Tag: ceiling texture removal

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5 DIY Mistakes Homeowners Make When Removing Textured Ceilings

Before and after ceiling texture removal in the entrance area of a Delta home.

Are you making these DIY mistakes when it comes to your ceilings?

I  have to confess to a mistake I recently made. I walked out of a public washroom with the bottom of my skirt tucked up into my underwear. I’ve heard stories about this happening to other people, but I thought it was an urban myth. How could someone not notice that their assets were on display for everyone to see? My saving grace is that I did notice it quick enough to avoid a ticket for public indecency. We all make mistakes. At least that mistake wasn’t costly. But when it comes to home renovations, DIY mistakes can be expensive. Ceiling mistakes can mean paying twice to get the results that you want. Here are some common pitfalls that homeowners often fall into, when it comes to textured ceilings.

 

1) Living with popcorn ceilings

It’s entirely likely that you currently live in a home with popcorn ceilings, or you have at some point in your life. They were especially popular in the 1970s – 1990s, but are still being used in new buildings and homes today. That’s because it’s cheaper and easier to spray texture on ceilings, than it is to finish them properly to a smooth surface. What you may not realize, is that you don’t have to live with them. They’re dirty, they collect dust and allergens and they look pretty hideous. A ceiling professional can resurface the texture and give you smooth ceilings that your neighbours will envy.

Before and after ceiling texture removal in the entrance area of a Delta home.
Before and after ceiling texture removal in the entrance area of a North Delta home.

 

2) Scraping the popcorn ceiling texture yourself

The DIY movement has everyone thinking they can do everything themselves. For instance, as these pins from Pinterest show, there’s a reason bakeries exist. Unless you’re Martha Stewart, buy a cake from a bakery for a special occasion. The same is true for removing popcorn ceilings. It’s not something that you should do yourself. If you don’t have the right tools, and most importantly the experience for the job, it’s a messy and time consuming job. What takes a professional just a few days, could take you weeks. And once the texture is off, your ceilings are going to look pretty rough unless they’re resurfaced. We’ve had several calls from homeowners looking for help after they tried the DIY approach.

The videos you watch on YouTube which explain the DIY process for getting smooth ceilings, are usually shot with some contractor’s cellphone camera, from 8 feet away, in a dimly lit home! They don’t really show how rough the ceiling looks when the DIY job is finished. Our process has been perfected over the years, and our finished product revolves around applying fresh compound to EVERY SQUARE INCH OF THE CEILING… AT LEAST TWICE! For a Do-It-Yourselfer to do this, it will take weeks.

Before and after popcorn ceiling removal in the living room of a Delta home.
Before and after popcorn ceiling removal in the living room of a Delta home.

 

3) Taking ceiling texture samples for asbestos testing to an asbestos abatement company

If you plan on removing your ceiling texture and your home was built prior to 1980, or you don’t know when the ceiling texture was applied, it needs to be tested for asbestos before removing. One mistake people unknowingly make, is to take a sample of ceiling texture to a company that specialized in asbestos abatement. Most of these companies are legitimate, but (and this is a big but), since they have a vested interest in finding asbestos so they can sell you on their abatement services, it is best to take it to a lab that is not involved whatsoever, in the abatement industry. A good lab in the GreaterVancouver area is HBM Environmental.  At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we offer a service to come to your home, professionally obtain a sample and deliver it to the lab. Once the results come back, we notify you and provide you with the report from the lab.

Before and after popcorn ceiling removal in the dining room of a Delta home.
Before and after popcorn ceiling removal in the dining room of a North Delta home.

 

4) Hiring a contractor inexperienced with ceilings to remove the popcorn ceilings.

While you don’t want to scrape the ceilings yourself, you also don’t want a contractor who is not experienced with ceilings specifically. Ceilings can be tricky to work with. We’ve been contacted by owners who needed us to finish the ceilings after someone inexperienced realized he was not quite skilled enough to complete the job. We’ve also been contacted by contractors themselves who didn’t want to get involved with removing ceiling texture because they weren’t sure they could deliver a quality finish. We work with ceilings every day. We know how to deal with waves in concrete ceilings, cracks around the edges of walls, or cracks running through the middle of the room. We’ve worked on vaulted ceilings and skylights and we’ve fixed water-damaged ceilings.

