No, there isn't a machine you can rent that removes popcorn ceilings. The texture is removed by hand with a wet-scrape method: water or a stripping solution softens the material, then it's scraped off with a wide putty knife. Ceiling texture is too uneven and too close to drywall and wiring for a machine to strip safely without gouging the ceiling.

Before any scraping starts, Ontario Regulation 278/05 requires that suspect texture be tested if it may contain asbestos. Chrysotile asbestos was commonly mixed into ceiling texture before the mid-1980s, so homes built or textured before then should be tested first. Testing costs $300 to $500 at cost, no markup. Removal itself isn't mandated by law, and the Ontario Building Code doesn't regulate popcorn ceilings, but disturbing untested material is a real health risk, so we coordinate the testing for you.

Renting equipment and doing it yourself usually costs more in cleanup and repair than hiring it out. Our all-inclusive pricing:

• Unpainted popcorn ceiling: $4.50 per square foot, covering removal, two skim coats, primer, and two coats of paint
• Latex-painted popcorn ceiling: $6.50 per square foot
• Oil-base painted popcorn ceiling: $7.50 per square foot

Call us at (519) 729-7394 for a free quote. KW Popcorn Ceiling Removal · Kitchener service area · Google Reviews