy (or gal), how hard could it be?” You got up on your ladder and you began the tedious process of scraping the popcorn texture. You soon regretted this decision. Either the texture didn’t come off nicely and you’ve damaged the drywall, or the texture did come off, but then you saw that the ceilings were uneven and looked terrible.

Failed DIY ceiling texture removal attempt in North Vancouver. RCT was called to fix the ceilings.
Failed DIY ceiling texture removal attempt in North Vancouver. RCT was called to fix the ceilings.

It’s shortly after this happens that we get a lot of calls from bashful homeowners. Our name may be Remove Ceiling Texture, but only because “Remove Ceiling Texture & Refinish Ceilings & Repair Ceiling Imperfections & Fix Homeowner’s Ceiling Mistakes” makes for a pretty long domain name.

 

Instead of trying to do it yourself, contact us from the start. We provide FREE, no obligation quotes for ceiling refinishing. Call us today at 604-420-7578 or contact us here or use the form below.

 

Do your ceilings need refinishing? Contact us today for a FREE, no obligation quote!

 

Fixing Bad Ceilings

Once RCT filled in the waves, resurfaced the ceiling and painted it, it was perfect.

Cheapest price and best quality don’t always go hand in hand. Just ask this unfortunate person. While we don’t know much about fixing bad tattoos, we do know a lot about fixing bad ceilings.

RemoveCeilingTexture.com was recently contacted by a homeowner in Delta. We had given her a ceiling texture removal/resurfacing quote a few months earlier and she had declined to go with us. She was calling us again now because she regretted that decision. She had hired a cheap “renovation” company that didn’t have a lot of experience with ceilings.

 

Close Only Counts in Horseshoes and Hand Grenades

Fixing Bad Ceilings: You can see how RCT needed to fill in the waves left in the ceiling after ceiling texture removal was attempted by an inept company.
You can see how RCT needed to fill in the waves left in the ceiling after ceiling texture removal was attempted by an inept company.

 

Unfortunately for her, the company she originally hired did not realize that removing the ceiling texture is the easy part, and is just the first step. While the popcorn ceiling texture was technically gone, the finished result was far from professional. Instead of being perfectly flat (the result she had hoped for), the ceiling had visible, undulating waves that created shadows. They had removed the texture and apparently decided that it was good enough as is. This could have explained their low price.

 

 

Fixing Bad Ceilings: RemoveCeilingTexture.com to the Rescue

She decided that she couldn’t live with the imperfect ceilings and asked if we could fix the mess. We assured her that we had experience with wavy ceilings and fixing bad ceilings was definitely something we were familiar with. We filled in the waves and resurfaced the entire ceiling so that it was level and perfectly smooth. Ceiling resurfacing requires an artisan’s touch and this is what we specialize in. Most “renovation” companies don’t take the time and effort necessary for a perfect finish.

Fixing Bad Ceilings: Once RCT filled in the waves, resurfaced the ceiling and painted it, it was perfect.
Once RCT filled in the waves, resurfaced the ceiling and painted it, it was perfect.
Fixing Bad Ceilings: The homeowner was thrilled with the ceilings once RCT was called in to fix the mess from a previous contractor.
The homeowner was thrilled with the ceilings once RCT was called in to fix the mess from a previous contractor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Man’s Mistake is Another Man’s Lesson

Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

 

Don’t make the same mistake this homeowner made. If you have ceiling texture you want removed, or other ceiling repairs done, contact the ceiling experts, RemoveCeilingTexture.com from the start. You could save yourself time and money. If you’re in the same situation as this Delta homeowner and would like your ceilings fixed, contact us online or call us today at 604-420-7578 for a FREE quote.

Click through to our gallery to see more examples of our ceiling repair and ceiling texture removal.