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TaddPeake 04-21-2011 07:02 PM

Am I crazy to stay at home while having ceilings drywalled?
Hi, All.

I'm having my ceilings drywalled over the popcorn, and having crown molding put up. I'm covering all the carpets with that adhesive plastic in rolls.

Two questions:

1. What's a good, cheap cover for the large furniture (couch, dressers)

2. Am I crazy for thinking I can move into one room for the 10 days the work is being done?

(apologies if this is a double post)

DangerMouse 04-21-2011 07:27 PM


It's not a double post....?

It's just two questions.

1: Old sheets work quite well. Tape them tight to things you cherish, that dust gets into everything.

2: No, you're not crazy. I am.


user1007 04-21-2011 08:16 PM

I hate seeing people using them as painting tarps but the dirt cheap plastic things they sell in rolls will work as long as you do not bump them.

Are you crazy thinking you can hide in one room while the work is being done?

Drop a decent piece of plastic in the doorways and insist the contractor extract as they go or pick up the drywall dust on a daily basis. Or plan on doing it yourself if you hired princesses that do not clean up after themselves. Make sure your wet vac is equipped with a drywall filter AND consider using bags.

The drywall dust will still sneak around though so be sure and cover electronic equipment, computers, and so forth. And especially if there is a cold air return to the furnace near? Tape over it and shut the fan and the furnace off. And plan on replacing the filters the moment the contractor says, "I am done!"

Misting the drywall dust with water from a tank sprayer will weigh it down and cause it to fall a bit faster.

Good news is if it is a square ceiling there should be minimal tape and mud joints?

<*(((>< 04-21-2011 09:27 PM

Why are you drywalling over the popcorn (acoustic texture). As long as you have no major cracks or patches in the ceiling you can take a fine mist sprayer and spray sections at a time, taking a 8" or so drywall knife and scrape the texture down to the drywall. Everything falls onto your prepared floors of plastic. I have done this to a couple of houses in the past, and if you get enough water and have the right angle with the knife it leaves a smooth finish to then texture with whatever finish you desire.

It just seems that you are having unnecessary work done that is adding cost and weight to your ceiling.

AandPDan 04-21-2011 10:20 PM


Just mist the ceilings and scrape with a big putty knife. It is very easy, it'll practically fall off. There is almost no dust with this process. If an area doesn't come clean on the first scrape, wet it and try again.

Only if you do dig into the ceiling then touch it up with joint compound.

Get another quote. I've done several ceilings this way and can usually have them scraped clean in about an hour, 10x12 room. Give it a day to dry out and then prime and repaint.

user1007 04-21-2011 11:28 PM

I've brought this alternative up so many times I just stopped. When the poster mentioned drywalling over it all, I assumed asbestos or something was found in the texture.

As mentioned. Just scrape it off. As I have said before, popcorn ceilings were/are the work of the devil and cheap contractors that did not want to finish ceilings the correct way---tape, mud, primer. They mixed texture in with the crappiest white paint or primer and sprayed it on ceilings.

It will come down with a wide drywall blade as mentioned in no time. Buy a tank sprayer and just wet it all down as mentioned. Wait a few minutes. Then scrape away.

TaddPeake 04-22-2011 06:33 AM

Tossed and turned all night
Thank you all for your replies.

I think you're right about taking it down myself. I tested a small area and it came down pretty clean.

It will be a pain (because I'm OLD and CURMUDGEONLY) but I can do it a room at a time and clean up as I go.

If I need my contractor to come back in to skim coat it later, I can do so, and save a little on the project. If not, I'll save a pile of money and earn some character.

The only texture I want on it is smooth, probably a symptom of staring at popcorn for so long.

<*(((>< 04-22-2011 10:25 AM

Good for you I think you will end up with a better product if you take your time with it. Just make sure that you get down to the paper of the drywall (or at least very close, obviously on tape joints you won't be able to get to the drywall paper) and not leave the base of the popcorn texture on there. It should be an easy process of wetting the texture down in sections fairly well (not saturated all the way through, as to soak into the paper, but enough to saturate the texture on the top), let it sit for 20 seconds or so and come at the ceiling with a wide drywall blade at about a 10 to 15 degree angle so as not to gouge the paper of the drywall (if you do gouge the drywall the drywaller can fix before texture). If you can do this and get the majority of the texture off the ceiling the drywaller will have little work to do to prep the ceiling for new texture.

The process seems like a lot of work, but once you get the floor masked off, it is really quite easy. Just very messy!

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

EDIT: There should be absolutely no dust generated in doing this, if there is you aren't using enough water.

canadaclub 04-22-2011 10:42 AM

Instead of just scraping the popcon onto the floor (very messy) hold up a small pail to catch it as you scrape. When the pail is full, empty it into a contractor bag.

TaddPeake 04-22-2011 11:08 AM

Great advice all. Thanks.

bjbatlanta 04-22-2011 10:47 PM

Invest in a roll of thin painter's plastic to cover things. Several hundred feet in a roll and cheap enough to toss after using......

TaddPeake 04-23-2011 06:48 AM

Is there a furniture equivalent of the carpet "protect-it" with the adhesive backing?

dberladyn 04-24-2011 11:44 AM

From a Profession's point of view...

1.) Move your belongings and furniture OUT of the rooms.

2.) Spend money and get plastic carpet protector rolls. Usually they are rolls of plastic that are 36" wide and they have a soft adhesive which will stick the plastic to the carpet as you roll it out.

3.) Scrape the ceilings if they are not painted but beware that texture most likely contains asbestos.

3b.) If that Texture is painted and doesn't want to come off, or if you are concerend with releasing asbestos fibers into your home (you should be) then have your PROFESSIONAL Drywall Finisher skim right over the texture with a mixture of Concrete Fill/Concrete Seal and Drywall Compound.

Installing new drywall over top of an existing ceiling does work, but as a Professional I don't see the point. It's just as easy to skim the whole ceiling without doubling the thickness/weight of your ceiling which brings with it further problems.