During photo and after photo of popcorn ceiling removal in the living room of a Delta home.
During photo and after photo of popcorn ceiling removal in the living room of a Delta home.

 

5) Painting the ceilings yourself

Once your ceilings are smooth, they’ll need to be primed and painted. Just as with ceiling texture removal specialists, professional painters have the skills and tools necessary to create a quality finish. This is especially important when there is a lot of natural light in the space. Any imperfection in the paint will show, so it must be done meticulously and skillfully. In a typical home, walls and floors are usually camouflaged with any number of decorations, including picture frames, cabinets, furniture and floor lamps. Therefore, imperfections will not be glaringly visible. But such is not the case with ceilings. Ceilings receive minimal decoration and therefore, you are more likely to see visible imperfections. This is why it’s so important to have a professional smooth the ceilings, and a professional painter to paint the smooth ceilings.

Finally, painting ceilings is pretty hard on the neck, shoulders and back for people who are not accustomed to it. By having a painter paint your ceilings, you might just avoid a trip to your chiropractor.

 

Hopefully these tips will prevent you from making committing the typical mistakes that homeowners, and especialy Do-It-Yourselfers make when it comes to dealing with their ceilings. To learn more about RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s texture removal process, or to get a FREE quote, give us a call at 604-420-7578 or contact us by email.

 

 

 

Avoid costly ceiling mistakes by contacting the ceiling experts, RemoveCeilingTexture.com!

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Professional Ceiling Contractors

Once professional ceiling contractors were called in, the texture removal went smoothly: Living room with smooth ceilings - condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver
Ceiling texture removed by professional ceiling contractors at a Vancouver condo - Bedroom at 1331 Homer St.
Ceiling texture removed by professional ceiling contractors at a Vancouver condo – Bedroom at 1331 Homer St.

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
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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once professional ceiling contractors were called in, the texture removal went smoothly: Living room with smooth ceilings - condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver
Once professional ceiling contractors were called in, the texture removal went smoothly: Living room with smooth ceilings – condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver

 

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.
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!

 

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Love Your Smooth Ceilings

Before and after: Smooth ceilings in Burnaby - Bedroom

 

Before and after: Smooth ceilings in Burnaby - Bedroom
Before and after: Ceiling texture removal in Burnaby – Bedroom

Ceilings are so often overlooked in home design. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com we believe that you should love your ceilings as much as you love the rest of your home. We’ve never heard anyone say that they love their ceiling texture, but we have had people tell us how much they love their smooth ceilings after we’ve worked on them.

What’s to Love About Smooth Ceilings?

It’s important to feel a sense of peace and comfort in your home. After all, it’s your refuge from this crazy world we live in. They may go mostly unnoticed, but that doesn’t mean that ceilings don’t affect the feel of your home. Dingy texture can make your home feel dark and oppressive. The difference between walking into a  home with popcorn ceilings and one with smooth ceilings is quite noticeable. And not only do smooth ceilings invoke a sense of cleanliness, but they actually are cleaner. Because there are no nooks and crannies for dust to hide in, smooth ceilings are better for your health.

Feeling the Love in Burnaby and West Vancouver

This townhome in Burnaby had ceilings that were definitely less than loveable. The old ceiling texture was crumbly and dirty and needed to go. Smooth ceilings transformed the space into a much more pleasant place to be.

Before and after: Smooth ceilings in Burnaby - Dining Room
Before and after: Ceiling texture removal in Burnaby – Dining Room
Before and after: Smooth ceilings in Burnaby - Living Room
Before and after: Ceiling texture removal in Burnaby – Living Room

The owner of this West Vancouver home decided to have his ceiling texture removed at the same time as some other renovations. While it’s always a good time to get smooth ceilings, if you’re already planning renovations, starting with your ceilings is ideal.

Before and after: Smooth ceilings in West Vancouver - Living Room
Before and after: Ceiling texture removal in West Vancouver – Living Room
Before and after: Smooth ceilings in West Vancouver - Close-up
Before and after: Ceiling texture removal in West Vancouver – Close-up

Whether you want ceiling texture removal for aesthetic reasons or health reasons, we’re certain you will love your ceilings once they’re smooth. Contact us today for a FREE quote on smooth ceilings. Call us at 604-420-7578 or contact us by email.

