Ceilings To Look Up To
One of the most dated looks you can have in your home is a popcorn ceiling. Popcorn ceilings can make your home look dated and old-fashioned no matter how lovely the rest of it is. And if your design aesthetic tends more toward modern and contemporary, a popcorn ceiling makes it almost impossible to pull off the look you love.
Popcorn ceilings appear on homes starting in the 1930s and were still in use in some areas all the way into the 1990s. There are many reasons that contractors used popcorn ceilings.
- Some popcorn ceilings are called acoustic ceilings and were often installed in multi-family homes in order to dampen the sound between apartments and condominiums.
- Some popcorn ceilings contain asbestos and were used (prior to the dangers of asbestos being widely known) as a fire-retardant substance.
- Some walls and ceilings have poorly finished corners and drywall seams. In order to cover shoddy workmanship or to keep from paying higher prices for skilled drywall installers, some homebuilders used popcorn ceilings.
- Some popcorn ceilings were put up in an effort to cover older, cracked, and damaged plaster ceilings. Rather than hang fresh drywall, which is difficult to do well, popcorn ceiling techniques were used.
Popcorn ceilings, or acoustic ceilings, became a fixture in many homes but as with a number of home elements, their time has passed and most people would prefer to get rid of their popcorn ceilings.
If you are trying to get rid of your popcorn ceiling, you have come to the right place. Popcorn ceiling removal is our specialty. Our Rideout Contractors can help with the removal of popcorn ceilings and repairs to the underlying plaster or drywall. In addition, if necessary, it may be preferable to hang new drywall over the existing popcorn ceiling or after removal in order to correct improperly installed and improperly finished drywall or plaster ceilings. Alternatively, a modified texture can be used in order to conceal and ameliorate the existing ceiling.
There are two primary styles of textured ceilings. Both ceiling styles can create a new look by modifying and lessening the impact of the existing popcorn-style textured ceiling.
- California knockdown is a drywall finishing style. It is applied to the existing ceiling in order to cover flaws in the existing ceiling plaster or drywall. It can be applied either as joint compound by hand with a trowel on the ceiling, or as texture mud, applied with a texture machine—like a paint sprayer for mud instead of paint. This allows the textured mud to be applied to walls as well as ceilings. Knockdown is often used to finish and conceal imperfections to the ceiling and walls while reducing construction costs.
- Splatter or Orange Peel is a drywall finishing style that can be applied to walls or ceilings to create a surface that resembles an orange rind. Splatter finishes for your ceiling or walls can vary from very prominent and defined textures to more subtle ones.
In addition, new drywall can be hung over the popcorn ceiling in some cases, especially in an area with high ceilings. Or the popcorn can be removed altogether and the underlying drywall or plaster repaired or replaced. You can work with your Rideout Contractor to decide which design solution and which finish, if any, will work in your space.
Beyond the repairs to your textured ceiling, you can also discuss lighting changes that can help to soften or change the look of textured ceilings. If it is not practical or budget-conscious for you to completely remove the popcorn ceiling, it may be that a combination of a less prominent texture, like Knockdown or Splatter, can be coupled with a change in light fixtures to draw attention down and away from the textured ceiling. Rather than flush mounted light fixtures that distribute their light along, and highlight, textured ceilings, you might opt for new light fixtures, ceiling fans with light fixtures, or other elements that distribute light downward and into the room instead of upward toward the ceiling.
Whatever ceiling option you choose, your Rideout Contracting professionals can help you choose the option that is best for your home design and for your budget. Contact us today for your free, no obligation quote, and let us help you find the solution to that dated popcorn ceiling.