Popcorn and other textured ceilings turn up in Boston condos and houses updated a few decades ago. Some older texture contained asbestos, so a lab test comes before any scraping. Once a ceiling is cleared, we remove the texture, skim the surface smooth, prime it and paint it flat white or the color you choose.
Sprayed popcorn texture is not original to most Boston buildings, but it appears wherever a unit was renovated or a ceiling was covered in the decades after the war: condo conversions, finished attics and basements, and apartment buildings from that period. It was often used to hide cracked plaster or rough drywall seams. That matters for the price, because what is under the texture decides how much finishing is needed once it comes off.
Testing comes first. Some ceiling texture applied before the 1980s contained asbestos, and nobody can tell by looking. A small sample goes to a laboratory before any scraping. If the result is positive, removal is work for a licensed asbestos contractor and not for a painter, and we will tell you that plainly. In a pre-1978 building the paint on the texture may also contain lead, so the work is kept wet and contained either way.
On a ceiling that has tested clear, we empty the room or cover what stays, and hang plastic over walls and floors. The texture is wetted and scraped off in sheets. Unpainted popcorn releases easily; painted popcorn resists water and takes longer. Then the real finishing begins: joints and gouges are filled, the ceiling is skimmed and sanded smooth, primed and painted. A flat finish is the usual choice because it hides small waves best.
Popcorn ceiling removal in Boston: common questions
Who tests the ceiling for asbestos?
A laboratory does. A small sample is taken and sent in, and the result usually comes back within days. We do not scrape any older textured ceiling without a clear result.
Can the popcorn be covered instead of scraped?
Yes. A ceiling can be covered with new thin drywall, which leaves the texture undisturbed. That is sometimes the better route where the texture is heavily painted. It lowers the ceiling slightly.
Can we stay in the condo while the ceilings are done?
You can stay in rooms that are not being worked on. The room in progress is sealed off with plastic for several days. Doing the unit in two halves is common.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We walk the job and measure.
- Written quote: Prep, paint and price in writing.
- Prep & protect: We cover floors and furniture, repair and prime surfaces.
- Paint & walk-through: Two coats, clean lines, full clean-up and a final walk-through.