Concrete ceiling finishing Archives - RemoveCeilingTexture.com

August 5, 2015November 2, 2016

Scraped Concrete Ceilings: The Popcorn is Gone, But Now What?

Before: Scraped ceilings are rough and ugly. After: Ceilings have been resurfaced to a smooth finish

Scraped Concrete Ceilings:

The Popcorn is Gone, But Now What?

If you have a condo in a highrise building, it likely has concrete ceilings. Those ceilings are probably covered in some sort of texture–either the really rough popcorn popular in the 1970s, or the lighter texture that’s still being applied today (yes, still!). If you’ve removed the texture yourself, no doubt you’ve realized that the ceilings are too rough and uneven to be paint-ready. Why is this, and what should be done next?

Why Are Concrete Ceilings So Uneven?

Concrete is poured into wood forms during construction

The concrete in your building has been poured into formworks, or molds, that are most often made from timber or plywood. These materials are flexible, and somewhat uneven. That means that your ceilings will also be somewhat uneven, and have blemishes from knots or other imperfections of the wood frame.

Rather than spend time grinding little bumps down, filling in holes, or making sure the ceiling is level, most builders just spray it with texture. Fast and cheap for them.

The Best Way to Get a Smooth, Level Ceiling

Nine times out of ten, you’re going to save time and money in the long run when you hire a professional from the start; this is true whether it’s tiling a bathroom, installing cabinets, or removing popcorn ceilings. And it’s especially valid if those ceilings are concrete, for the reasons mentioned above. Ceiling experts have the tools and experience to accomplish in a few days what would take you a week or more. On top of that, it will look professional, instead of like a DIY hack job.

But most importantly, if the building was built prior to the mid-1980s, the ceiling texture could have asbestos. Scraping the popcorn would make the asbestos airborne, which is when it’s dangerous. Since the fibres are microscopic, the only way to tell if asbestos is present, is to have it tested at a lab. Ceiling professionals will be able to do this for you. However, if you’ve already scraped the popcorn off yourself, that advice is probably not helpful at the moment! Don’t panic; most health problems associated with asbestos are seen in people who have worked in an asbestos-related industry. That being said, it’s always a good idea to monitor your health; have a doctor look into anything suspicious, especially any respiratory issues. Click here to find out more about asbestos-related health issues.

If you’ve scraped your concrete ceilings, are you stuck with the coarse mess? Not at all. A ceiling expert can still create a flawless surface for you.

This scraped concrete ceiling was quite rough before RCT resurfaced it

How Does a Professional Take Scraped Concrete Ceilings & Make Them Smooth?

The key to getting a flawless, smooth ceiling is to skim coat the entire surface, at least twice. That’s right, every inch. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we use the same method that has been used by plasterers for centuries: a hawk and trowel, and an eye for detail. Working on stilts, on a canvas above your head, takes stamina and skill. Filling in holes is one thing, but the real expertise comes in when a wavy ceiling needs to be levelled. This takes a keen eye and steady hand. Without the popcorn to hide imperfections, the finished product needs to be impeccable. Your average condo owner doesn’t have the time, patience, or skill to attain a perfectly smooth finish.

On the left, the DIY scraped concrete ceiling. On the right, the professionally finished smooth ceiling.

This was a failed DIY attempt at scraped concrete ceilings. We were called in to fix the ceilings.

There’s No Shame in Admitting You Need Professional Help!

If you’ve scraped your concrete ceilings and now they look terrible, RemoveCeilingTexture.com can help. We’ve worked extensively on concrete ceilings, and have seen it all: Failed DIY Popcorn Ceiling Removal, Water-damaged Texture, Rough, Unfinished Concrete Slabs, and Wavy Concrete Ceilings That Needed Filling.

Avoid frustration and contact us today, by email, or by phone at 604-420-7578, for advice and a free estimate on resurfacing your ceilings.

Get a FREE estimate on resurfacing your ceilings!