 

 

 

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Popcorn Texture Removal: Ditch the 70s

Kitchen before and after of popcorn texture removal at a Vancouver Condo

We’ve come a long way from tie-dyed skirts and leather-fringed vests. The interiors of our vehicles are no longer covered in thick shag carpeting (did no one see the respiratory health hazard there?). Any college-age kid will give you a blank stare if you mention the 8-track. And the beloved toys from the 70s and 80s are no competition for the electronic toys that today’s kids are zombiefied entertained by.

So why is it that our ceilings haven’t made the same metamorphosis out of that era? You’ve moved on from 1970s hairstyles (hopefully); isn’t it time to leave other relics of those days, like popcorn ceilings, behind too? Fortunately, popcorn texture removal is an option and smooth ceilings will transport your home into the modern age, where it belongs.

 

Popcorn Texture Removal – It Takes All Kinds

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com we see all sorts of ceiling texture. From the thick, chunky, popcorn-style texture popular in the 60s, 70s and 80s:

Popcorn texture removal at a home in North Vancouver
Popcorn texture removal at a home in North Vancouver

To the more subdued texture that is still being applied to new homes today:

This North Vancouver home gets popcorn texture removal after installing potlights
This North Vancouver home gets popcorn texture removal after installing potlights

We’ve even seen ceiling texture that looked like it belonged in some primeval cave:

Before & after of popcorn texture removal in Langley - Living room
Before & after of popcorn texture removal in Langley – Living room

And we’re not sure what look they were going for with this bizarre texture:

Before and after of texture removal in Coquitlam
Before and after of texture removal in Coquitlam

 

No matter the type of texture you have, popcorn texture removal will transform your home.

 

 ** If your home was built prior to 1982, your ceiling texture could contain asbestos. It’s important not to scrape this texture. Read more about our process for ceilings containing asbestos here.

 

Ceiling Repair and Popcorn Texture Removal

Here’s a look at a ceiling we recently worked on at a condo in downtown Vancouver. The homeowner had removed a wall so we repaired the ceiling at the same time that we did the popcorn texture removal.

Kitchen before and after of popcorn texture removal at a Vancouver Condo
Kitchen before and after of popcorn texture removal at a Vancouver Condo
Living room before and after of popcorn texture removal at a condo in Vancouver
Living room before and after of popcorn texture removal at a condo in Vancouver

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ceiling repair and popcorn texture removal at downtown Vancouver condo
Ceiling repair and popcorn texture removal at downtown Vancouver condo

 

You can read more about our process for popcorn texture removal here.  Or contact us–we’re happy to answer any questions you have. Our quotes are FREE and there is no obligation. Give us a call at 604-420-7578, or contact us by email to find out how popcorn texture removal can improve your home.

 

 

Want to bring your home out of the 1970s with popcorn texture removal? Contact us today for more information!

 

 

 

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Removing Ceiling Texture

Removing ceiling texture in the living room of a condo at 1723 Alberni St.
Removing ceiling texture in the living room of a condo at 1723 Alberni St.
Removing ceiling texture in the living room of a condo at 1723 Alberni St.

Removing ceiling texture is something we at RemoveCeilingTexture.com take pride in.  Textured ceilings, popcorn ceilings, stipple ceilings…whatever you want to call them, we despise them. It gives us pleasure to take a home that has dated texture and turn it into something modern, bright and airy. There’s nothing better than the look on the homeowner’s face when they see the ceilings at the end of the project. They often haven’t realized how much the popcorn ceilings have affected the feel of the home, but once it’s gone, the ceilings look higher and the whole space becomes brighter.

 

Why Do Popcorn Ceilings Exist?

It’s one of the great questions of our time.  Second only to the meaning of life, of course.

Removing ceiling texture in the kitchen of a condo at 1723 Alberni Street
Removing ceiling texture in the kitchen of a condo at 1723 Alberni Street

Putting a popcorn-like texture on the ceilings is pretty absurd if you think about it. Where else in your home has a thick, ugly texture been sprayed? Do your kitchen cabinets have texture? What about your floors?

