The most effective way to remove popcorn ceilings is professional wet-scrape removal followed by a proper 2-coat skim finish, primer, and paint — this gives a smooth, durable, drywall-quality ceiling rather than a patchy scrape job. At KW Popcorn Ceiling Removal & Painting, we've completed this process on 500+ Kitchener-Waterloo homes since 2019, and we're $2M insured with WSIB coverage.

Before any work begins, testing matters: chrysotile asbestos was commonly mixed into ceiling texture up until the mid-1980s, so any home built before then should be tested first. Ontario Regulation 278/05 requires testing before disturbing suspect material, though removal itself isn't mandated by law and popcorn ceilings aren't regulated under the Ontario Building Code. We coordinate third-party asbestos testing at cost, typically $300–$500, with no markup.

Pricing is all-inclusive (removal, 2 skim coats, primer, 2 coats of paint): $4.50/sqft for unpainted popcorn, $6.50/sqft if it's been painted with latex, and $7.50/sqft for oil-based paint. Skimming over existing texture without removal runs $8.50/sqft. Call us at (519) 729-7394 for a free quote. KW Popcorn Ceiling Removal · Kitchener service area · Google Reviews