For the homeowner, textured ceilings come with many drawbacks.
Here are four different DIY-friendly methods for covering a popcorn ceiling finish without the hassle ofremoving the texture.
What Is Popcorn Ceiling?
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It also has sound-dampening properties.
Removing Popcorn Ceiling vs. For health reasons, it’s preferable to cover a crumbling textured ceiling.
It can be unsafe to remove a popcorn ceiling yourself.
If youwant to remove itand asbestos is in your ceiling, get a skilled professional removal to remove it.
Tip
Test your ceiling’s texture for asbestosas you prepare to cover it.
These methods have advantages and disadvantages you should weigh when choosing.
Installing drywall also requires finishing skills that are challenging for many DIYers.
The planks are available in an impressive range of colors and styles.
Skim Coating
Skim-coatingis a method to cover a popcorn ceiling inexpensively.
Once complete, you should have a flat, uniform ceiling for primer and paint.
Skim coating is the cheapest of all options but requires fine attention to detail.
It can get messy if not done right.
You’ll need to do at least three coats.
All methods are a little more complicated when there’s a ceiling light fixture.
Remove light fixtures and add box extenders to keep fixtures flush with the new ceiling surface.
Hire an electrician if you are not confident with DIY wiring projects.
It can significantly boost the thermal performance of the ceiling.
The best material for this system is rigid foam insulation, which has several different types.
For the highest R-value (insulating value), use polyisocyanurate (polyiso or ISO) rigid panels.
Choose polyiso panels withouta foil facing.
Polyiso insulation board comes in thicknesses of 1/2 inch to 2 inches.
The thicker the board, the higher its R-value.
A 1/2-inch-thick board has an R-value of about 3.
A 2-inch-thick board has an R-value of about 13.
Some locales may place interior-use restrictions on foil-backed foam boards, as well.
Extruded polystyrene foam panels (XPS) are a good substitute offering slightly lower insulating values.
XPS may be easier to find and less restricted in some areas.
A better choice is usually 3/8- or 1/2-inch-thick drywall, which is more rigid, though heavier.
Call an electrician if you are not skilled in DIY electrical repairs.
Push the panels tightly together and snugly against the walls on all sides.
This blocks airflow between the panels, not creating a vapor barrier.
You will use these as guides for driving screws when installing the new ceiling drywall.
These newer systems use much more stylish prefinished fiberboard planks that can look very much like natural wood paneling.
This ensures the marks will be visible after the insulation is installed.
After installing the insulation, snap chalk lines across the panels to mark the centers of the ceiling joists.
The tracks must be precisely parallel.
Ensure not to run tracks directly over ceiling electrical boxes or other obstacles.
With most systems, the tracks should have a gap of 2 inches to the wall.
Use screws long enough to penetrate the insulation panels and ceiling joists.
The tracks must be precisely parallel and spaced correctly.
Check the tracks with a long level to confirm they are flat and level.
The screws anchoring the tracks can be adjusted to level the installation if necessary.
With most systems, this involves cutting off the tongue side of the planks.
The clips fit into the tracks, then slide into place to hold the groove edge of the planks.
End joints should be staggered so they don’t line up from row to row.
End joints should be offset by at least 16 inches, preferably more.
Secure the wall edge of the planks with screws driven into the tracks.
Ensure to maintain the recommended expansion gap between the last row of planks and the wall.
Fill the nail holes with matching wood putty.
The result looks very similar to the grid-track system.
This method is less expensive but more labor-intensive.
Mark Ceiling Joists
Use a stud finder to locate the ceiling joists.
Make reference lines extending down the walls to indicate the joist locations.
After installing the insulation, snap chalk lines across the panels to mark the centers of the ceiling joists.
Mark these lines at 18-inch intervals to show the location of furring strips.
Use screws long enough to penetrate and anchor the insulation panels into the joists.
Check the furring strips in both directions with a carpenter’s level to ensure they are flat and level.
Take your time checking and adjusting the furring strips.
Flat, level installation is essential for good results with the planks or panels.
confirm end joints are staggered from row to row.
Maintain a slight gap around the walls to allow for expansion.
This method requires three coats.
Prime the Ceiling
Paint one layer of ceiling primer on the ceiling.
If the popcorn contains asbestos, this helps encapsulate it.
Additionally, it prepares the surface for accepting the drywall mud or joint compound.
If you only do one coat, you might still see the ridged texture from the popcorn.
Do-it-yourselfers can apply skim coating with a bit of finesse and attention to detail.
To cover a popcorn ceiling, drywall is a popular option, Wood planks comes a close second.
United Stated Environmental Protection Agency.
Dahlgren JG, Talbott PJ.Lung cancer from asbestos textured ceilings: a case study.Int J Occup Environ Health.
2016;22(2):175-178.