June 5, 2014November 2, 2016

Professional Ceiling Contractors

The Importance of Hiring Professional Ceiling Contractors

Professional ceiling contractors can make all the difference when it comes to having your ceiling texture removed. An inexperienced contractor who is not familiar with ceiling texture can cause delays in your project, and the end results can be less than ideal.

We were contacted by new homeowners on Homer Street in Vancouver. They had just purchased their first condo and while they were excited about this, they were not thrilled with the textured ceilings. One of the first things they planned for, before moving in, was ceiling texture removal. Unfortunately for them, they hired someone with very little experience with ceilings.

They were promised a three-day job by their contractor. By the end of the first day, the frustrated contractor had completed only one small room and told them there was no way he could finish the job for them. Needless to say, the homeowners were pretty frustrated too. When dealing with ceilings, especially concrete ceilings, it’s important to hire professional ceiling contractors. Some drywall contractors and general handymen may think that removing popcorn ceilings is no big deal, but they often find they are in over their heads, as was the case in this instance.

RemoveCeilingTexture.com was then contacted. The homeowners were a bit panicked by this time because they were anxious to move in. We had a look at the ceilings and assured them it would be no problem for us, as we’ve done many concrete ceilings. In fact, we had done a condo in the very same building. They were happy with this news and agreed for us to start the following week. We soon had the texture removed in their condo and resurfaced the ceilings to a flat, smooth surface.

Here are some before and after photos from this project:

Close-up view of corner after ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1331 Homer St., Vancouver

Smooth ceilings appear higher - Vancouver condo at 1331 Homer St. — Smooth ceilings appear higher – Vancouver condo at 1331 Homer St.

Riding the Waves

It’s especially important to hire professional ceiling contractors when dealing with the concrete ceilings of highrise buildings. The ceilings are sometimes wavy due to inconsistencies in the forms used when they pour the concrete. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we resurface the ceilings by hand and can adjust for these waves.

This “During and After” photo shows a ceiling that had the texture removed by someone inexperienced. We were later called in to fix the dips that were apparent. If we had been contacted from the start, the homeowner would not have had to pay twice for flat ceilings.

Once RCT filled in the waves, resurfaced the ceiling and painted it, it was perfect.

If you have popcorn ceilings that you’d like to have removed, contact the professionals at RemoveCeilingTexture.com. As experts in the ceiling industry, we get the job done right the first time. Call us at 604-420-7578 or contact us by email.

Contact the ceiling professionals at RemoveCeilingTexture.com today for a FREE quote on ceiling texture removal!

February 4, 2014November 2, 2016

The Lowdown on Textured Ceilings

This condo at 518 Moberly Rd in Vancouver had the textured ceilings removed

If your home was built from about 1950 onwards, there’s a good chance you have textured ceilings, also known as popcorn ceilings or stippled ceilings. It’s even being used today in the countless highrises sprouting from the earth like fungi. You might think, wouldn’t they be able to sell the units for more money if the ceilings were smooth and actually looked finished? Yes, they most likely would, but the problem is that old adage: time is money. Textured ceilings are quick and cheap and they need to sell the units as quickly as possible. This keeps us at RemoveCeilingTexture.com quite busy.

The Nitty Gritty of Textured Ceilings

So let’s break it down. What are the arguments for and against textured ceilings?

“Textured ceilings are quick and cheap to build.”

This argument really only works for the developer. But this is about you, the homeowner.

Ceilings transformed from textured to smooth at a condo at 1230 Haro Street in Vancouver

You’re likely not pocketing the savings the developers made by spraying the

texture. Do you know what else is quick and cheap? Leaving the concrete floors unfinished and not painting the walls. How many developers do that? For some reason textured ceilings have become almost an industry standard and people put up with it.

“Textured ceilings mute sound.”

If you live in a modern condo building, the texture is not making a difference in sound transmission. Generally, you shouldn’t be able to hear your neighbours walking around.

