Popcorn Ceiling Removal in Ottawa
Contained wet scrape, two-coat skim, prime and finish — the single biggest visual change you can make to a 1970s to 1990s Ottawa house.
Paint Experts provides professional popcorn ceiling removal throughout Ottawa, Ontario. The work itself is not complicated; what separates a good result from a bad one is containment before it starts and how flat the ceiling is left before any paint goes on, because a ceiling is the one surface in a house that gets lit across its face rather than straight on.
Asbestos testing on pre-1990 homes comes first
Textured ceiling compound applied before the 1990s may contain asbestos, and disturbing it without knowing is not a risk worth taking for a cosmetic upgrade. We refer you to an accredited lab for a sample test before any work is scheduled, and we do not begin until the result is in. If the result is positive we stop and refer you to a licensed abatement contractor — we do not remove confirmed asbestos.
Containment, HVAC sealing and floor protection
The room is sealed with plastic wall to wall and floor to ceiling before a scraper touches anything, supply and return vents are taped shut so nothing travels into the ductwork and reappears in a bedroom two floors away, and the floor is covered with a layer that can be rolled up and carried out with the debris inside it. The point of containment is that the rest of the house never knows the work happened.
Wet scraping and why it beats dry
Texture is misted with water and left to soften, then scraped in sheets that fall wet rather than as airborne dust. Dry scraping is faster for about ten minutes and then you are cleaning a house instead of finishing a ceiling. Wet scraping also protects the paper face of the drywall underneath, which matters because a torn paper face has to be sealed before skimming or it will bubble under the compound.
Questions about your project? Talk to us directly.
(613) 801-7316Two-coat skim and the flatness standard
Scraping alone leaves a ceiling that is clean but not flat — there are trowel ridges from the original application, taped seams that were never finished to a smooth standard because texture was going to hide them, and fastener heads. We skim the full ceiling twice, sand between coats, then check it under a raking light held flat to the surface. Anything that shows under a raking light will show under a pot light, so that is the standard we work to.
Priming, painting and pot light cutouts
Fresh compound and old ceiling paint absorb differently, so the whole ceiling gets a primer coat before finish, otherwise the skimmed areas flash through as dull patches. Two coats of flat ceiling paint follow. If you are adding pot lights, do the electrical rough-in after the scrape and before the skim, so the cutouts get finished into the new surface rather than cut through it afterwards.
- Accredited lab referral for asbestos testing on pre-1990 homes
- Full plastic containment with HVAC vents sealed
- Wet scrape to protect the drywall paper face
- Two-coat skim, sanded, checked under raking light
- Primer coat before finish so skim does not flash
- Crack and water stain repair included in the scope
Common questions
How much does popcorn ceiling removal cost in Ottawa?
Typically $3.50 to $6.00 per square foot for removal, skim, prime and paint. A 200 square foot room runs about $700 to $1,200, and a whole main floor is usually $4,000 to $8,000.
Do I need an asbestos test?
If the house was built before 1990, yes. A lab test runs $50 to $100 and we refer you to an accredited lab. We do not disturb the ceiling until the result is in, and we do not remove confirmed asbestos ourselves.
How much dust does this make?
Far less than people expect. Wet scraping drops the texture in wet sheets rather than as airborne dust, and the room is sealed with the HVAC taped off, so the rest of the house stays clean.
Can you do one room at a time?
Yes, and most clients do. Each room is contained separately, so you can spread the work over several visits without living in a construction site.
Get your ceilings quoted
Tell us the rooms and the approximate square footage, and whether the house predates 1990. We will send a written quote.