Yes — primer is a required step, not an optional add-on, and it's already built into our all-inclusive pricing. After popcorn texture is scraped off, the ceiling underneath is rough, uneven, and full of patched screw holes and seams from the drywall or plaster below. A quality bonding primer seals that surface, evens out porosity between old texture residue and new skim coat, and gives your topcoat paint something uniform to grip — skip it and you risk flashing (patchy sheen), poor paint adhesion, and visible seams once the light hits the ceiling.

Our process always includes primer as part of the job: for an unpainted popcorn ceiling, removal, 2 skim coats, primer, and 2 coats of paint runs $4.50/sqft all-inclusive. If the ceiling was previously painted with latex, it's $6.50/sqft; oil-based paint is $7.50/sqft (oil needs extra prep for proper adhesion).

One more thing before any scraping starts: if your home was built before the mid-1980s, popcorn texture may contain asbestos. Under Ontario Regulation 278/05, testing is required before disturbing it — we coordinate that testing at cost, $300–$500. Removal itself isn't legally mandated, but testing is the safe first step.

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