Buying a first home usually means taking on a few projects, and one couple already has a busy renovation schedule. They’re painting almost every room, replacing the bathroom flooring, and repainting the kitchen cabinets. Somewhere along the way, they started questioning a feature they barely noticed when they bought the house: the popcorn ceilings.
The house was built in the mid-1980s, and the textured ceilings are still there. The couple originally had no strong feelings about them, but now they’re wondering whether to remove the texture or cover it while the house is still empty.
With so many other updates already underway, they aren’t sure another renovation is worth the time, money, and stress. In a recent Reddit post, the homeowner asked whether popcorn ceilings are really as bad as people say or whether homeowners have simply come to expect to dislike them.
They Don’t Hate the Ceilings, but They’re Thinking About the Future
The homeowner explained that popcorn ceilings wouldn’t be their first choice in a new house, but they don’t find the ones in their current home particularly bothersome. They’re concerned future buyers might see them as a reason to pass on the property.
The timing is another issue. Since the house has very little furniture, removing the texture now could save them from moving everything around later. Still, the couple is already feeling the strain of having several renovation jobs going at once.
They wanted to hear from homeowners who had removed popcorn ceilings and find out whether the work was as frustrating as it sounded.
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Some Homeowners Said They’ve Learned to Live With Theirs
Several commenters said they felt much like the couple. They weren’t especially fond of popcorn ceilings, but they didn’t dislike them enough to spend money getting rid of them.
One homeowner with a house built in 1985 had scraped the texture off a small bathroom ceiling. The scraping itself wasn’t too difficult, but repairing and finishing the drywall underneath took far more work than expected, so they painted the remaining ceilings white and left them alone.
Another person said they repaint their popcorn ceilings about once every decade instead of removing them. Other homeowners pointed out that the texture can hide small imperfections, while a few said they actually enjoy the look.
Their comments made a fair point: just because something looks dated doesn’t mean it needs to be the next project on the renovation list. If the ceilings don’t bother the people living there, spending money to change them may not be worthwhile.
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Others Said an Empty House Makes This the Time to Decide
Some commenters felt the couple should address the ceilings now if they were already considering removing them. Working in an empty house could save them from clearing furniture out of each room and covering belongings later.
One homeowner recalled moving furniture from room to room while workers handled the ceilings. They also had to stay elsewhere with their dogs for several days while the work was done, though they were happy with the result.
Other commenters focused on how the ceilings affect a room’s appearance. They felt popcorn texture could make an otherwise updated space look older, even with fresh paint and new lighting. A few also mentioned that the surface collects dust and can be harder to clean than a smooth ceiling.
For the couple, those opinions raised another question: would they wish they’d removed the texture once the rest of the house was finished?
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Removing the Texture May Be Only Part of the Work
Homeowners who had removed popcorn ceilings warned that scraping off the texture doesn’t always leave a smooth, finished surface. Depending on the condition of the drywall underneath, the ceiling may need repairs, additional smoothing, and fresh paint before the job is complete.
The couple also needs to check a safety issue before starting. Since the house was built in the mid-1980s, they shouldn’t assume the ceiling material is asbestos-free just because of its age. Having a qualified professional test or assess the material before disturbing it is a sensible first step.
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They May Not Need Another Project Right Now
The couple could finish the renovations already on their list and see how the ceilings look once the walls, floors, and cabinets have been updated. If the texture still bothers them, they can get estimates to remove it or cover it.
If they decide to do the work before moving in, a professional assessment and cost estimate can help them decide whether the convenience of an empty house is worth the added expense.
The Reddit discussion didn’t reveal what the couple eventually decided. Their situation does raise a familiar problem with home renovations, though: once you start updating one part of a house, it’s easy to question features you were perfectly happy with before.
Would you remove popcorn ceilings while the house is empty, or leave them alone if they weren’t bothering you in the first place?
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