Living room of Vancouver condo now has smooth ceilings - 1230 Haro St, Vancouver — Living room of Vancouver condo now has smooth ceilings – 1230 Haro St, Vancouver

However, if your upstairs neighbour insists on channeling her inner Victoria Beckham by walking in heels at all hours, textured ceilings will not make one iota of difference. You’re going to hear that clickety-clack whether or not you have textured ceilings. Likewise, the creaks and groans of an older home are going to come through regardless of the texture on your ceilings. The sound may not even be coming through the ceilings. If walls are missing insulation, sound will travel through. Unless you have a seriously sound proofed room that can silence a nine-year old boy and his drum set, you’re going to get some sound transfer.

The other sound issue people talk about is echo within a room.

Removal of textured ceilings in the dining room of a Vancouver Condo - 1230 Haro St. — Removal of textured ceilings in the dining room of a Vancouver Condo – 1230 Haro St.

Echoes occur when sound waves bounce off of hard surfaces such as walls and ceilings, multiple times. It’s true, if you have an empty room with no furniture, textured ceilings will slightly dampen echoes. But once you add softer components such as sofas, chairs, beds, carpets, rugs, etc., the sound waves will be absorbed by these softer items and won’t create an echo. So your textured ceilings are not helping.

“Textured ceilings don’t bother me.”

Are you sure about that? They may not bother you visually, but what they harbour could be affecting your health. Asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems can be aggravated by the dust and allergens that are present in every home. In most homes you vacuum, you dust…problem solved, right? Not so fast. The dust gets stuck in the nooks and crannies of textured ceilings. It can then fall back down at its leisure, making your symptoms worse.

Resurfaced concrete ceilings at a Vancouver condo - Bedroom at 1331 Homer St. — Resurfaced concrete ceilings at a Vancouver condo – Bedroom at 1331 Homer St.

Smoothing Out the Nitty Gritty

The good news is that you’re not stuck with textured ceilings. From penthouse condos to heritage homes and everything in between, we can provide smooth ceilings for pretty much every type of dwelling (we’ve yet to do a hobbit-hole, though).

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, our name only tells part of the story. Removing the ceiling texture is only the first step to smooth ceilings. Once the texture is gone, you’ll often see inconsistencies in the ceilings. If you were to paint at this stage, they wouldn’t look very good. The next, crucial step is where our expertise really shines: resurfacing the ceilings. Our process will leave you with flawless, smooth ceilings that look fantastic.

Contact us today for a FREE QUOTE for getting rid of your textured ceilings. Send us an email, or call us at 604-420-7578.

Tired of your textured ceilings? Contact us today for a FREE quote!

January 8, 2014November 2, 2016

Ceiling Finishes

Your Own Personal Sistine Chapel

Ceiling finishes are pretty much only limited to your imagination. From Michelangelo-esque works of art to wallpaper to coffered ceilings, the one thing required before beginning is a flat surface. Popcorn ceiling texture gets in the way of most ceiling finishes.

Ceiling Finishes: Smooth ceilings in North Vancouver - Fireplace — Ceiling Finishes: Smooth ceilings in North Vancouver – Fireplace

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we specialize in not only removing the texture, but more importantly, in creating sleek, blemish-free surfaces. They are beautiful left this way, or use them as a base to apply mouldings, medallions or stencils to get the look you want.

Sashimi, Steak Tartare, Egg Nog: Must Our Concrete be Raw Too?

If you live in a highrise building, you likely have concrete ceilings. Designers of these buildings use various concrete ceiling finishes to achieve whatever look they’re going for. Sometimes they’re left bare for a raw, industrial look. This look isn’t for everyone.

Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings - Texture removed from concrete ceilings in Vancouver — Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Texture removed from concrete ceilings in Vancouver

While it may look glamourous in magazines or movies, in real life it can feel cold, impersonal and just plain unfinished. Other times the concrete’s sprayed with ceiling texture just like drywall ceilings are. Why? It’s cheaper to spray popcorn texture than it is to finish them to a nice smooth surface. If you have over 100 condos in a building to finish, speed usually triumphs over quality. RemoveCeilingTexture.com can remove the texture, fix any cracks and holes and skim over the concrete to create a warmer, finished look.

Smooth Ceiling Finishes

Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings - Dining room in Port Coquitlam has the texture removed — Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Dining room in Port Coquitlam has the texture removed

Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings - Close up of texture removal around a light fixture in North Vancouver — Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Close up of texture removal around a light fixture in North Vancouver

Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings - Stain in North Vancouver living room is gone, along with the ugly texture — Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Stain in North Vancouver living room is gone, along with the ugly texture

Contact RemoveCeilingTexture.com today for a FREE, no obligation, quote for ceiling texture removal. Send us an email, or give us a call at 604-420-7578. We’d love to discuss your project and answer any ceiling related questions you may have.

December 17, 2013November 2, 2016

Popcorn Ceiling Removal

You know the saying, popcorn doesn’t grow on trees? Oh, that’s not the saying? Well, it doesn’t grow on trees. And it shouldn’t grow on ceilings either. Popcorn ceilings is another term for textured ceilings. I guess they started calling it popcorn ceilings because warty ceilings just doesn’t have the same ring to it, does it?

*On a side note, I did a Google image search for warts when writing this post. Do not do that. Ever.

Whether you call it popcorn ceilings, textured ceilings, stippled ceilings, or what it really looks like, diseased ceilings, you can have it removed. RemoveCeilingTexture.com specializes in popcorn ceiling removal.

So Popcorn Ceilings Look Bad, What’s the Big Deal?

Apart from the fact that they’re hideous to look at, popcorn ceilings are harmful to your health.

Entrance area of a Vancouver condo that has had popcorn ceiling removal

Since they are next to impossible to clean, dust gets trapped up there. Do you know what dust is composed of? It’s a mixture of many things, including plant pollen, hair, and skin cells. Yes, all those things are trapped up in your popcorn ceiling. If you or a family member has allergies, you’ll benefit from smooth ceilings. Even if you don’t have respiratory problems, I think we can all agree that when it comes to breathing in skin cells, less is better. Now that you’re completely grossed out over popcorn ceilings, how can you have them removed?

Popcorn Ceiling Removal by the Experts

Popcorn ceiling removal in Vancouver - Living Room — Popcorn ceiling removal in Vancouver – Living Room

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we’re experts in creating smooth ceilings. But it’s not as easy as simply scraping the popcorn off. There are a few steps involved. First the popcorn is removed with a special machine to minimize any mess. After this step, the ceilings look rough and unfinished. The second step, ceiling resurfacing, is where the real magic comes in. This is where we even out any dips, waves, or other blemishes apparent when the popcorn comes off. The last step is a quick sanding to make the ceiling flawless. Read more about RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s unique process.

Bedroom of Burnaby condo after popcorn ceiling removal

Brighter hallway after popcorn ceiling removal

Popcorn ceiling removal in the living room

No Strings Attached

If you’re like us, you believe that popcorn belongs at the movies, not stuck to your ceilings. Contact RemoveCeilingTexture.com today for a quote on popcorn ceiling removal. Unlike some companies, we don’t charge for providing a quote and our quotes are always obligation free. So send us an email, or give us a call at 604-420-7578.

Get a FREE quote on popcorn ceiling removal!

December 10, 2013November 2, 2016

Ceiling Cracks

Whitney Houston said it best: Crack is whack. Okay, so she may not have been talking about ceiling cracks, but the sentiment still applies.

