There is nothing left for you to do. The only way to remove a popcorn ceiling is to create a mess. However, by properly preparing the room beforehand, you can minimize the cleanup after the project is complete. After removing all furniture from the room, cover the floor and the bottom 16 inches of each wall with a heavy plastic sheeting. Secure the tarp with tape.
The upper walls should also be protected. Tape around the perimeter of the room, 1/4 inch below the ceiling. Secure it with more tape over the top. Ceiling lights can be in the way at this point, so if you have ceiling fans, center crown molding, or pendant lights, it is recommended that you remove them at this point.
Divide the ceiling into 4-foot square sections. Then, using a garden sprayer, thoroughly wet the first section and let the water soak in for 10-15 minutes. Once you have waited long enough, place a ladder under the dampened section, put on a dust mask and safety glasses, and climb up the ladder. Place the putty knife at a 30-degree angle to the ceiling and begin scraping off the popcorn. The method is to spray, wait, and scrape. Work in this manner, one section at a time, around the room.
Continue until you have removed the popcorn ceiling, exposing the drywall surface underneath. Now that you have prepared the room by covering the walls and floor with plastic sheeting, you may want to apply a coat of primer and paint the ceiling. In this case, remove the sheeting after the final coat of paint has dried. However, don’t forget to reinstall the ceiling and reconnect the power. You will notice that everything looks brighter in a space without popcorn. Right? Enjoy.