Ceiling texture is popular with developers because it’s much easier and faster to spray the ceilings than it is to finish the drywall (or concrete if you’re in a highrise). And ceilings are a difficult area to work on because they’re above your head and out of reach from the floor. This means it takes more time and effort to create a nice, smooth ceiling. Unless they’re building a custom home, or build high-end homes, developers usually want to get the house built as quickly as possible. The faster they can get the house sold, the quicker they can see a profit. Popcorn ceilings are a way to cut corners a bit. Some people argue that ceiling texture stops echoes, but as we wrote in a previous post, The Lowdown on Textured Ceilings, it’s not the popcorn that is absorbing the sound in a room and thus stopping echoes, it’s your furnishings. If you have a completely empty room with popcorn ceilings, there will still be an echo. After removing ceiling texture on many homes, we’ve yet to have anyone complain about echoes.

 

Improve Your Health by Removing Ceiling Texture

It’s not just that popcorn ceilings are aesthetically offensive, although that’s reason enough to want them removed. They can be detrimental to your health. Popcorn ceilings are known to aggravate asthma and allergies. This is because they trap dust, which can later fall back down, making your eyes itchy and your nose runny. If you or a loved one has asthma, popcorn ceilings can be quite dangerous. A homeowner in North Vancouver contacted us about removing ceiling texture because her grandson was allergic to dust and she was concerned that her ceilings could be making his symptoms worse. She was thrilled with her ceilings after we worked on them. They are now smooth and dust-free.

This North Vancouver homeowner had ceiling texture removal due to health concerns
This North Vancouver homeowner had ceiling texture removal due to health concerns

 

Removing Ceiling Texture in Coal Harbour

We were recently contacted by a homeowner on Alberni Street in Vancouver. She was concerned about germs and dust that could become trapped in the popcorn ceilings, plus she hated that her condo looked like it was stuck in the 1970s.  She decided to remove the texture herself.  When she was done the bedroom, she was not impressed with her work. The ceilings were rough and uneven, but she figured that’s as good as they were going to get and she would just have to live with them.  Then she found RemoveCeilingTexture.com. When she realized that there is a company in the Lower Mainland that specializes in removing ceiling texture and resurfacing ceilings, she was thrilled. She decided to have us do the rest of her condo. Since it had taken her a long time to scrape her bedroom ceiling, she figured we would be there all week working on her ceilings. When we told her that we should be able to finish within 3-4 days, she was so excited. Her ceilings were straightforward and everything went as planned. We were done within 4 days and she was very pleased with the results.

 

Here are some before, during, and after photos from the project on Alberni Street:

Removing ceiling texture in the kitchen of a condo at 1723 Alberni Street - BEFORE
Removing ceiling texture in the kitchen of a condo at 1723 Alberni Street – BEFORE
Removing ceiling texture in the kitchen of a condo at 1723 Alberni Street: DURING
Removing ceiling texture in the kitchen of a condo at 1723 Alberni Street: DURING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Removing ceiling texture in the kitchen of a condo at 1723 Alberni Street - AFTER
Removing ceiling texture in the kitchen of a condo at 1723 Alberni Street – AFTER
Removing ceiling texture in the kitchen of a condo at 1723 Alberni Street - DURING
Removing ceiling texture in the kitchen of a condo at 1723 Alberni Street – DURING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re tired of your home looking outdated or are concerned about the health risks that popcorn ceilings pose, removing ceiling texture could be just what is needed. Contact us today for a FREE quote. Give us a call at 604-420-7578 or contact us through email.

 

Contact RemoveCeilingTexture.com today for a FREE quote on removing ceiling texture!

 

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How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings

Popcorn ceiling removal at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver - Dining Room

A Simple Guide on How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article: Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver - Dining Room
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver – Dining Room

 

Saturday – Begin Project

1.  Arm yourself with a scraper and determination.

2.  Haul out your old, rickety ladder. Hmmm, you’ve been meaning to get a new ladder…

3.  Go buy a new ladder. And several other things that catch your eye at Costco.

4.  Set up the new ladder in the bedroom.  Remove the popcorn. Easy.

5.  Realize the layers of paint on the ceiling do not make for easy scraping. Use some elbow grease.

6.  Curse at the hole you’ve gouged in the drywall by using elbow grease.

7.  Look at the small patch you’ve managed to scrape off so far. Look at the rest of the room ahead of you and think of the other bedrooms, dining room, living room and hallway still waiting. Sigh.