Water damaged ceilings in the living room. You can see the texture has cracked and is peeling. — Cracked, water damaged ceilings

Ceiling cracks can be a natural part of a home settling, or they can be a sign of a bigger problem. If the crack is larger than 1/4” in width, there is sagging in combination with the crack, or the crack continues from the ceiling down the wall, you may want to have a structural engineer come in to assess the problem. Other cracks, known as hairline or spiderweb cracks, are usually superficial in nature and can be fixed by a ceiling professional.

So what causes these little cracks in the first place?

Ceiling Cracks in Wood Construction with Drywall Ceilings

While it’s entirely possible that you have some kind of Gnome Fight Club going on in your attic, it’s more likely that the hairline ceiling cracks are caused by other means. Water damage can cause ceiling texture to crack and peel. If you have a leaky roof, you may develop this problem. Make sure you address the cause of the water damage before getting your cracks fixed.

Ceiling Cracks in Highrise Buildings with Concrete Ceilings

Concrete condo ceilings can also develop small cracks. In the curing process, concrete can sometimes crack. The age of the building can also be a factor in the forming of ceiling cracks. It’s common for older buildings to develop some cracks as they age. Water can cause concrete ceilings to crack, too. If an upstairs neighbour has a flood, water can find its way down into your unit. Again, as long as the cracks are not wide and structural, they are fairly simple to fix by an experienced professional. RemoveCeilingTexture.com is familiar with peeling and cracked ceiling texture.

Ceiling Crack Repairs & Ceiling Texture Removal

Ceiling crack fixed in the den of a Burnaby condo

Another view of ceiling cracks in Burnaby

Living room ceiling cracks were repaired by RemoveCeilingTexture.com — Living room ceiling cracks were repaired by RCT

The living room of this Burnaby condo looks much better with smooth ceilings

To Fix or Not To Fix

While they won’t cause your ceiling to collapse, spiderweb ceiling cracks definitely don’t add anything to your home decor. So unless you’re going for an earthquake-chic look, have them fixed. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we create beautifully smooth ceilings by removing ceiling texture, repairing ceiling cracks, and refinishing the entire surface. Contact us today for a FREE, no obligation quote. Call us at 604-420-7578 or send us an email.

Ceiling cracks driving you crazy? Contact us today for a FREE quote on ceiling repair!

November 23, 2013November 2, 2016

Ceiling Refinishing

Most fads of the 60s and 70s have pretty much disappeared. Except pet rocks. Like parrots and other long-living animals, pet rocks often outlived their owners, ending up abandoned in animal shelters.

This condo at 55 Blackberry Drive in New Westminster has had ceiling refinishing

Anyway, for some unexplainable reason, popcorn ceilings, sometimes known as stippled ceilings, are also still hanging in there. What you may not know is that you can do something about it! Ceiling refinishing is an option that will leave you with smooth ceilings.

Can’t I Just Scrape Off My Ceiling Texture?

Getting smooth ceilings isn’t as simple as scraping off the texture. There are other things to consider, outlined below, and this is why a professional who has a lot of ceiling experience should be hired. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, our entire business is built around ceiling refinishing. We have the expertise necessary to turn your outdated, textured ceilings into smooth, flawless surfaces.

Asbestos:

If your home was built prior to the early 80s, the ceiling texture could contain asbestos. Asbestos fibres are generally not dangerous unless they are airborne, which they will become if you scrape the texture. These fibres are microscopic and when breathed in can get lodged in your lungs. This can lead to breathing problems, scarring and in extreme cases, mesothelioma. If you do have asbestos in your texture, you can still have smooth ceilings. RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s unique process can give you smooth ceilings without disturbing the asbestos fibres. The fibres are sealed in and won’t be disturbed unless there’s some sort of home demolition, or a major earthquake, in which case, ceiling texture would be the least of your problems.

Painted Ceiling Texture:

People often don’t know what to do with dirty ceiling texture. It can’t be cleaned, so they just slap some paint over it. This method is not an ideal solution. Who wants to repaint their ceilings every 6 months? If the texture has been painted, it won’t scrape off easily, if at all. It’ll be very difficult to remove it without gouging the ceiling. This is another great reason to have the professionals at RemoveCeilingTexture.com deal with your ceilings.

