Why You Should Remove that Popcorn Ceiling
A popcorn ceiling which is sometimes referred to as stucco ceiling is a highly textured ceiling in your home that usually resembles popcorn. These types of ceilings are common in bedrooms and hallways of most homes in the United States that were built between 1950 and 1980’s. Home builders used these ceilings for aesthetics and to hide imperfections such as small cracks. However, popcorn ceilings can cause severe problems in your home. Below are some of the reasons why you should remove popcorn ceilings from your home.
Hard to Repair and Maintain
Typically, a popcorn ceiling requires regular maintenance to retain its attractive look. The ceiling usually becomes dirty due to its crevices and recesses. However, the uneven surface of the ceiling makes it extremely difficult to clean and maintain. The recessed pits also attract a lot of sand which causes significant issues during painting since it tends to create a sloppy and uneven look.
It’s tough to get an even coat when you paint a popcorn ceiling using the paint rollers whereas a standard paint roller isn’t thick enough to reach every section of the ceiling. Painting the ceiling with a standard paint brush is also time consuming and wasteful.
The Risk of Asbestos
Most of the popcorn ceilings contain asbestos which can cause severe health complications to you and your family. Any popcorn ceilings that were manufactured before 1978 contain asbestos, and any efforts to dust or apply a fresh coat of paint on the ceiling will lead to the spreading of the asbestos.
Sometimes, even the popcorn ceilings that were manufactured in the 1980’s tend to contain asbestos. Any slight disturbance or damage to the ceilings will make the asbestos fibers to fly in the air. Once the asbestos becomes airborne, you can easily breathe it into your lungs causing lung cancer or other health complications such as mesothelioma and asbestosis.
If you decide to remove your popcorn ceiling, make sure you test the materials thoroughly to establish whether they contain asbestos. If the results of testing indicate the presence of asbestos, hire an expert to help you remove the ceiling and safely remove the asbestos from your home.
Outdated
Popcorn ceilings were a favorite home interior design between 1950’s and 1980’s. Due to its strong dominance during this era, the existence of these ceilings in your house today creates an outdated impression of your home interior decor. This can even be worse if the color of your walls and ceilings is still stark white. Removing the popcorn ceilings from your home will allow you ample time to plan and upgrade your interior décor to the latest trends.
Always make sure that you work with a professional painting contractor while removing your popcorn ceiling.