Several decades ago, popcorn ceilings were all the rage – they looked nice cropping up above shiny furniture, psychedelic patterns, and brightly colored wall.
The cottage-cheese texture offered voice dampening benefit and camouflaged ceiling bumps and imperfections while offering a measure of fire-resistance.
However, it fell out of favor because it contained asbestos, plus it concealed cobwebs and dirt.
So, Is It A Good Idea To Remove A Popcorn Ceiling From A Manufactured Home?
If you’re tired of looking up at the lumps and bumps, removing the popcorn ceiling from your home can be a good idea. However, it all depends on your visual preference. When the truth about these dreaded acoustic popcorn ceilings emerged, it was shocking. While the primary reason you should consider removing the popcorn ceiling is to getting rid of the asbestos threat, there are other reasons you may want to remove popcorn ceilings.
Note that removing a popcorn ceiling is a messy job and not at all easy on the neck and arms. When removing popcorn ceilings containing asbestos, you need to be careful because it can cause health problems.
In this article, you will find reasons why it might be a good idea to remove a popcorn ceiling in your manufactured home, how to remove popcorn ceilings and other useful information. Let’s get started.
What Is A Popcorn Ceiling?
Also known as..
- an acoustic ceiling
- stucco ceiling
- vermiculate ceiling
- or stipple ceiling
…a popcorn ceiling featuring spray-on or paint-on textured finish.
Popcorn ceilings are characterized by cottage-cheese like texture and were exceedingly popular in homes built between the 1930s and 1980s.
In the days, it was standard for residential hallways and bedrooms thanks to its bright white finish, acoustic properties, and ability to camouflage imperfections.
Asbestos was banned in ceiling treatments, where styrofoam or paper-based products were used to create texture in popcorn ceiling materials.
Popcorn ceiling popularity has diminished as many people are shifting to modern, clean-lined features after realizing the benefits of smooth ceilings over textured ones.
Besides, manufactured home improvement professionals offer removal services.
Ten Reasons Why You May Want To Remove Your Popcorn Ceiling
Getting a drywall surface perfectly level is time-consuming and difficult.
While popcorn ceilings hide all forms of imperfections on your ceiling, they can give an old-fashioned impression to potential buyers when selling your home.
If you have popcorn ceilings in your manufactured home, here are some practical reasons you might consider removing them.
1. Popcorn ceiling may contain asbestos
It is true that asbestos was once a popular material used in making popcorn ceilings.
Therefore, if the ceiling of your manufactured home was installed before the ban, it is very likely that it contains the harmful substance.
Thankfully, asbestos in your ceiling won’t harm you if the ceiling is intact, so do not disturb it.
Removing your popcorn ceiling by yourself can also expose you to the fibers. For these reasons, it is a good idea to consider removing the popcorn ceiling if it is damaged or its interior is exposed.
If you decide to remove your popcorn ceiling for whatever reason, you must have it tested to determine if it contains asbestos.
Because of a higher risk of asbestos exposure, the job of removing popcorn ceilings is best left to the hands of professionals.
2. Popcorn ceilings are dated
Old is not always gold.
Popcorn ceilings have not been trendy since the asbestos threat was established; therefore, it is a no-brainer to say that they are old-fashioned.
The rough ceilings give your manufactured home an old, dated appearance.
You may consider replacing your popcorn ceiling with smooth ones to give your space a modernized look.
3. Creating better lighting
Popcorn ceilings are far less than perfect if you want to create a relaxed ambiance in your rooms.
With their bumpy surface, light bounces off, creating undesirable shadows, and so you may consider eliminating them.
However, if your popcorn ceiling is intact, the best bet would be installing the right lighting to create the desired atmosphere without disturbing the ceiling.
4. Popcorn ceilings catch dust
Having popcorn ceilings in your manufactured home can be annoying because they attract dust and dirt to your home. As if this is not enough, keeping it clean disperses asbestos fibers into your space, which exposes you to the harmful substance.