Uneven Ceilings:

The reason stipple is applied to ceilings is so that they don’t have to be finished properly. This saves the builder time and money. If you do manage to remove the texture from your ceilings, you will likely find that they’re in rough shape. They may be uneven or wavy. Wavy ceilings are seen especially in condos with concrete ceilings. The concrete frames they use are not perfect, so you’re left with waves, ridges, holes and other blemishes. This is where ceiling refinishing comes in.

What is Ceiling Refinishing and What is Remove Ceiling Texture’s Process?

If there is no asbestos in the ceiling texture, the texture is removed with a special sander/vacuum. This is not some Red Green inspired duct-taped contraption, but a refined piece of German engineering created specifically for the wall and ceiling industry.

*If there is asbestos in the ceiling, we skip the sanding step and add an encapsulant to the mud compound for the skim coating step below.

The first step to smooth ceilings is sanding the texture with the Festool specialty sander

The Festool sander is German-engineered for the wall and ceiling industry

Next comes the crucial step that will make your ceilings look professional: ceiling refinishing. A mud compound is applied by hawk and trowel, the same method used by plaster artisans for centuries. Depending on the condition of the ceiling, one to three coats are applied in this fashion, with time for drying between each coat.

During the ceiling refinishing process a mud compound is applied

The last step is sanding. Our method of applying the compound is so precise that the ceilings don’t really need much sanding at all. Just a light sanding and the finished product is revealed: a smooth, flawless surface.

Ceiling refinishing and repair in Vancouver

Refinished ceilings with potlights in Vancouver

I Immediately Regret This Decision

A North Vancouver homeowner called Remove Ceiling Texture after a failed DIY attempt

So you thought getting smooth ceilings would be easy. You armed yourself with a scraper and the same single-minded determination that wives often witness when husbands refuse to follow the IKEA directions (seriously though, you need the Rosetta Stone to figure out those Swedish hieroglyphics). You thought, “I’m a handy guy (or gal), how hard could it be?” You got up on your ladder and you began the tedious process of scraping the popcorn texture. You soon regretted this decision. Either the texture didn’t come off nicely and you’ve damaged the drywall, or the texture did come off, but then you saw that the ceilings were uneven and looked terrible.

Failed DIY ceiling texture removal attempt in North Vancouver. RCT was called to fix the ceilings.

It’s shortly after this happens that we get a lot of calls from bashful homeowners. Our name may be Remove Ceiling Texture, but only because “Remove Ceiling Texture & Refinish Ceilings & Repair Ceiling Imperfections & Fix Homeowner’s Ceiling Mistakes” makes for a pretty long domain name.

Instead of trying to do it yourself, contact us from the start. We provide FREE, no obligation quotes for ceiling refinishing. Call us today at 604-420-7578 or contact us here or use the form below.

Do your ceilings need refinishing? Contact us today for a FREE, no obligation quote!

October 7, 2013November 2, 2016

Renovations: A Quick Makeover Before the Holidays

Ceiling renovations in the entrance of a condo at 1010 Burnaby St, Vancouver

Not to alarm you, but…Christmas is right around the corner!! How does the song go…Deck the halls (and smooth ceilings) with boughs of holly?

Ceiling texture removal at 1725 Pendrell Street condo in Vancouver

While renovations may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of holiday preparations, it’s a good idea to plan ahead a little. Fall is the perfect time of year for renovations, including ceiling texture removal.

The Frazzled Festive Holiday Season is Upon Us

What is it about the holiday season that makes otherwise sane people act crazy? Everyone (myself included, unfortunately) seems to be in a tizzy trying to get everything “just right”. But you know what? Unless Martha Stewart’s visiting, no one is going to remember the lavender infused whipped cream afloat your gourmet hot chocolate. As long as no one dies from food poisoning, no fingers or toes are lost and your cousin doesn’t show up in his RV prepared to stay for weeks, I’d say it’s a successful Christmas, or Hanukkah, or Thanksgiving or Festivus.

