Popcorn Ceiling Removal
Popcorn ceilings, gone for good.
Wet-method removal, contained mess, smooth refinish, repaint. The instant ten-year update on any 70s, 80s, or 90s house in Palm Beach County.
Popcorn ceilings, removed properly.
Popcorn ceilings (also called acoustic, cottage cheese, or stipple ceilings) were everywhere in Florida construction from the late 60s through the early 90s. They were cheap to apply, hid drywall imperfections, and dampened sound. Today they make a house look thirty years old the second you walk in.
Removing them is one of the highest-impact, most affordable upgrades you can do. A whole-house popcorn removal usually pays back in resale value alone. The trick is doing it without trashing the house in the process — and without disturbing asbestos in older homes that may have it.
We use the wet method: spray, wait, scrape. The water softens the popcorn so it scrapes off in mostly-intact pieces onto drop cloths instead of pulverizing into fine dust. Then we skim-coat the ceiling smooth, prime, and paint. The whole house gets the modern look without you having to move out.
From scrape to finished ceiling.
The full removal — not just the scraping.
Asbestos testing (older homes)
Florida homes built before 1980 may have asbestos in the popcorn texture. Before any scraping, we recommend testing — a small sample sent to a certified lab. If positive, we stop and refer you to a licensed abatement specialist.
Containment & protection
Furniture moved or sheeted. Floors covered with thick plastic. Walls protected. HVAC vents sealed off. Doorways masked to keep the wet popcorn from migrating into clean rooms.
Wet-method scraping
Light spray of water over a section, wait 10–15 minutes, scrape with a 6-inch knife. Wet popcorn comes off in chunks onto the drop cloths — not into the air as dust.
Drywall & tape repair
Scraping reveals everything that was hidden under the popcorn — bad seams, tape failures, water stains. We re-tape, mud, and repair as needed before refinishing.
Skim-coat to smooth
A thin layer of joint compound applied across the entire ceiling and sanded smooth. This is what makes a flat ceiling look modern instead of just patchy.
Optional knockdown texture
If you don't want stark smooth, we can apply a light knockdown texture instead — current, easy to live with, hides minor flaws better than smooth.
Prime & paint
Skim-coated ceiling gets primed (joint compound absorbs paint) and then 1–2 coats of ceiling-grade flat paint. Bright white or to match your wall color.
Cleanup & haul-out
Drop cloths bagged, popcorn debris hauled away, plastic removed, vents reopened. The room comes back, just with a 2026 ceiling instead of a 1985 one.
Spray, scrape, smooth, paint.
Walk-through & estimate
We come look. Note the age of the house. If pre-1980, we strongly recommend testing for asbestos before scraping. We give a flat estimate after.
Asbestos test (older homes)
If the home is pre-1980, a small sample goes to a certified lab. Results in 3–5 days. If positive, we stop — you'll need a licensed abatement company. If negative, we proceed.
Setup & containment
Furniture moved out or sheeted. Floors covered with 6 mil plastic. Walls protected with rosin paper. HVAC sealed. Doorways masked. The room becomes a controlled environment.
Wet-method removal
Light spray with garden sprayer, wait, scrape. Section by section. Drop cloths catch the wet popcorn. The ceiling underneath is exposed — usually bare drywall and old tape lines.
Repair & skim coat
Bad seams re-taped, water stains primed, holes patched. Then a thin skim coat across the whole ceiling. Sanded smooth. (Or knockdown texture, if you chose that route.)
Prime, paint, cleanup
Skim-coated ceiling primed, then 1–2 coats of flat ceiling paint. Drop cloths bagged. Furniture back. Vents reopened. New ceiling.
Why people call us for popcorn.
Wet method, not dry.
Dry scraping pulverizes popcorn into fine dust that gets into your AC, your closets, and your lungs. We always wet-scrape — controls the mess, keeps the dust down, makes the whole house livable during the project.
We handle the follow-up.
Scraping reveals decades of hidden drywall problems. Bad seams, water stains, popped tape. We fix all of it — not as an extra, as part of the job.
We test first.
Pre-1980 homes get asbestos testing before any scraping. We don't gamble with your family's health, and we don't gamble with our crew's.
Ceiling, drywall, paint — one trade.
Scrape, repair drywall, skim coat, prime, paint — all by the same crew, one schedule, one bill. Most companies sub out at least two of those steps.
Half the houses in PBC have popcorn ceilings.
Florida construction from 1968 through 1992 used popcorn ceilings as the default. That covers almost every house built during the 70s and 80s growth boom — and a huge percentage of the housing stock in Greenacres, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, and the rest of Palm Beach County. If your house is older than 30 years, there's a real chance you have popcorn somewhere.
We've removed popcorn from condos in Boca, single-story ranches in Greenacres, two-story homes in Wellington, and beach cottages in Lake Worth. Every house has its own surprises under the texture — nail pops, water stains from a hurricane decades ago, original 1970s drywall tape that's failing. We've seen it all.
Pre-1980 homes get asbestos testing first. It's a small expense ($75–$150 for the lab work) and a non-negotiable step for anyone who knows what they're doing. Florida law doesn't require it for owner-occupied removal, but doing it the right way means we test first, every time.
Common questions.
Is popcorn ceiling removal safe?
Yes — when done correctly. The two real concerns are (1) asbestos in homes built before 1980, which we test for first, and (2) dust during removal, which the wet method controls. Done right, the house stays livable through the project and there's no ongoing health concern after.
Do you test for asbestos first?
Yes for any home built before 1980. We take a small sample, send it to a certified lab, and wait for results before any scraping starts. If positive, we stop — you'll need a licensed abatement specialist (not us). If negative, we proceed normally.
Will the project be a huge mess?
No — the wet method controls the mess. Wet popcorn falls in chunks onto drop cloths instead of becoming airborne dust. Floors stay covered, walls stay protected, vents stay sealed. The room is messy during the work, but the rest of the house stays clean and livable.
What replaces the popcorn?
Most homeowners choose smooth ceilings — we skim-coat the entire ceiling with joint compound, sand it flat, and paint it. The result looks like new construction. Alternatively, we can apply a light knockdown texture for a more forgiving finish that still looks current.
Do you paint the ceiling after?
Yes — that's part of the job. Skim-coated drywall has to be primed (it absorbs paint) and then painted with ceiling-grade flat paint. Bright white is standard, or we can match your wall color for a different look.
How long does popcorn removal take per room?
A single room (10x12 to 12x14) typically takes 2–3 days end-to-end: setup, scrape, repair, skim coat, dry, prime, paint, cleanup. A whole-house removal (3–4 bedrooms, hallways, common areas) is usually 5–9 working days. Skim coat dry time is the biggest scheduling factor.
How much does popcorn ceiling removal cost in Palm Beach County?
Typical pricing runs $1.50–$3.50 per square foot of ceiling, including scraping, skim coat, prime, and paint. A single 12x14 room is roughly $400–$700. A whole-house removal of 1,500–2,000 sq ft of ceiling is usually $3,000–$6,500. Asbestos testing (if needed) adds about $100. We give a flat written estimate after walking the job.
Ready to lose the popcorn?
Same crew. Same standards. Your ceilings next.
Free walk-through. No deposit. No pressure. We'll come look and tell you what we'd recommend.