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article: Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver - Bedroom
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver – Bedroom

8.  Climb down the ladder and shake off all the popcorn and dust from your hair and clothes. Wonder if the dust is hazardous.

9.  Sit down at computer and Google “is popcorn ceiling dust dangerous”. Hide screen from your wife as you see the word ASBESTOS.

10.  Find out that your house is not old enough to have asbestos.  Phew.

11.  Check email, Facebook & Twitter. Find out if the ladder you bought is cheaper anywhere else.

12.  Eat lunch.

13.  March back to the bedroom. Try to ignore Rover’s sad puppy dog eyes and the leash in his mouth. Fail. Call for your wife to take Rover for a walk. Remember she has taken your daughter to a piano lesson.

14.  Be pulled along by Rover as he sniffs every bush and pees on every post. Realize, too late, that you forgot to bring a plastic bag. S#*t.

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article: Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver - Hallway
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver – Hallway

15.  Revived from the fresh air, continue your work in the bedroom. Climb up and down the ladder multiple times as you move it foot by foot around the 200 square foot room.

16.  Greet your wife and daughter as they walk in the door. Wonder why their mouths are dropped open in horror. Look down from your perch on the ladder at the popcorn-strewn floor around you. Comfort them with the fact that at least it doesn’t have asbestos.

17.  Vacuum the popcorn-ceiling-dust trail that Rover has tracked all over the house.

18.  Eat dinner. Resolve that you will continue working after dinner.

19.  Decide to catch a bit of the game before continuing.

20.  Decide it’s too late to continue with the ceiling tonight. Continue to watch TV instead.

21.  Calmly answer your wife’s questions about the scrape marks and gouges in the bedroom ceiling.

 

Sunday – Continue Project

22.  Mow the lawn.

23.  Start removing popcorn ceiling in hallway.

24.  Remember you have to renew your car insurance before it runs out tomorrow. Go renew insurance.

25.  Start removing popcorn ceiling in hallway, until your wife suggests maybe the living room should be next.

26.  Start removing popcorn ceiling in the living room.

27.  Realize that starting this project may have been a mistake.

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article: Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver - Living Room
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver – Living Room
How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article: Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver - Living Room
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 1128 Quebec St, Vancouver – Living Room

28.  Have an early lunch because you have to go coach your daughter’s soccer team.

29.  Notice that your garage s pretty messy and spend several hours sorting through junk.

30.  Have dinner.

31.  Continue working on the living room ceiling until Game of Thrones comes on.

 

Monday – Friday: You’re too tired after work to contemplate working on the ceilings.

Saturday – Sunday: This weekend is your daughter’s soccer tournament.

Monday – Friday: You’re too tired after work to contemplate working on the ceilings.

 

Is Your Time Worth Nothing?

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article: Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 71 Jameson Crt, New Westminster - Living room
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 71 Jameson Crt, New Westminster – Living room

The above timeline may be a bit of an exaggeration, but the point is, you have other responsibilities in your life besides removing popcorn ceilings. When you’re working on your own home, there are dozens of things to distract you. You may think, “But I’ll save money doing it myself!” That’s only true if you value your own time at zero, because as the saying goes, time is money. Also, no matter what the online guides say about how to remove popcorn ceilings, it’s not easy work. It doesn’t always scrape off easily, and you could damage the drywall beneath. Another thing these guides don’t usually mention is that scraping the texture off is only the first step to getting smooth ceilings. Your ceilings will still need to be resurfaced before you can think about painting them, or they will look rough.  It’s usually fairly easy to spot a DIY texture removal–they just don’t look quite finished.

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article: Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 71 Jameson Crt, New Westminster - Dining Room
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 71 Jameson Crt, New Westminster – Dining Room

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com we cringe when we see the How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings guides online because we know that as with many DIY projects, it often turns into a headache and the end result is not ideal. We get a lot of calls to fix ceilings that were a failed DIY attempt at ceiling texture removal.

As professional ceiling experts, our only responsibility is to work on your ceilings. We’re not distracted by taking dogs for walks, mowing the lawn, renewing the insurance, soccer games, etc., etc. We also have the tools necessary to get the job done. We have a special machine that takes off the texture and then we resurface the ceilings using a method that has been used for centuries by master artisans.