North Pole-Worthy Ceiling Renovations

While your home may not be featured in the Christmas edition of House & Home, there’s no reason why it has to look shabby or outdated, either. A quick and painless way to spruce up your home before the holidays is by doing ceiling renovations, specifically popcorn ceiling removal. This can really change the look of your home. Smooth ceilings reflect light much better and make a space feel larger and brighter. There’s a health benefit to removing ceiling texture also. Allergies and asthma can be aggravated by the dust and allergens trapped up there. So not only will ceiling resurfacing make your home look more modern, but there will be less sneezing and itchy, watery eyes as well. We’re sure your guests (including Santa!) will appreciate this.

Before and after photos from some of Remove Ceiling Texture’s jobs:

Renovations on the concrete ceilings in the living room of a condo at 1010 Burnaby St, Vancouver

Ceiling renovations create a smooth living room ceiling for this home in Langley

Ceiling repair renovations and texture removal in living room of Langley home

Ceiling Renovations Minus the Mess

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we’re in and out in in under a week. An added bonus is that we can work around you while you still live there because our custom process of ceiling resurfacing isn’t messy like you generally see with major renovations, do-it-yourself attempts or even other ceiling contractors.

The floor was a complete mess after the homeowner tried to scrape his own ceilings. RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s process is not nearly this messy.

Our ceiling texture removal process produces almost no mess. Quite a difference from most contractors out there.

We’re ceiling professionals who know that your time is important. Rather than stressing over large renovations, have your ceilings renovated so you can spend time on more important things. Like finding the perfect Christmas outfit for your pet.

For a FREE quote on ceiling texture removal, call RemoveCeilingTexture.com at 604-420-7578 or send us an email.

Need a quick makeover before the holidays? Contact us today for a FREE quote on ceiling renovations!

September 26, 2013November 2, 2016

Removing Walls–Ceiling Repair

Renovations such as moving or removing walls can greatly improve your home’s layout. Not to mention the therapy demolition can provide! *Sidenote: Make sure there’s no plumbing before you go swinging the sledgehammer!

Removing walls also provides the perfect opportunity for ceiling texture removal. Once a wall is removed, there will be a section of ceiling that is missing the popcorn texture. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we can remove the texture on your ceilings and blend the missing area in with the rest of the ceilings to give you a seamless look.

Ceiling Repair After Removing Walls

We’ve dealt with this many times. In downtown Vancouver, a couple was renovating their Burnaby Street condo with guests in mind. They had removed a closet wall in their den for a murphy bed installation. We were called in to repair the ceiling and remove the popcorn ceilings throughout the condo. Once we were finished, the ceiling showed no visible sign of the former wall.

We saw this again in another Vancouver condo on Homer Street. A wall had been removed and there was a large strip of concrete ceiling that was unfinished, and without ceiling texture. The homeowner decided to have us smooth all of the ceilings instead of applying new texture to try to match the existing texture. This was a smart move, as it’s nearly impossible to match it exactly.

A young couple in Langley recently updated their home by removing walls dividing the kitchen from the living and dining rooms. It opened up the floor plan nicely, but they were left with strips of ceiling that they didn’t know how to finish. We were contacted to remove the ceiling texture everywhere and resurface the entire ceiling so that it was one continuous surface.

Ceiling repair after removing walls between the kitchen and dining room - Langley — Ceiling repair after removing walls between the kitchen and dining room – Langley

Ceiling repairs after removing walls between the kitchen and living room - Langley — Ceiling repairs after removing walls between the kitchen and living room – Langley

If you’re going to be moving or removing walls, contact Vancouver’s ceiling experts, RemoveCeilingTexture.com for ceiling repairs. Call us at 604-420-7578 for a FREE quote or send us an email.

