Popcorn textured ceiling?

[iroast]

My townhouse was built in 1985 and the popcorn texture was added by one of the previous owners. I would like to wet it and scrape it off this weekend. What are the chances of it containing asbestos?

Thanks!

 

[xochi]

Not much at all.

Edit: the popcorn is just cellulose sp?

 

[Injury]

.0000000001%, just because there are only a few people in the world that would be that stupid as to put asbestos on the outside of drywall after 1985.

 

[MiniDoom]

possibly. just wear a mask, wet it and scrape it off.
edit - looks like for the most part it wasn't used after 1980 for ceilings. you should be ok.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Does it really matter? If it has asbestos you're already f***ed.

Just scrape it off and make a milkshake out of the shavings. If you consume enough asbestos it negates and reverses any ill effects you might get from a small exposure.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

1985 is late enough that it's as dangerous as shredded newspaper and drywall.

 

[sdifox]

wearing protective gear is a good idea anyway. The dust is not healthy, asbestos or not.

 

[iroast]

Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
Does it really matter? If it has asbestos you're already f***ed.

Just scrape it off and make a milkshake out of the shavings. If you consume enough asbestos it negates and reverses any ill effects you might get from a small exposure.

Good idea!

 

[Carbo]

Popcorn ceilings for the loss! I have 'em, and I hate 'em.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Carbo
Popcorn ceilings for the loss! I have 'em, and I hate 'em.

yeap i hate them. never understood why they put them in.

 

[dullard]

Forget about asbestos, it shouldn't be a problem for you. Asbestos wasn't used in popcorn much past the early 80s (production of it stopped in 1978 but they could still use their leftover stock). Not that asbestos is much of a problem for anyone (it doesn't harm you any more than any other inhaled dust particle), but that is a topic another thread.

Originally posted by: waggy
yeap i hate them. never understood why they put them in.

I personally like the look (and many people did, but now it is out of fashion, it will likely be very popular again in a few decades as fads come and go).

It helps minimize noise distractions and echos.

It hides surface imperfections (cracks, bumps, divits, etc) which are very noticible without the popcorn.

It is a piece of cake to repair if damaged (unlike most other textures which are hard to replicate to match the rest of the house).

About the only drawback is that popcorn is hard to paint, not that many people paint their ceilings.

 

[skrilla]

Originally posted by: dullard

I personally like the look (and many people did, but now it is out of fashion, it will likely be very popular again in a few decades as fads come and go).

It helps minimize noise distractions and echos.

It hides surface imperfections (cracks, bumps, divits, etc) which are very noticible without the popcorn.

I thought I was the only one that still liked the look... for the same reasons. I hate a smooth ceiling where you can point out the bumps and cracks, which seems like every ceiling without the popcorn texture.

 

[ICRS]

Is popcorn textured the same as knockdown textured ceiling?

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: ICRS
Is popcorn textured the same as knockdown textured ceiling?

no

 

[uhohs]

popcorn love

 

[Alyx]

Originally posted by: dullard
Forget about asbestos, it shouldn't be a problem for you. Asbestos wasn't used in popcorn much past the early 80s (production of it stopped in 1978 but they could still use their leftover stock). Not that asbestos is much of a problem for anyone (it doesn't harm you any more than any other inhaled dust particle), but that is a topic another thread.

Originally posted by: waggy
yeap i hate them. never understood why they put them in.

I personally like the look (and many people did, but now it is out of fashion, it will likely be very popular again in a few decades as fads come and go).

It helps minimize noise distractions and echos.

It hides surface imperfections (cracks, bumps, divits, etc) which are very noticible without the popcorn.

It is a piece of cake to repair if damaged (unlike most other textures which are hard to replicate to match the rest of the house).

About the only drawback is that popcorn is hard to paint, not that many people paint their ceilings.

Should make thus mentioned thread. I'm curious now.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Alyx
Should make thus mentioned thread. I'm curious now.

Fine particulates in the air are known to cause health problems, especially over long periods of exposure. Asbestos is one of them. However, asbsetos is not the only one. In fact, there is little to no scientific evidence that asbestos is any worse than the rest. They all have a low but signficiant level of risk. Asbestos just got the bad reputation, when it really didn't deserve it.

It is like having teams of lawyers, doctors, and politicians making all kinds of laws about tigers roaming inside buildings (because they could eat you) but then completely ignoring a group of school children playing with a pack of lions. It isn't the tigers that are what you need to be worried about; you need to worry about ALL big cats. It isn't asbestos that you need to be worried about, it is breathing in any fine particulate. Note: this analogy isn't perfect since the risk of getting injured from a fine particulate is far less than that of playing with a big cat.

Just wet it down (less dust in the air), wear a mask (so you don't breathe in asbestos or any other fine particulate), and if your location has anti-asbestos laws then follow thier regulations when disposing of it. For example, in my home town, the only regulation is that you have to tell the dump that it has asbestos so that they can put it in the asbestos side of the landfill.

 

[Stifko]

I have to get rid of some asbestos in my basement. it is wrapped around pipes as insulation. I will wet it down and maybe mist the air around it while I remove it.

 

[iroast]

Thanks all.

I'm getting rid of the popcorn texture in order to make the ceilings consistent (Kitchen ceiling is smooth and glossy). Another reason is because of water stains. Once the texture has been removed, I will sand, prime and then paint the ceiling.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Alyx
Should make thus mentioned thread. I'm curious now.

Fine particulates in the air are known to cause health problems, especially over long periods of exposure. Asbestos is one of them. However, asbsetos is not the only one. In fact, there is little to no scientific evidence that asbestos is any worse than the rest. They all have a low but signficiant level of risk. Asbestos just got the bad reputation, when it really didn't deserve it.

It is like having teams of lawyers, doctors, and politicians making all kinds of laws about tigers roaming inside buildings (because they could eat you) but then completely ignoring a group of school children playing with a pack of lions. It isn't the tigers that are what you need to be worried about; you need to worry about ALL big cats. It isn't asbestos that you need to be worried about, it is breathing in any fine particulate. Note: this analogy isn't perfect since the risk of getting injured from a fine particulate is far less than that of playing with a big cat.

Just wet it down (less dust in the air), wear a mask (so you don't breathe in asbestos or any other fine particulate), and if your location has anti-asbestos laws then follow thier regulations when disposing of it. For example, in my home town, the only regulation is that you have to tell the dump that it has asbestos so that they can put it in the asbestos side of the landfill.

The difference being most fine particulate may cause inflammation, irritation, and respiratory distress, but asbestos causes asbestiosis (lung scarring) and mesothelioma (cancer).

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
The difference being most fine particulate may cause inflammation, irritation, and respiratory distress, but asbestos causes asbestiosis (lung scarring) and mesothelioma (cancer).

All can cause cancer at about the same low risk level.

 

[MaxDepth]

Every time I hear about or see popcorn ceiling, I think of the trailor fight scene in Raising Arizona. John Goodman is about to pound Hy and instead scrapes his knuckles across the popcorn. Sounds like someone strinking a match.