Drywall Over a Popcorn Ceiling

Covering a popcorn ceiling instead of scraping it

A popcorn ceiling can be covered with thin drywall instead of scraped: the drywall is screwed through the old ceiling into the joists, then taped, finished and painted, and the result looks like a new smooth ceiling. It is another way to get a flat ceiling when the texture is painted, very heavy or simply a mess to scrape.

Safe Choice Painting covers popcorn ceilings as part of our popcorn ceiling removal service, and we help you decide which route fits each room.

How drywall goes over a popcorn ceiling

1. Assess. We assess the ceiling first. We check how flat and sound it is, where the joists run, and whether lights, vents or attic access need to move with the new surface.
2. Clear the ceiling. Light fixtures, fans, vents and smoke detectors come down, and crown molding is removed if there is any.
3. Mark the framing. Joist lines are found and marked so every screw lands in wood.
4. Hang the board. Thin sheets are lifted into place and screwed through the old ceiling into the joists. Construction adhesive may be added, but the screws do the holding.
5. Extend the boxes. Electrical boxes are brought flush with the new surface so fixtures sit tight.
6. Tape and finish. Seams are taped and finished, then primed.
7. Paint. Flat ceiling paint goes on, and fixtures and trim go back up.

Which drywall thickness is used?

Thin board, so the ceiling stays light and the height barely changes. Gold Bond lists its 1/4 inch board for use over existing walls and its 3/8 inch board for use over existing gypsum board. We choose based on joist spacing and how flat the old ceiling is.

The Gypsum Association's guidance, summarized in Walls & Ceilings magazine, sets the limits. Thin board goes only over a surface that is sound, flat and free of voids. Fasteners have to reach the framing behind the old ceiling, and adhesive can help but is never the only attachment. If more than half of the old surface is damaged, the guidance is to take it down and start over on the framing instead of covering it.

When covering beats scraping

• Painted popcorn. Paint keeps water from soaking in and softening the texture, so scraping is slow and rough. Our page on painted popcorn ceiling removal explains the scraping route.
• Very heavy texture. Thick, layered popcorn can take hours per room to scrape and leave a lot of drywall repair behind.
• Rooms you want back fast. Covering skips the wet scraping and the cleanup that comes with it.

When covering is not a good fit

• Sagging or water-damaged ceilings. Thin board will follow the sag. The old ceiling needs repair or removal first.
• Badly cracked or loose drywall. Over half damaged means removal, per the Gypsum Association guidance above.
• Rooms with low headroom or tight trim. The change is small, but door casings and crown need to be planned for.

If covering is not right, scraping and drywall repair after removal or a smooth ceiling skim coat are the other routes.

Covering does not settle the asbestos question

Covering leaves the old texture in place above the new board. It does not test it, remove it or change what it is made of. Screwing through it and cutting box openings still disturbs small areas. The EPA advises leaving suspect material undisturbed until it is tested, so a test before the work is the safe order. Our guide to popcorn ceiling asbestos testing explains how testing works. Many older homes in our area are candidates: in Ardmore about 63 percent of housing was built before 1980, by Census estimates. See popcorn ceiling removal in Ardmore.

Painting over popcorn instead

Painting over popcorn is a third option, and it is the cheapest in the short run. It also makes later removal harder. Our answer on whether you can paint over a popcorn ceiling covers that choice. For what each route costs, see our popcorn ceiling removal cost guide.

One room at a time

Covering one room at a time keeps the rest of the house usable while the work is done.

Nearby

• Popcorn ceiling removal
• Painted popcorn ceiling removal
• Popcorn ceiling removal in Ardmore, OK