How to Remove Popcorn Ceilings article: Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 71 Jameson Crt, New Westminster - Bedroom
Popcorn ceiling removal at a condo at 71 Jameson Crt, New Westminster – Bedroom

The hawk and trowel. This method takes years of experience to master. Our experience and specialization in ceiling texture removal is what makes us unique. What may take you weeks to finish, we can accomplish in several days. Our end result is professionally finished, smooth ceilings.  Your time is valuable so why waste it with a trial and error attempt at removing popcorn texture?

To get a free quote for removing popcorn ceilings, give us a call at 604-420-7578 or contact us by email.  Also, take a look at some of our other before and after photos to see how ceiling texture removal can transform a room.

 

Find out more about popcorn ceiling removal done the professional way. Contact us today for a FREE quote!

 

 

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Textured Ceiling Removal: Best Left to the Experts

Textured Ceiling Removal: Before and after of entrance at Windward Dr.
Textured Ceiling Removal: Before and after of kitchen at Windward Dr.
Textured Ceiling Removal: Before and after of kitchen at Windward Dr.

Many companies offer various types of textured ceiling removal.  A drywaller might tell you he can cover your texture with new drywall. A guy with a handyman service may tell you he can easily scrape off the popcorn. You may even have a neighbour who swears his sister-in-law’s brother’s cousin used some ‘magical’ product to remove his popcorn ceilings and he can probably ‘score’ some for you too. He might then ask if you have anything to munch on.

 

The problem with these solutions is that they are half solutions at best. None of these people are experts in ceilings or textured ceiling removal.

Covering your texture with drywall is unnecessary and leaves your ceilings at least 1/2″ lower. Not to mention you’d have to remove any crown moulding to install the drywall on top of the ceiling texture.

Scraping off popcorn ceilings is not easy and is very messy. Hopefully this handyman is aware of the possibility of asbestos in ceiling texture. Even if you did go the route of having it scraped off, your ceilings are going to look pretty awful.  That’s because under the texture, they’re not finished. That’s the beauty of ceiling texture for builders. The texture covers many ceiling flaws. Once the texture is gone, the flaws will become apparent.

 

Fees, Surcharges and Hidden Costs

The other problem with dealing with unqualified people, is that the price they give you may not turn out to be the final price. Sometimes it’s an innocent mistake–ceilings are difficult to work on and they didn’t realize how much work it would be, so they have to charge more. Even if it’s innocent, it’s still not fair to you.

Other times it can be less innocent, with verbal quotes that are very low just to get you to hire them.  Sometimes they won’t even come out to have a look at the ceilings. If they won’t come out to look at your ceilings, that’s a red flag. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we won’t give you a firm quote until we see the ceilings. And once we do give you a firm quote, it’s in writing and we won’t charge unexpected fees on top of it.

Textured Ceiling Removal: Before and after of entrance at Windward Dr.
Textured Ceiling Removal: Before and after of entrance at Windward Dr.

 

Textured Ceiling Removal in Coquitlam

Textured Ceiling Removal: Before and after of dining room at Windward Dr.
Textured Ceiling Removal: Before and after of dining room at Windward Dr.

We were contacted by homeowners on Windward Drive in Coquitlam who wanted textured ceiling removal. We came out to look at the ceilings and take some measurements. We then sent them a written quote, through email. They contacted us to say that someone else had given them a verbal price over the phone that was quite a bit lower, and they offered to paint the ceilings too, for only $100 more. This seemed fairly suspicious to us. The contractors had not viewed their ceilings and yet they promised a very low price. And $100 would barely cover the cost of the paint, let alone the labour to apply it. We told them to be wary of this, and get it in writing.

We didn’t hear back from them for a while. When we did, they told us that it turned out that the low price the other company offered did not include everything, and the actual price was going to be similar to the price we quoted. The homeowners decided to go with us because we had been forthright about the price, we were professional, and we are ceiling experts.

Textured Ceiling Removal: Before and after of bedroom at Windward Dr.
Textured Ceiling Removal: Before and after of bedroom at Windward Dr.
Textured Ceiling Removal: Before and after of kitchen at Windward Dr.
Textured Ceiling Removal: Before and after of kitchen at Windward Dr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’d like smooth ceilings and want to know more about having the texture removed, contact us today for a FREE quote. Call us at 604-420-7578 or contact us by email.