Keeping your manufactured home clean is a challenge on its own; therefore, it’s imperative to eliminate anything that accumulates dust and other dirty plus cobwebs.
Keep in mind that removing the popcorn ceiling will cause more dust and dirt around your home.
The good thing about removing it is that the dust and dirt are plenty once during the removal.
5. To stop discoloration
Popcorn ceilings tend to discolor over time.
This can be annoying as the ceiling will keep your space dingy even after making it as inviting as possible.
Instead of freshening up your ceiling frequently with a coat of paint, you may consider removing it and enjoy the benefits of smooth ceilings.
Smooth ceilings will keep your homes looking fresher.
Even if you consider repainting your popcorn ceiling, keep in mind that it is hard to paint. With their uneven surface, getting even coverage with paint is challenging and time-consuming.
6. To stop the ceiling from disintegrating
Like any other part of your manufactured home, your popcorn ceiling will not last forever. No matter your efforts to maintain it, the ceiling will start to disintegrate at some point.
When you start seeing white flecks falling from your popcorn ceiling, this might be the right time to remove it.
A disintegrating popcorn ceiling should be immediately removed because it exposes you to asbestos.
7. Popcorn ceiling can hurt a resale
Besides the old-fashioned look of a popcorn ceiling, it will lower the value of your manufactured home.
Since no buyer wants to deal with fixing a popcorn ceiling, failing to remove it might hurt resale.
8. Popcorn ceiling is easily marred and impossible to clean
One of the most annoying things with popcorn ceilings is cleaning them when dirty.
They easily spoil, and when you try to clean them, the duster is caught, or you bring down flecks.
9. Popcorn ceilings exacerbate allergies
The rough surface of a popcorn ceiling traps dust and airborne pollutants that will definitely aggravate allergies.
10. To fix damage to the ceiling and make your space feel modern
Another reason you may consider removing your popcorn ceiling is if it was poorly installed.
You can also inadvertently damage your ceiling, necessitating the need to remove it. Instead of repairing the ceiling, you might consider removing it to eliminate the popcorn effect.
Even without significant damage, you can remove a popcorn ceiling to keep your manufactured home looking trendy, modern, and inviting.
Because you don’t want your home to appear dated and cramp style, removing the popcorn ceiling is a great idea.
How To Remove Popcorn Ceilings – Six Steps
With the above list, you now have a reason to get rid of that old-fashioned popcorn ceiling. Although the process of removing a popcorn ceiling is inexpensive and relatively simple, it is messy and time-consuming.
All the same, here are the steps to remove a popcorn ceiling.
- Test for asbestos and lead paint: Manufactured homes created before 1978 may contain asbestos within the popcorn ceiling and could have been painted with paint having lead as an additive. Because these elements are hazardous, make sure the popcorn ceiling is tested by a certified laboratory,
- Protect yourself, walls, and floors: Before covering walls and floors, clear the rooms by removing all furniture if possible. Removing popcorn ceiling creates a considerable amount of waste; therefore, it is imperative to cover walls and floors with plastic sheets or tarpaulins. Make sure to wear the right safety gear and open windows for air to circulate.
- Spay the ceiling with water in a spray bottle to moisten it.
- Use a wide scraper or wide putty knife to scrape away the texture and allow it to dry.
- Fix any damage, sand, prime, and paint the ceiling to give it a newer smooth look.
- Dispose of the waste and admire your new smooth ceiling.
Conclusion
If your manufactured home has a popcorn ceiling, you may want to remove it depending on how you want your ceiling to look.
Popcorn ceilings containing asbestos pose a health hazard, making them a serious threat, especially if your manufactured home is older.
They are old, easily marred, hard to paint, difficult to clean, and aggravate allergies; therefore, giving enough reasons to eliminate them.
No matter what reason you have to remove the popcorn ceiling in your manufactured home, it is imperative to get rid of anything that threatens your health.
