Popcorn ceilings: tested first, scraped second.
Wheat Ridge has acoustic ceilings in most homes from the 1960s and 70s. If yours predates 1980, nobody should scrape it until it has been tested.
Bighorn Painting removes popcorn and acoustic ceilings in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Ceiling texture in homes built before roughly 1980 may contain asbestos and must be tested before it is disturbed; we will not scrape an untested pre-1980 ceiling. Where testing is clear, the texture is removed under containment, the ceiling is skim coated and sanded smooth or re-textured as you prefer, then primed and painted. Call 720-912-4676.
The testing rule, stated plainly
Acoustic ceiling texture applied before roughly 1980 may contain asbestos. Scraping it dry releases fibers into the air of your home. Testing is inexpensive, quick and the only way to know.
We will not scrape an untested pre-1980 ceiling. Not for a discount, not if you tell us it is fine, not if another contractor offered to. If the test comes back positive, abatement is a licensed specialty and we will point you to it rather than pretending otherwise.
Given that most Wheat Ridge homes were built well before 1980, this comes up on the majority of ceiling projects here.
What removal actually involves
- Test first if the home predates 1980.
- Contain the room. Floors, walls, doorways and vents sealed. This is messier work than painting and the containment is most of what keeps your house livable.
- Wet and scrape. Dampening the texture keeps dust down and makes it come off in sheets rather than clouds.
- Repair what is revealed. Popcorn hides a lot. Tape lines, nail pops and old patches usually surface at this stage, and they need addressing before anything smooth goes on.
- Skim coat. One or more passes of compound, sanded between, until the ceiling is genuinely flat. This is the step that determines whether the result looks professional.
- Prime and paint. Flat ceiling paint, because any sheen on a large ceiling finds every imperfection.
Smooth, or new texture?
| Finish | Result | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth skim coat | Flat, modern, what most people want | Most labor. Any imperfection shows, so the skim work has to be right |
| Light orange peel | Subtle texture, modern enough | Forgiving, faster, slightly less crisp |
| Knockdown | Matches newer homes nearby | Can look out of period on a 1962 house |
On a mid-century home, smooth usually reads best. The original ceilings in these houses were often flat before somebody sprayed acoustic texture on in the seventies.
Honest expectations
This is the dustiest work we do. Containment helps enormously and it is not magic. Plan on the room being unusable for the duration, and on a day of cleanup afterward even with good protection.
It is also one of the highest-impact changes available in an older home. A smooth ceiling makes a 1960s living room read decades newer, and it costs a fraction of any structural change.
What else we do in Wheat Ridge
Interior painting
Walls, ceilings, trim, doors, stairwells and basements across every Wheat Ridge street.
Details →02Exterior painting
Siding, trim, fascia, soffit, doors and garage doors across Wheat Ridge.
Details →03Mid-century homes
Specialist work on 1950s, 60s and early 70s Wheat Ridge homes, inside and out.
Details →04Cabinet painting
Kitchen and bathroom cabinet painting throughout Wheat Ridge.
Details →05Deck and fence staining
Decks, fences, railings and pergolas across Wheat Ridge.
Details →06Commercial and small business
Retail, restaurants, offices, light industrial and HOA properties across Wheat Ridge.
Details →Popcorn ceiling removal questions
Does my popcorn ceiling have asbestos?
If the home was built before roughly 1980, it might, and testing is the only way to know. We will not scrape an untested pre-1980 ceiling under any circumstances. Testing is inexpensive and fast.
What happens if the test is positive?
Abatement is a licensed specialty and we will refer you rather than attempt it. Painting over an intact asbestos-containing ceiling without disturbing it is sometimes an option worth discussing.
Can you just paint over popcorn instead?
Yes, and sometimes it is the right call, especially if testing comes back positive. Painting popcorn takes care because the texture soaks up material and can release from the ceiling if rolled too aggressively.
How messy is removal?
It is the dustiest work we do. The room is contained with floors, walls, doorways and vents sealed, which keeps the rest of the house clean, but plan on the room being out of use and on some cleanup afterward.
Should I go smooth or add new texture?
On a mid-century Wheat Ridge home, smooth usually reads best, partly because many of these ceilings were flat before acoustic texture was sprayed on later. Light orange peel is a more forgiving middle option.
What gets found under the popcorn?
Usually tape lines, nail pops and old patches. Popcorn hides a lot. Those repairs are part of the work and they are why a skim coat takes more than one pass.
Request your free estimate
Tell us what needs painting and send a few photos. Most Wheat Ridge projects can be priced without a site visit, and we will say plainly when yours needs one.
Rather talk? 720-912-4676