Popcorn Ceilings Have Fallen Out of Favor for Homeowners and Livermore Home Painters
The era of popcorn ceilings (A.K.A. cottage cheese ceilings or stucco ceilings) has come to an end. Popular between the 1950’s to 1980’s, many older homes and buildings often still contain rooms with textured ceilings. Interior painters in the Bay Area frown upon the stark white paint and messy, rough look that characterizes most popcorn ceilings, and look for a more modern look with smooth, warm colors. Not withstanding their out-of-date appearance, there are more reasons to consider removing popcorn ceilings from your home altogether.
Hard to Paint
Even if you opt out of replacing your popcorn ceiling, DIY home painters will have quite a task ahead of them should they decide to change colors. The bumpiness, uneven texture, deep ridges and valleys within popcorn ceilings make it extremely difficult and time consuming to paint. The easiest and most common technique utilized when painting a ceiling involves a paint roller and an extension handle. The uneven surface of the popcorn ceiling hinders the paint roller from distributing paint evenly into the crevices of the surface. The best way to get around this is to paint with a paintbrush; this however is a very time-consuming process.
Difficult to Maintain and Repair
Popcorn ceilings require regular maintenance to keep clean and uniform. The crevices can easily trap dust and become dirty, contributing to a dirty and unkempt look. The best way to clean it is by using the brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner. A stepladder will help you get closer to the ceiling so you can remove dust more efficiently. This must be done carefully, because disturbing or breaking the surface can release asbestos if your ceiling contains this carcinogen, which can lead to trouble breathing as well as cancer over the long term. If there is damage to the ceiling, a professional should be consulted to carefully remove any asbestos. They will have to remove the textured material around the hole, sand the drywall and fill the space with new textured material before being repainted, clearly this is not an easy job and even the best repair men will have difficulty making it look perfectly uniform.
Asbestos Contamination
After removing the popcorn ceiling, your beautiful new ceiling can be easily painted in whatever color you choose. ©2015 Colorblast Painting
It is highly likely that your ceiling contains asbestos, which can lead to serious health issues. Many of the older techniques used to create popcorn ceilings relied on asbestos fibers. Most ceilings installed before 1978 have asbestos, and even those created after this date are at risk of being infected due to the clean air act exemption allowing that asbestos materials in inventory before the ban to be used through the 1980′s in order to minimize the negative impact on suppliers and manufacturers of asbestos products. If it is impossible to determine the date that the ceiling was installed, it’s best to assume that your ceiling is contaminated. As long as ceilings remain undisturbed, they should not release harmful asbestos in the air. But if disturbance occurs through a rupturing, cracking, or breaking, once asbestos are airborne they can be breathed into the lungs and create problems for residents.
East Bay Painting Company will Make Your Popcorn Ceiling Pop, or Disappear Altogether
If you are interested in removing a popcorn ceiling or want to hire someone to repaint it for you, call the best painting company in the East Bay at (510) 827-9763 or you can contact ColorBlast through our online contact form, and don’t forget to check out our current coupons, too!
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