Asked by: Adelle Einicke
home and garden indoor environmental quality

Why are popcorn ceilings popular?

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The reason why popcorn ceilings are also called acoustic ceilings is because they are better at absorbing sound. This is in part because of the increased surface area due to all the raised bumps, which is said to help muffle noise.


Correspondingly, when did popcorn ceilings become popular?

1960s

One may also ask, why did they invent popcorn ceilings? ANSWER: According to Pleasanton contractor, Jeff Debernardi, the ceilings were used to cut down on reflective noise and to cover up seams and tape marks in wallboard ceilings. The ceilings were usually was made of chalk and wallboard compound, but some mixtures contained asbestos.

Also asked, how did popcorn ceilings become popular?

Because of this, it became widely adopted, which is why you can find them in so many old homes today. They were especially popular from the 1930s all the way through the 1990s. Jared: Popcorn ceiling texture is a spray that's applied to your ceiling. It was used to cover up a lot of flaws in the ceiling.

What is the problem with popcorn ceilings?

One of the primary reasons people seek popcorn ceiling removal is to reduce their risk of asbestos exposure. Any popcorn ceilings that predate 1978 likely contain asbestos, which can cause mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

Related Question Answers

Lixiang Hoferlin

Professional

Is removing popcorn ceiling worth it?

It's not prohibitively expensive to remove, so you might want to simply get rid of the ceiling if everything else about the property really is perfect, Workers might scrape away the mess to reveal beautiful plaster perfectly intact underneath. But a popcorn ceiling more commonly covers up a bad drywall and mudding job.

Jimena El Hassouni

Professional

Does popcorn ceiling lower home value?

Schutte estimates that removing a popcorn ceiling would add $25,000 to $35,000 in value for a large estate executive home. “A freshly scraped ceiling may add zero value if the entire interior needs new paint and everything else about the house is outdated.”

Yann Partal

Professional

Can you hang things from popcorn ceiling?

A textured ceiling can refer to a variety of ceiling designs, from outdated popcorn ceilings to ornately carved wood ceilings to plaster ceilings with designs created on top of them with a trowel. However, just because you hang something from the ceiling doesn't mean you have to drill holes or otherwise damage it.

Lenia Sai

Explainer

What year did they stop using asbestos in popcorn ceilings?

1977,

Chantelle Tsen

Explainer

How long does it take to remove popcorn ceiling?

If you go with traditional methods — that is, scraping and removing, then resurfacing your ceilings — and hire a professional, you can expect approximately 20 hours of work to remove and replace your popcorn ceiling a 500sq foot area.

Wenjian Trafford

Explainer

How do I know if my popcorn ceiling has asbestos?

You can test a popcorn ceiling for the presence of asbestos by carefully scraping a small sample into a plastic bag and having it tested at an EPA-accredited lab. While homeowners are allowed to remove a popcorn ceiling that contains the material, a professional asbestos remediation company should do the job.

Jovanna Andrabide

Pundit

How much does it cost to get rid of popcorn ceilings?

Cost To Remove Popcorn Ceilings
In general, contractors charge per square foot for removal of popcorn ceilings. On average, the cost is between $1/sf and $2/sf, with the average homeowner spending around $1,565 to remove the outdated and possibly cracked texture from the ceiling.

Rachelle Hebentanz

Pundit

How do you remove popcorn ceilings yourself?

Spray the Ceiling
Fill a spray bottle with warm water, then spray one small section (10 square feet) of ceiling at a time. Let it sit for about 20 minutes. Don't over saturate the popcorn coating, as it could damage the underlying drywall surface.

Josetxo Stokel

Pundit

Would a house built in 1987 have asbestos?

The 1987 vintage home you have your eye on probably doesn't contain asbestos. But the only way to tell for sure is to have the ceiling tested. For more information on asbestos, check out the Environmental Protection Agency Web site, www.epa.gov/asbestos. We don't agree with your doctor.

Aynoha Lebre

Pundit

Should you paint popcorn ceilings?

Paint Over the Popcorn Ceiling
Don't roll back and forth because once the popcorn gets wet it starts to peel. For stains, roll or spray paint the stained spot, with the same color the ceiling will be painted with, and let dry completly before painting the entire ceiling.

Mhammed Villacian

Pundit

Would a house built in 1981 have asbestos?

Some roofing and siding shingles are made of asbestos cement. Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos as insulation. Asbestos may be present in textured paint and in patching compounds used on wall and ceiling joints. Their use was banned in 1977.

Lindalva Gluhih

Teacher

How do you smooth popcorn ceilings?

When scraping popcorn ceilings, you'll want to use a 4-inch utility knife or a drywall knife to chip away at the texture and create a smooth surface. You'll probably need to skim it with a thin layer of joint compound to smooth out imperfections, then sand it smooth before repainting.

Kristen Herruzo

Teacher

Do you have to mud drywall after removing popcorn ceiling?

After removing the popcorn, the ceiling should be sanded and bad seams and the dings need to be "topped off" After topping off and sanding, it is wise to prime the ceiling before trying to roll on texture. Bare drywall will suck the moisture out of the paitn and prevent you from distrbuting the texture evenly.

Eduar Oehmen

Teacher

Should I buy a house with asbestos ceiling?

Generally, there is no reason you should stop buying a house with asbestos ceilings as long as you are aware of what is contained in the house and that there will be a cost for removing the asbestos.

Hajie Berezovoi

Teacher

What is popcorn made of?

Popcorn, like all six types of corn, is a cereal grain and originates from a wild grass. Its scientific name is Zea mays everta, and it is the only type of corn to actually pop. Popcorn is made up of three main components: endosperm, germ and the pericarp (also known as hull or bran).

Dorleta Neumair

Reviewer

What year did popcorn ceilings come out?

Popcorn was used pre-1970s and in early formulations, it often contained white asbestos fibers. When asbestos was banned in ceiling treatments by the Clean Air Act in the United States, popcorn ceilings fell out of favor in much of the country.

Lorena Dethlefsen

Reviewer

How do you remove a popcorn ceiling without scraping it?

For easier scraping and practically no dust during popcorn ceiling removal, use a garden pump sprayer to mist the ceiling and let it soak in for about 15 minutes before scraping. Only give it a light misting—too much water could damage the drywall or loosen the joint tape.

Xiaopeng Aronowitz,Aaron

Reviewer

How common is asbestos in popcorn ceiling?

Known as “popcorn ceiling,” “cottage-cheese ceiling” or “stucco ceiling,” it was typically 1 to 10 percent asbestos. To find out if your old popcorn ceiling contains asbestos, you can purchase a test kit or hire an asbestos abatement professional.

Olin Verholen

Reviewer

What does asbestos look like?

In most commercial forms, asbestos looks like attic insulation -- a ball of thick fuzz. The individual asbestos fibers that are released into the air are microscopic.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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22nd June, 2020

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