Tag: stipple ceilings

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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!

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Popcorn Ceiling Removal

Popcorn ceiling removal in dining room of Burnaby condo
Popcorn ceiling removal around a ceiling fan that could not be removed in a Vancouver condo
Popcorn ceiling removal around a ceiling fan that could not be removed in a Vancouver condo

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
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
Bedroom of Burnaby condo after popcorn ceiling removal
Popcorn ceiling removal in dining room of Burnaby condo
Popcorn ceiling removal in dining room of Burnaby condo
Brighter hallway after popcorn ceiling removal
Brighter hallway after popcorn ceiling removal
Popcorn ceiling removal in the living room
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!

 

 

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Removing Walls–Ceiling Repair

After removing walls, ceiling repairs will need to be done, as you can see at this condo at 1331 Homer Street

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

This apartment at 1010 Burnaby Street needed ceiling repair after removing walls
This apartment at 1010 Burnaby Street needed 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.

After removing walls, ceiling repairs will need to be done, as you can see at this condo at 1331 Homer Street
After removing walls, ceiling repairs will need to be done, as you can see at this condo at 1331 Homer Street

 

 

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!

 

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Scraping Texture From Ceilings

The before photo is after the homeowner tried scraping texture from ceilings. In the end he ended up calling RemoveCeilingTexture.com to fix the mess.

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.
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

The before photo is after the homeowner tried scraping texture from ceilings. In the end he ended up calling RemoveCeilingTexture.com to fix the mess.
The before photo is after the homeowner tried scraping texture from ceilings. In the end he ended up calling RemoveCeilingTexture.com to fix the mess.

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.
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.
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.
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!