Are you moving or removing walls? Contact us today for a FREE quote on ceiling repairs!

September 11, 2013November 2, 2016

Scraping Texture From Ceilings

Not a DIY Project

Some people may tell you that scraping texture from ceilings is easy. They may also have a bridge for sale. It’s probably best not to buy it, despite the fantastic price.

This is what DIY texture removal and ceiling smoothing looks like. RemoveCeilingTexture was called in to fix the mess.

In actuality, scraping texture from ceilings is messy and difficult work. Once the texture is gone, it still won’t be paint ready. Popcorn texture is applied so that builders don’t have to finish the ceilings properly. This saves them time and money. So once you’ve scraped your ceilings, you’ll see all the imperfections. This applies to both drywall and concrete ceilings. If your ceilings are concrete, you may have to deal with waves and ridges caused by the concrete forms. The ceiling will need to be professionally finished if you want it to look decent.

Asbestos–The Fire Resistant Gift That Keeps On Giving

You also have to consider the fact that houses and apartments built before 1980 could have asbestos in the ceiling texture. Asbestos was used in all sorts of building materials, including some ceiling textures, because it is fire resistant. At the time, they thought it was a miracle product. They later learned that microscopic, airborne asbestos fibres are extremely dangerous to breathe in. The fibres get lodged in your lungs and can cause scarring and mesothelioma, a type of cancer. You definitely don’t want to be scraping texture from ceilings if there’s a chance it could have asbestos fibres. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we test the texture to make sure there’s no asbestos if the building was built prior to 1985. This is for our safety as well as yours.

Scraping Texture From Ceilings: A Friendship Saved

We were recently contacted by a homeowner in downtown Vancouver who had figured that scraping his ceiling texture would be a piece of cake. His condo was built in the late 1980s, so asbestos was not a concern. He started in the living room with a friend’s help. What would take one professional no time at all ended up taking them a combined time of over 20 hours, and that was for the living/dining room only! And even with all that work, the ceiling looked horrible once the texture was gone. On top of that, he had a major mess on his hands, as the scraped texture ended up covering every surface in the apartment.

The floor was a complete mess after the homeowner tried scraping texture from ceilings. RemoveCeilingTexture.com's process is not nearly this messy. — The floor was a complete mess after the homeowner tried scraping texture from ceilings. RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s process is not nearly this messy.

The homeowner soon realized that he was in over his head, quite literally. When you don’t have the tools and most importantly, the expertise, the project quickly turns into a nightmare. He decided there was no way he could ask his friend to continue this madness with him, if he valued his friendship. So he contacted us. We fixed the living and dining room ceilings that they had worked on and resurfaced the ceilings in the rest of the condo. We also repaired a section of ceiling where a wall had been removed. The ceiling transition between the two rooms is now seamless.

Wall removal left a large section of the ceiling to be repaired. We fixed this with no problem.

After deciding that scraping texture from ceilings himself was too difficult, the homeowner called us in to do the rest of the condo.

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, our area of focus is quite specific: We take ceilings from lumpy and dated to smooth and modern. We have the tools and the expertise and so we were able to rescue his DIY attempt, save his sanity and quite possibly save a friendship.

World peace is next on our list.

The laundry room gets updated thanks to popcorn ceiling texture removal.

And Now You Know…The Rest of the Story

The truth is, scraping texture from ceilings is only the first step in the process of getting smooth ceilings. Once the texture has been removed, we apply layers of compound, by hawk and trowel, to ensure the finished ceiling is level and free of any blemishes. This takes an expert eye and years of experience. Since your ceilings will need to be professionally finished even if you scrape them yourself, why not save yourself the headache and mess and have a professional work on them from the start? Call us today at 604-420-7578 for a FREE QUOTE on ceiling texture removal, or contact us by email.

Did you try to scrape your ceilings yourself and now need them fixed? Contact us today for a FREE quote!