# Repainting popcorn ceiling



## Ralphie (Aug 18, 2011)

What is better in repainting old popcorn ceiling, Spray or roller?
If spray, what is an cheap sprayer.:notworthy:


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

Spray, rent one from home depot


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## Ralphie (Aug 18, 2011)

*Thanks, the airless sprayer? *


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Spray, buy a speeflo 6900 and do 300 of these ceilings and it will pay for its self in no time.


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

To be honest, I always roll popcorn ceilings. I do not spray in occupied residential homes in most cases, too much stuff to work around. 

Granted, a lot of homeowners have catastrophic failures doing this, but so far I have not had a problem.

I think a professional can handle it in most situations. I suppose there could be a few ceilings that were done so poorly that failure still occurs.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

DeanV said:


> To be honest, I always roll popcorn ceilings. I do not spray in occupied residential homes in most cases, too much stuff to work around.
> 
> Granted, a lot of homeowners have catastrophic failures doing this, but so far I have not had a problem.
> 
> I think a professional can handle it in most situations. I suppose there could be a few ceilings that were done so poorly that failure still occurs.


I roll popcorn too. I guess the posers on here like to spray occupied homes:brows: I don't, I'd rather get the job done fast.

To the guy that posted the question: I'd say just go with your heart, and experience, but it don't sound like you have any. I hope this job is for your parents or somebody that doesn't care about the outcome.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

I typically roll them for the same reasons as previously mentioned. If the ceiling has been painted before it's fairly easy. If it's never been painted before it's a bit trickier but still doable.


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## One Coat Coverage (Oct 4, 2009)

I also roll them, but we don't have many of them in my neck of the woods.

If I lived in Cali, where almost everyone has them, I probably would have devised a system to quickly spray them.


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## TERRY365PAINTER (Jul 26, 2009)

Depending on the ceiling , if it's been painted before . I would roll it the old painters way was oil based flat . But I usually spray it . Mask walls and poly, but I have had ceilings come down on me from spraying . That sucks It was probably my fault spraying it to heavy . Spray one way then wait let dry and respray the other . Today if I had too I would use guards then finish coat .


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## ttd (Sep 30, 2010)

If painted before no problem. Otherwise can be nightmare with texture peeling off. I have used 3/4 or 1 inch nap and rolled while keeping nap soaked and trying not to roll back in to area I have rolled. Sometimes that works. Its touch and go you know!


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

I spray popcorn ceilings, in occupied homes. Its just lots of plastic. If you were called to texture a ceiling in an occupied home you would be spraying. 

I haven't had a hose burst on me yet..:whistling2:

IMO rolling out popcorn changes the look of the texture. It softens it.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

straight_lines said:


> IMO rolling out popcorn changes the look of the texture. It softens it.


Not sure that would be a bad thing. 
Lot's of variables here. Spray if you can but I usually don't. If unpainted, use a 1" nap cover and make no more than two passes over the same spot on the first coat. Second coat you can more or less paint like usual. Just take your time and be prepared to have a lot of [email protected] come down on you _and_ be imbedded in your roller cover. Make sure you have a "clean mat" at the entrance of the room because you'll have texture all over the bottom of your shoes.
Anyone remember those split foam roller covers they used to make for this (maybe they still do)? IMO they never worked worth a damn.


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## Sully (May 25, 2011)

I once did a nursing home that had nothing but popcorn ceilings. Like everyone else says go easy keep your roller soaked and back roll as little as possible. You can try the popcorn in a can to do a patch if the texture pulls but it's probably going to look like crap and possibly fall down just to give you a heads up. Take your time, paint confidently, and don't get cocky! :thumbsup:


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## Paintmaster (Aug 13, 2011)

Depends on the conditions.
I sometimes roll, and I sometimes spray.
I roll when I don't feel like covering everything in the place with plastic.
I spray when there's little to worry about - empty apartments for example, or a basement that's gonna get new carpeting.
Be careful rolling, try to get it up and spread it out kinda fast cause the popcorn absorbs the paint quick, gets heavy...


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

Oil flat calcimine recoater BM 306 rolled if never painted. Water based paints dissolve the cheap binders in popcorn and pull it off in thin spots. Oil has no reaction with unpainted popcorn. I've seen guys use 13 gallons of water based flat on a ceiling that took one gallon and pulled the whole thing off. Expensive way to strip a popcorn. We have hundreds here in CT and I've repaired as many with the spray cans or Zinnser Popcorn repair after they get frustrated and blame the paint. Spray can repairs make a huge mess.


