Popcorn Ceilings – the Pros and Cons

Home Repairs

Popcorn ceilings, also known as acoustic ceilings, have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity over the last few years. The older forms of this type of ceiling contained asbestos and require special equipment to remove. Nowadays, however, asbestos-free products offering the same benefits have made their way to the market, and this textured ceiling treatment is slowly making a comeback.

Before deciding whether or not to opt for popcorn ceilings, let’s have a look at some of the benefits and downsides:

Pros

It’s easy to apply – Popcorn can be blown onto a large area quickly and at a lower cost. It covers the sheetrock of the ceiling entirely and does not need to be painted initially.
It deadens sound – the uneven surface of the treatment, and the larger surface area provided by the bumps and ridges make popcorn ceilings ideal for rooms that the homeowner wants to soundproof.
It’s good at hiding imperfections – the dense texture of the popcorn can hide ceiling imperfections such as uneven drywall and allows builders and homeowners to save money and time on preparation of the drywall.

Cons

It’s harder to clean – the nature of the cottage cheese-like texture makes popcorn ceilings hold onto dust, cobwebs and smoke. You also need to be very gentle when cleaning since applying too much pressure can cause chunks of the ceiling texture to loosen and fall.
It’s harder to repair – if a popcorn ceiling is damaged in any way, repairs will require that you cut out and replace the damaged portion and then attempt to match the texture and color perfectly once the repairs are done. There is no way to avoid inconsistencies and therefore you would need to redo the whole ceiling from scratch to repair it uniformly.
It’s difficult to paint – because of the texture of popcorn ceilings, using a roller or paintbrush is not feasible. The only way to properly paint a popcorn ceiling is to use a spray gun. This presents another challenged since spray guns use high-pressure air to apply the paint to a surface, meaning care must be taken not to damage the texture.
It’s viewed as outdated – this last point does come down to personal taste; however, it cannot be denied that popcorn ceilings are still considered as an old-fashioned treatment that many homeowners feel does not fit with the more contemporary look.

Popcorn ceilings do offer many benefits to the homeowner. However, the disadvantages can make it a less appealing option as well. It is essential that you weigh the pros and the cons before making a decision.

1 thought on “Popcorn Ceilings – the Pros and Cons

  1. Hi there,

    I’m writing you to see if you are still actively updating the resources on your page: https://www.home-services-blog.com/2019/08/popcorn-ceilings-the-pros-and-cons/.

    My name is Carlos Hernandez and I’m a member of the Public Outreach Department at The Mesothelioma Center.

    When tackling a do-it-yourself project, there may be dangers hiding behind your walls or floors — such as toxic asbestos. We created a free Asbestos Guide in order to help homeowners or anyone planning a home improvement project spot potentially harmful materials, test them for asbestos and manage asbestos hazards safely.

    You can check it out here: https://www.asbestos.com/exposure/home/

    The guide also offers asbestos safety do’s and don’ts, health advice for people who may have been exposed and in-depth information about asbestos. Would you consider adding it on your page along with your other home improvement resources?

    Let me know what you think,

    Carlos

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