DIY: Popcorn Ceiling
Popcorn ceiling texture was very popular during the 1970s, but even today, people still want a textured look on their ceiling. Popcorn ceilings work great at hiding ceiling imperfections such as poor drywall taping, noticeable drywall seams and uneven drywall. Ceiling popcorn adheres to concrete ceilings, plaster and drywall surfaces. Although the popcorn ceiling installation involves very messy working conditions, you can save quite a bit of money by spraying a fresh popcorn ceiling yourself.
Instructions
1. Repair nail marks and any major holes on the ceiling using joint taping compound and a taping knife. For bigger holes and repairs, apply one to two coats of taping compound to level out the surface.
2. Remove grease and foreign residue from the ceiling using a trisodium phosphate solution. Use a firm scrub brush or broom to clean off dirt and grim.
3. Completely clear the entire room of all furniture. Cover the floor with layers of poly plastic for easy disposal at the end of the job. Insert tape where the walls meet the ceilings, going all the way around the entire room. Attach 99-inch easy-mask plastic film to the edge of the tape and extend the plastic all the way down to the floor, covering the walls.
4. Wear safety glasses, work clothes, gloves, work boots and a respirator. If you don't have a respirator, wear a dust mask.
5. Mix the powder-based popcorn texture in a clean, empty bucket, using a heavy-duty electric mixer. You also can use pre-mixed popcorn that comes in a bucket. For the powder-based texture, read the mixing instructions on the bag to avoid adding too much water. Mix the popcorn texture into an oatmeal consistency.
6. Set up your hopper or texture machine. Dump your mixed popcorn into the hopper or holding container. Find the pressure knob and adjust the pressure accordingly. Test a small sample area on a piece of cardboard before spraying the actual ceiling.
7. Position the texture gun about 5 feet away from the surface of the ceiling and begin spraying popcorn into the corner. Hold down the spray gun trigger and move the spray gun in a steady and circular motion. Complete small 3-by-3 sections at a time, working in one direction.
8. Check for bare spots on the ceiling. To remove popcorn build-up, scrape off popcorn using a small putty knife and then re-spray the popcorn.
9. Spray a white primer over the , after the popcorn has completely dried. Wait until the primer has dried and spray one to two coats of flat latex paint over the primer.
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