Sprayed ceiling texture is in many Fargo and Moorhead homes built from the 1960s to the 1990s. Older texture can contain asbestos, so a ceiling of that age is tested by a lab before anyone scrapes it. After removal we skim coat, prime and paint the ceiling smooth.
Sprayed popcorn texture went onto ceilings in a great many Fargo and Moorhead homes from the 1960s into the 1990s. It hid joints cheaply, but it catches dust, yellows, and cannot be patched without the patch showing. Before anything is scraped, the age of the ceiling matters. Older texture can contain asbestos, and you cannot tell by looking. A small sample goes to a lab first. If it comes back positive, removal is work for a licensed asbestos contractor, not for painters.
When the test is clear, the room is emptied or the furniture wrapped, and the floors and walls are covered in plastic. The texture is dampened in sections and scraped off with wide blades. Ceilings that were painted over take longer, because water cannot soak in. Scraping always reveals the joints and fasteners underneath, so the ceiling is then skim coated, sanded smooth, primed and painted. That finishing is where most of the skill in the job lies.
Expect a few days of disruption in each area, since compound has to dry between coats. Many owners pick the cold months for this because it is indoor work. If you would rather not remove the texture, there are other routes, such as covering the ceiling with new drywall. In North Dakota the Department of Environmental Quality runs the state asbestos programme, and its office can answer questions about testing and removal rules. Moorhead homes come under Minnesota's rules instead.
Popcorn ceiling removal in Fargo: common questions
Does my popcorn ceiling have asbestos?
Only a lab test can say. Older texture is the most likely to contain it. Do not scrape or sand the ceiling before a sample has been tested.
Can you remove texture that has been painted?
Yes, but it is slower. Paint seals the texture so water does not loosen it. Sometimes covering it or skim coating over it is the better choice, and we tell you which.
Will my ceiling be perfectly smooth afterwards?
It is skim coated, sanded, primed and painted smooth. Strong side light from a window shows small waves on any ceiling, which is why flat paint is used overhead.
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.