Keep cottage cheese ceilings?

Question

Marcia Maynard · Answer

Our duplexes and our 8-plex have popcorn ceilings. They rent fine. Never had tenants or prospective tenants comment about the ceilings. These are B & C properties built in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I would leave the popcorn ceilings in place. When you get ready to paint them, be aware it will take more paint to do the job.  We use a flat white ceiling paint and antique white semi-gloss wall paint... this gives the ceiling just enough contrast to set it off from the wall and it looks great.

We have popcorn ceilings in our own home and actually like the way they absorb sound. Also popcorn ceilings can hide imperfections. Here's a link to an article I like about popcorn ceilings...."Popcorn Ceilings - Are They Really So Bad?"

http://crosslandteam.com/blog/2011/04/10/popcorn-c...

Bryan N. · Answer

I would leave it.

William Allen · Answer

@Jeff Zimmerman  It is expensive unless you are doing it yourself.  If you do it yourself it isn't overly hard to do but is time consuming and if the building is old you may have some skimming to do after scraping.  I wouldn't do it personally as I don't think the renters care that much, home buyers do.  However, I don't know the market or what buyers expect where you are, that would ultimately drive my decision.

Franklin Romine · Answer

@Jeff Zimmerman  depending on what your contractor charges you i probably wouldn't if you are in b c area....

Frank r

William Baumann · Answer

Popcorn Ceilings, depending on the year of the home can help you figure out if you have an asbestos possibility anything after 1980's you usually good.  You can send a sample to be tested and find out if you have asbestos, there are also test kits at home depot for like $50 and you can test it yourself.  If you do, DON'T TOUCH IT, in most states (not sure in CA) you can just seal it and disclose, otherwise your will need professional remediation to remove it (approx $1500 per 1,000sq ft).  DO NOT try to remove it yourself, it is against the law for one, can extremely dangerous for second, and you could invite a wonderful EPA fine and lawsuits by the neighbors that you expose to airborne particles. Not worth it. Better to check it out, and get it taken care of properly if it is.

You can get the DIY version here http://www.pscleanair.org/library/Documents/asb-popcorn.pdf

If it is not, a simple water/soap mix spray on the ceiling making sure it gets good and wet, the popcorn material will soak up a lot, you want it wet, then just scrap with a putty knife.