Popcorn and other sprayed textures turn up in Brooklyn apartments and houses renovated from the 1950s to the 1980s. Texture from those years can contain asbestos, so it should be tested before anyone scrapes it. Once it is cleared, we remove it, skim the ceiling smooth, prime and paint.
Sprayed popcorn texture is less common in Brooklyn than in the suburbs, but it is here. It shows up in postwar apartment buildings, in houses in the southern part of the borough, and in older homes where a past renovation sprayed it on to hide a cracked ceiling. Some ceilings have a swirled or stippled plaster texture in its place. People want it gone because it holds dust, yellows, is hard to patch after a leak and makes a low room feel lower.
Testing comes before any scraping. Texture applied before the 1980s may contain asbestos, and you cannot tell by looking. A sample has to go to a laboratory. If asbestos is found, the removal is work for a licensed asbestos contractor under New York's rules and is not something a painter may do. If the texture has been painted in an older home, lead is a second question. We can explain the testing step, and we take the job on once the material is shown to be clear.
Removal itself is simple but messy. The room is emptied or covered, and floors and walls are sheeted in plastic. The texture is dampened and scraped off in sections. What is left is seldom ready for paint. Joints and gouges are filled, and most ceilings need a skim coat to look flat, above all where daylight from the front windows runs across them. Then come primer and a flat ceiling paint. Covering the texture with a new layer of drywall is an option when scraping is not.
Popcorn ceiling removal in Brooklyn: common questions
Does my building need to know before the ceiling is scraped?
In a co-op or condo, very likely. Many buildings ask for the test result and proof of insurance before this kind of work. Check your alteration rules or ask the managing agent, and we will supply what they ask of us.
What if the ceiling was painted over?
Painted texture does not soak up water, so it scrapes off slowly and can take more of the surface with it. Skim coating over it or covering it with new drywall is sometimes the cleaner answer. We test a small spot to decide.
Can I stay in the apartment during the work?
You can usually stay in the home, but not in the room being worked on. It is sealed off with plastic until the scraping and sanding are finished and the dust is cleaned up.
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.