How to Prepare Your Home for Popcorn Ceiling Removal

How to Prepare Your Home for Popcorn Ceiling Removal

Popcorn ceiling removal is one of the less disruptive home renovations — especially with our dustless HEPA process. But a few simple preparations will make the job faster, protect your belongings, and reduce the post-project cleanup you need to do.

What We Handle (You Don't Need to Do This)

Our all-inclusive service covers furniture moving and protection, floor covering with heavy plastic sheeting, wall edge taping to protect paint, dust containment with HEPA equipment, and complete cleanup at job completion. You do not need to move large furniture or cover your floors before we arrive.

What You Should Do Before We Arrive

Remove Small Items and Breakables

Clear off shelves, mantels, side tables, and any surface that holds small objects, picture frames, plants, or breakables. We will move large furniture but we ask you to handle small personal items. This takes 15–30 minutes and protects anything irreplaceable.

Remove Art from Walls

Paintings, mirrors, and framed photos should be removed from walls in the work area. The wet ceiling removal process can cause vibration and occasional drips that can damage frames and canvases.

Note Any Pre-Existing Damage

If there are existing cracks, soft spots, or damage to the ceiling before we begin, point them out at the start of the job. Pre-existing drywall damage may affect how the skim coat adheres and we should know about it upfront.

For Pre-1980 Homes: Complete Asbestos Testing First

If your home was built before 1980 and asbestos testing has not been completed, this must happen before we begin removal. Testing takes 3–5 business days. We coordinate certified testing — call (519) 729-7394 to start the process.

Plan for Your Family During the Project

Our dustless process keeps the home liveable throughout. You and your family can stay home during the project. You may want to close doors to rooms not being worked on to minimize any incidental dust. Pets should be kept away from the work area.

Disable Smoke and CO Detectors in Work Rooms

The fine mist from the water-softening step and the fine particles from sanding can trigger smoke detectors. Disable smoke alarms in the rooms being worked on for the duration of the project — but do not forget to re-enable them when we're done.

Day of Job: What to Expect

We typically arrive between 8–9am. Setup takes 30–45 minutes (plastic sheeting, equipment staging). Removal is the loudest and wettest phase. Skim coating is quiet. Sanding creates fine dust (contained by HEPA). Painting is quiet and takes 2–3 hours depending on room size. We clean up before leaving.

Questions? Call us at (519) 729-7394 — we're happy to walk through the process with you before the job day.