NF Drywall Taping question (removal of popcorn)

[Raycaster]

Trying to get in brownie points before fishing season.

 

Wife wanted popcorn stucco removed from ceiling so I started with the dining-room 12X10. Used a 12" taping blade and knocked all popcorn down, soaked, and soaked, then removed the rest with a 6" putty knife being careful not to scar drywall. The ceiling has been painted many times over the last 25 years so it was brutal and took 2 days! I then skimmed with a 90 min set coat (noob too thick) and then primed and painted. Only skimmed 1 coat and seemed pretty flat (14" blade). I'd give it a 9/10.

OK, living room time and twice as large.

I have knocked the popcorn off again but wondering if I can just avoid the 2 days of scraping and instead go with 2 skim coats?

 

I've watched a ton of youtube videos but most ceilings have not been primed and painted over 25 years hard as granite!

This guy is my hero:

 

[BillM]

I removed a crap load of popcorn during my reno.  But I did it the exact same way you did, soaked it with a bug sprayer (This helped alot) and used the super big trowels from Princess Auto (I'm guessing they are 12-14in long)...   Two skim coats then sand.  Not fun.   

Are you thinking of skimming right over the popcorn?   Eh...   I dunno how that's going to work out.  

Edited March 27, 2018 by BillM

[Sinker]

I hate popcorn cielings and drywall.....just go right over it with wood or whatever you like

[Raycaster]

Yes, I was thinking of going over the remaining stucco. I've seen video's of contractors skim coating over stucco that is rough but doesn't have the popcorn texture on top.

Basically 1 coat fills the depths and the second coats flattens it even.

 

[Raycaster]

The popcorn texture has been painted so may times 1/2 way thru the job your truely wondering if you should just re drywall.

 

 

[BillM]

Yeah, I dunno if I'd tackle popcorn that's been painted.   You're just asking for more and more headaches.  Do what Sinker said, tongue and grove pine, paint it white, voila!!!  Happy wife!  lol

It would probably be faster just to drywall over it and lose the 3/8in of ceiling height.  

Edited March 27, 2018 by BillM

[grimsbylander]

I was going to suggest that as well. We did one room years ago and our process was a rough scraping, new drywall, tape, mud, sand and prime it. I do remember busting the drywall around the octagon box to lower it 3/8.

[Smokercrafty]

6 hours ago, Raycaster said:

The popcorn texture has been painted so may times 1/2 way thru the job your truely wondering if you should just re drywall.

 

 

For this reason, I'm told to just fill over, skim, and sand. Forget about scraping painted popcorn. Mind you, both times I had to, I called a pro.  

[vance]

so i bought a 100 yr old house with  popcorn ceilings and we hated it... In the process of removing 12 layers of wall paper i found the the wall paper  steamer did a GREAT job of removing the popcorn ceiling...

[ketchenany]

21 hours ago, Smokercrafty said:

For this reason, I'm told to just fill over, skim, and sand. Forget about scraping painted popcorn. Mind you, both times I had to, I called a pro.  

Geez you got lucky! That “pro” came my way had a look booked a date and never showed up and not returned my calls. Nice guy otherwise.

[John Bacon]

Do you know when the ceilings were done?  Some of the old popcorn ceilings used asbestos.  If yours in one of them, then covering it would be preferable to removing it.

[Raycaster]

I'm half way thru and yes the safe way would of been just 2 skim coats.

Just soaking it down and hacking away using the 12" when possible and then the 6".

Came home today to find the cat and dog took down my plastic sheets, are we having fun yet?

 

[Cast-Away]

It might be cheaper and quicker to rip it out and replace it with new drywall. You might want to get a quote.

[Raycaster]

Finished scraping and will let dry.

Tomorrow a skim coat and light sand, prime and paint.

I have a small hallway to do that I may try just 2 skim coats.

[Canuck]

Has anyone paid to have popcorn removed?  If so, what is the cost for a standard size room?

[Raycaster]

I saw a post of $30 an hr somewhere but that means nothing as the job could be 3hrs or 10hrs etc.

Wife now has mentioned pot lights so its do-able right now before paint.