 

Interested in textured ceiling removal? Click here to contact RCT today for a FREE quote!
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Removing Popcorn Ceilings

Removing popcorn ceilings: Fireplace before and after in Langley

Cringe-Worthy Situations

There are several things known to make most people cringe. Looking through old photos from the 80s when hair height was a competitive sport.

Seeing the person in front of you at the cashier open up her little change purse. “96 cents? I think I have that in pennies somewhere in here. One, two, oh, woopsie, that one’s not a penny, it’s a lint-covered alka seltzer.” I’m pretty sure this is the reason the penny is now outlawed in Canada.

People also cringe when they see textured ceilings when viewing a home to purchase. We get calls all the time from people who have viewed a home but the textured ceilings are turning them off. They want to know if it can be removed before they’ll even think about putting in an offer. Or they’ve already bought the house but they reduced their offer because they knew they would need to have the texture removed. Removing popcorn ceilings is often first on a new homeowner’s list of renovations.

Before and after of a dining room in Coquitlam after removing popcorn ceilings
Before and after of a dining room in Coquitlam after removing popcorn ceilings
Entrance before and after in Coquitlam after removing popcorn ceilings
Entrance before and after in Coquitlam after removing popcorn ceilings

 

 

 

Removing Popcorn Ceilings the Smart Way:  Get it Right the First Time

We recently encountered a similar situation in Langley.

Removing popcorn ceilings: Fireplace before and after in Langley
Removing popcorn ceilings: Fireplace before and after in Langley

The homeowners had purchased the house a few months earlier and were now starting renovations. First up was removing popcorn ceilings. They called a few people to come out to give them quotes. These were drywallers and jack-of-all-trades handymen. They also called us at RemoveCeilingTexture.com. We were the last to have a look. The first thing we asked was what year the home was built (it was from the 70s) and if the ceiling texture had been tested for asbestos. They told us no, the texture had not been tested and that the other contractors didn’t mention, or even seem to know about the possibility of asbestos in the ceiling. Asbestos is seen in some ceiling texture even into the early 1980s, yet the contractors were willing to just scrape it off because they didn’t know about the danger. If the texture had asbestos, they would be putting the health of the homeowners and their new baby at risk. Not to mention risking their workers’ health. The first thing we suggested was an asbestos test. We can still provide smooth ceilings if there is asbestos, however, it turned out that their texture did not have asbestos, so we would not need to take extra precautions.

Removing popcorn ceilings: Before and after of ceiling texture removal after a wall was removed
Removing popcorn ceilings: Before and after of ceiling texture removal after a wall was removed

 

There are several problems with hiring people who are not ceiling experts. At best, you could end up with a sub-par ceiling. At worst, however, your health could be compromised. Removing popcorn ceilings, and other types of ceiling texture, is something we do every day. Another problem is that they may quote you a low price, sometimes even sight-unseen. After the work is done, the real price often becomes apparent. Extra charges are sometimes added to the bill. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we’ll come out to have a look, at no cost to you, to make sure we know exactly what the job will entail. That way, when we give you a quote, that’s the amount you’ll pay, with no hidden fees or extra charges.

 

The homeowners in Langley made the right choice and hired us to give them smooth ceilings. They were very happy with the results. If you’re wondering about removing popcorn ceilings, or other types of ceiling texture, give us a call today at 604-420-7578 or contact us by email to find out how you can get smooth ceilings. We don’t charge to come out and have a look, and our quotes are always obligation free.

Removing popcorn ceilings: Dining room before and after in Langley
Removing popcorn ceilings: Dining room before and after in Langley
Removing Popcorn Ceilings: Bedroom before and after in Langley
Removing Popcorn Ceilings: Bedroom before and after in Langley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thinking about removing popcorn ceilings? Contact us today for a FREE quote!

 

 

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The Lowdown on Textured Ceilings

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

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

Close-up view of corner after ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver
Close-up view of corner after ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver
Living room with smooth ceilings - condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver
Living room with smooth ceilings – condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

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Ceiling Finishes

Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings - Living room with smooth ceilings in Port Coquitlam

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 - Living room with smooth ceilings in Port Coquitlam
Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Living room with smooth ceilings in Port Coquitlam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Contact us today for a FREE quote on ceiling texture removal!