Determining if My Popcorn Ceiling Has Asbestos?

michaelarnoth

March 14, 20220 found this helpful

I'm doing one now no idea what u was getting ibto luckily I charged 3000$ for just one large room with vaulted ceilings

jkaconsulting21

April 4, 20220 found this helpful

As far as removal of popcorn ceiling, first move every single item out of room if you can, or move to the center of room(only if you have to), take pics off walls or use thin plastic sheeting and cover floor to ceiling tape at top and bottom and at all seams. Cover air vents and door sweeps. The more you move things out of room and the better you tape, cover, and seal the better. Because, as with sawdust plaster and dust from acoustic material finds its way EVERYWHERE. AND, the better you prep the smoother the job, and it is all behind you. And if you have carpet cover it corner to corner.

10' x 14' with 10' cieling to remove popcorn leaving smooth surface once room is prepped correctly.

Total time on removal only using this method. 3 hours of what will prove to be up to a 2 day job(read on)

However before taking all plastic down painting is strongly recommended. And before you paint you will want to sand surface and fix imperfections.

But before you do any of this, the cielings remaining material should be completely dry... then you should prep and roll out 2 compete coats of quality latex paint. In ideal weather conditions this entire job COULD done in one day by one person. But 2 is ideal, especially if time is an issue or there is more than one room to do.

Ok tools to do this job most efficiently:

You will need a
-2", 4", and a 8" taping knife all stainless steel ($30)
-12" floor scraper that comes with fixed 12" blade on a 5' steel pole looks like a taping knife on a stick.

-one gallon of white vinegar ($3)

-2 gallon plastic pump sprayer ( looks like the kind a exterminator uses around your house ($8)

-1/2 gallon pale of pre mixed drywall repair plaster ($8)

Once you have prepped and have these items your ready. Now I am not going to list prep materials safety materials and their costs but I will say use quality tape on anything you tape, and quality safety not a covid mask, or even n95, 3m makes an affordable mask with removable cartridges, just remember you will need the pink filters which are p100.

Now, open your sprayer once suited and booted and mix 3 parts warm water to 1 part white vinegar. Pump pressure into sprayer, and start spraying the ceiling in an even but lightly saturating coat. My preference if the room is a 10x14 is start with perimeter of 2' one wall at a time( so 2' where the ceiling meets wall- not on the wall- and start with a 10' section of straight wall or the simplest one.) Then once sprayed let stand for 3-5 minutes then take your 4 or 8" taping knife at about 18" away from wall and slowly scrape at about a 40 degree angle in one direction, ideally one slow fluid motion to the corner. This process should be repeated all the way around room first before middle.

To start slowly is to make sure you aren't being too aggressive. The more aggressive, the more holes you will be filling in later, and at the corners will only help your paint job later. Plus this will give you the touch you need when using the floor scraper later for center of room.

Once all material to be scraped is, and before sanding look for imperfections that you may have made with your scraper and use 2 or 4" knife to fill don't try and get perfect because you will want to light sand before paint and the plaster fill can be drying and curing as ceiling drys after removal. (Cieling won't be soaked it will just be damp, and will dry quickly, unless it's a rainy day in October, in which case put a space heater in room on high and close the doors for about an hour or as needed.

I think the rest is self explanatory.

But, take your time with the removal, if you don't you will spend more time post removal prepping for paint.

Also recommended but not needed, buy a canvas drop cloth for the floor , do not use a tarp or sheeting. As it is easier to sweep, vacuum, and scrape. Also if need be you can roll it up between the jobs total steps hose it off and re use, and it won't snag with ladders, shoes or tools.

Please keep in mind I personally would charge about $2k for this service but that would include everything down to the last spec of dust and paint and it would be perfect. But it would not include the moving of furniture( if furniture remains and needs to be covered-each item that remains and it's protection will make price go up, especially a piano.

But note, this is a professional price for a 2 trade job, as a plaster guy and a painter can be the same guy, it is 2 jobs and neither of them are professional movers. If you have tradesmen come out, don't insult them by having them move your stuff for you. Their estimates are based on the hours you brought them out for their specialties. And be prepared for them to hit you with a flat rate of up to 25% of total job to even touch your belongings, to move them out of room(and don't expect them to place them back for free)

Any plaster or paint professional is not a mover as I stated, and anyone that moves things to the middle and covers is a Neophyte, Newbie, Rube or simply lazy. Because, it will cause headaches later to not have it done right the first time.

I would recommend moving of items yourself, or getting a friend to help you.

And do this before contractor or handyman arrives. So they can prep and get right to work.

Total time to be ready to paint not including moving of items no more than 5 hours if done correctly in optimal conditions, time from paint to finish moving not included 4-5 hrs depending on drytime of paint also if your doing a hard contrast from wall to ceiling in color, it may take more time on the cut.

Best of luck

And on scale of 1 to 10. 10 being toughest, for a pro it's a 3, a handyman about a 5, and average home owner who has never done a proper plaster repair on anything ever a solid 10. But for the homeowner with knowledge of proper prep, plaster, paint and dry times, it can be about a 5 to a 7.

Most common mistakes on this job come from:

Not having correct tools
Not cleaning as you go
"Getting after it" being to aggressive or over zealous.

Good luck