How to Beautify an Ugly Popcorn Ceiling
How did something so bad get so popular? At one time Popcorn ceilings were very common, not because they were beautiful, but because
they gave people a way to cover up ugly ceilings. Now, the people who put up these ugly ceilings didn’t think about how they would ever paint them or clean them and for the first few weeks when they looked sort of like a rough stucco ceiling they weren’t too bad; but with a few seasons worth of dust, indoor pollution and spiders (spiders really loved those rough ceilings!) the popcorn ceiling took on a rancid taste. Almost impossible to paint them, some folks went through the dirty, dusty and possibly dangerous* work of scraping off the offending ceiling coverings – and usually found an uneven, cracked or damaged ceiling hidden beneath the popcorn.
What to do with a popcorn ceiling when the love has gone? To scrape or not to scrape depends on its condition and age and what you want to do with the ceiling after the popcorn is gone. There is a very good chance that the popcorn ceiling was originally put up to cover a less than perfect ceiling so unless you are working on an historic restoration, you may want to consider a coverup job. The ceiling will need to be clean for adhesives to hold up your new tiles – we have some suggestions on how to get it clean – listed under ‘Ideas’.
OK, so what can you do with an ugly ceiling? Think of styrofoam ceiling tiles. Beautiful designs embossed on lightweight styrofoam can easily cover an ugly or problem ceiling and Popcorn ceilings are no exception. These do-it-yourself styrofoam tiles can go right on top over just about anything you would like to cover and beautify. Easy to work with and lightweight material that you can simply cut to exact size with no more than a sharp razor knife. Inexpensive and attractive, styrofoam ceiling tiles are the perfect way to resolve your problem ceilings.
Take a look at the Styrofoam Ceiling Tiles we offer and watch the easy installation video instructions. If you have a problem ceiling of any kind – cracks, stains or even an ugly popcorn ceiling, you can do something about it for less than you may think. Styrofoam tiles may be applied to ceilings and walls covered with aerated concrete, lime-cement, gypsum or dry plaster, chip-board, construction ceramics (bricks, blocks, hollow bricks), silicates, popcorn (if it is dry and stable). As long as your existing ceiling surface is sound and not crumbling, it can be beautified with styrofoam tiles!
See how much better even small spaces can look with a few hours and a few styrofoam ceiling tiles.
Note: * If that old Popcorn ceiling has been there for years, it could be a health hazard to remove it. Some ceilings from the 1950’s – 60’s could have asbestos fibers included in the ceiling coatings and removal should not be attempted. Get more information if asbestos is a concern in your home.
Surface Preparation Means Success
IMPORTANT!! Do NOT apply the ceiling tiles over soft, unstable popcorn. If popcorn is soft and unstable, it needs to be removed before applying the tiles. This can be done by soaking it with water and scrubbing it off the ceiling. The ceiling can be spritzed with a mist sprayer or wet with a sponge. Kept damp, the popcorn coating can be almost pushed off the ceiling with a scraper. Keeping it damp also means you can avoid the mess of dust from scraping.
Prepare the surface by removing any dust, grease, wax or other dirt. Remove old, flaky coats of paint. Any cracks or other flaws should be filled before applying styrofoam tiles. The surface should be even, dry, hard, stable, and free of any dust or grease.