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

those who roll these ceiling, don't you still have to plastic everything as well, i see it taking about the same time. I personally dont like wet paint pop corn in my beard, head, shirt, yada, yada. however I do not do to many of these and when I do, it is typically the whole house, and i ant gonna roll pop corn on a complete repaint.


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## propainterJ (Jan 31, 2011)

I cannot believe there are actual pianting contractors out there that would cut and roll a popcorn ceiling,some of the stuff I read here just astounds me.

How can you say that any acoustic ceiling whether painted previously or not would fail simply because you sprayed it?

Just astounds me,if an acoustic ceiling falls down because you put some paint on it,the problem aint the method of delivery of paint.

But really,just wow,I havent rolled an acoustic ceiling since I was 19 doing my first ever side job after about 2 weeks working as a painter's helper.

Learned then that spraying an acoustic ceiling was the only way to do it occupied or un-occupied.

I swear,have some of you ever heard of plastic and tape?

It is possible to spray in an occupied house,I do it all the time and in all my years doing it have never had a hose burst,they dont unless they're really old,and you supposed to check them for weak spots or cuts) or as I did once in my career,had a gas rig walk on me while I was spraying a NC house and got the line with a hot manifold,the only line break I've ever seen.

And I have sprayed in occupied re-paints while the HO sat in her living room.

Some of you would make more money if you worried less about offending a HO with spraying and worried more about production.

JMHO.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

ewingpainting.net said:


> those who roll these ceiling, don't you still have to plastic everything as well, i see it taking about the same time. I personally dont like wet paint pop corn in my beard, head, shirt, yada, yada. however I do not do to many of these and when I do, it is typically the whole house, and i ant gonna roll pop corn on a complete repaint.


yes, gotta cover things, but many times in larger rooms, I'll just move things to one half, paint that side and then do the other side.

It allows for not having to cover the entire space completely, and, I got enough control with rolling that I don't need to cover trim or other areas that I would if I were spraying.

I do get popcorn in my beard sometimes.

If its old and dried out, I'll prime first, gardz is good.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

propainterJ said:


> I cannot believe there are actual pianting contractors out there that would cut and roll a popcorn ceiling,some of the stuff I read here just astounds me.
> 
> How can you say that any acoustic ceiling whether painted previously or not would fail simply because you sprayed it?
> 
> ...


I'm glad spraying works for you every time.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

propainterJ said:


> I cannot believe there are actual pianting contractors out there that would cut and roll a popcorn ceiling,some of the stuff I read here just astounds me.
> 
> How can you say that any acoustic ceiling whether painted previously or not would fail simply because you sprayed it?
> 
> ...


It's going to be ok. Rolling acoustic will always provide a better finish. It's no different then rough stucco. 

Pat


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

IMO i dont think either rolling or spraying provides a better finish, just a different look.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

propainterJ said:


> And I have sprayed in occupied re-paints while the HO sat in her living room.


Wasn't she uncomfortable sitting under that plastic?


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## propainterJ (Jan 31, 2011)

I cut her a breathing hole.

She got a little warm so I put a fan under there and told her to be quiet and stay still,but after she got me a beer and rolled me a fattie!


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

propainterJ said:


> I cut her a breathing hole.
> 
> She got a little warm so I put a fan under there and told her to be quiet and stay still,but after she got me a beer and rolled me a fattie!


Sounds like you put the pro in propainter


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## propainterJ (Jan 31, 2011)

Provide a better finish?

Are you kidding me?

Acoustic is shiite,no body puts it in new homes,why is that?Because it's shiite thats why,what the hell would you put anything other thatn flat on an acoustic ceiling?

And spraying has worked for me everytime I've sprayed acoustic,new or painted.

Maybe I've just been lucky a couple dozen times I don't know,I don't mean to sound like I know it all,I know I don't,I just trip on some stuff I read in here.

Thats all I'm doing,just tripping out,in a tubuler sort of way,I've sprayed too much lacquer I think,sorry guys.:thumbsup:


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

No one knows a homeowner DIY when they see one? You guys' radar ain't functioning.


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