Carroll Painting · Colorado Springs · Since 1988
Popcorn Ceiling Removal in Colorado Springs
A smooth, quiet ceiling, planned in the right order.
Popcorn texture dates a room, holds dust and makes repairs hard to hide. Removing it well is a sequence: settle the asbestos question first, protect the home, remove or cover the texture, repair the drywall beneath, then prime and paint. Since 1988, our family has worked in Colorado Springs homes with one standard passed from father to son: prepare it right, do it once, make it last.
Prefer to pick a time? Book an estimate.
A direct answer for Colorado Springs homeowners
Is it safe to remove a popcorn ceiling?
It can be, once you know what the texture contains. Popcorn ceilings textured before the 1980s can contain asbestos, so a sample should be tested by an accredited laboratory before anyone scrapes, sands or wets it. In Colorado, state rules require a Colorado-certified asbestos building inspector to sample suspect material before work that disturbs more than 32 square feet in a single-family home, and most ceilings are larger than that. If the result is negative, the ceiling can be removed, repaired and repainted. If asbestos is found, removal is work for a Colorado-certified abatement contractor.
Carroll Painting does not test for or remove asbestos. Our work begins once the testing question is settled. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment explains the state’s asbestos rules for homeowners and contractors.
A family standard since 1988
The safe choice for a ceiling you only want to do once.
Carroll Painting is a fifth-generation, family-owned company, from Peter I to Peter V. In the late 1800s, Peter Carroll came from Ireland through Savannah, Georgia. In the World War II era the family worked in the Georgia shipyards, painting, welding and repairing ships. The craft then traveled north to New York and New Jersey and south to Florida, where the family learned stucco. In 1988 those roots were planted in Colorado Springs, and the standard came with them.
A ceiling shows exactly how a painter works: whether the steps happen in the right order, whether your home is protected and whether the drywall beneath is repaired honestly before paint goes on. That is why so many of our clients start with one room and call us again for the next. Read more of our family story.
“We have jobs that went over twenty years and didn’t even need to be redone.”
- Family-owned and rooted in Colorado Springs since 1988
- Five generations of the Carroll painting tradition, Peter I to Peter V
- A crew member who has worked alongside our family since 1998
- A clear written estimate that names each room and each step
- Read what neighbors say in our real stories
How we remove a popcorn ceiling
These steps begin after testing shows the texture can be handled as ordinary work.
Protection first
Furniture is moved out or covered, floors and walls are covered, and vents and doorways are closed off so texture and dust stay in the room being worked on.
Softening and removal
Unpainted texture is usually misted and scraped while damp, which keeps dust down. Texture that has been painted does not soften the same way, so it takes more care and more time.
Drywall repair
Removal often reveals tape seams, gouges and nail pops that the texture was hiding. These are repaired before any finish goes on. Our drywall repair page explains how we plan that work.
Smooth or a lighter texture
Drywall under popcorn was often never finished to be seen. A skim coat brings it to a smooth ceiling, or a lighter texture can be applied instead. We talk through how each will look in your light, and how it will meet the walls.
Primer and ceiling paint
New compound is primed so the finish dries evenly, then the ceiling is painted. If the walls need attention afterward, we can plan that as interior painting in the same project.
Cleanup and handback
Debris is bagged and removed, protection comes down and the room is cleaned before furniture goes back. You get the room back ready to live in.
Two honest paths
Scrape or cover your popcorn ceiling?
Scrape and refinish
Removing the texture and finishing the drywall gives the cleanest, most current result and makes future repairs easier to blend. It is the most involved path, because protection, drywall repair, skim coating and painting all happen in sequence.
Cover or leave in place
Some ceilings are better left in place and painted, or covered with a new surface. Painting over popcorn refreshes the color but keeps the texture, and it makes later removal harder because painted texture no longer softens with water. If testing finds asbestos, decisions about leaving or covering the ceiling belong with a certified abatement contractor first.
The right path depends on the test result, whether the texture has been painted, the condition of the drywall and the finish you want to live with. We are happy to lay the options side by side for each room.
Room by room
What shapes the cost and the timeline
What drives cost
- The number of rooms, their size and ceiling height, including stairwells and vaulted areas
- Whether the texture has been painted
- The condition of the drywall beneath and the repairs it needs
- A smooth skim coat or a lighter new texture
- Primer, ceiling paint and any wall painting you add
- Furniture, protection and how much of the home stays in use
What drives time
- Laboratory turnaround for the asbestos test
- If asbestos is found, the abatement contractor’s schedule and the state’s notification period before regulated removal
- How many rooms are done together, and whether they need to stay usable
- Drying time between coats of compound, primer and paint
- The extent of drywall repair once the texture is off
A written estimate names each room and each step, so you can see where the cost and the days come from. Our estimate guide explains how to compare proposals on the same scope.
Popcorn ceiling questions
How much does popcorn ceiling removal cost in Colorado Springs?
It depends on the rooms, their size and ceiling height, whether the texture has been painted, the drywall repairs needed underneath, and whether you want a smooth finish or a lighter texture. Asbestos testing and any abatement are separate costs from independent professionals. A free estimate gives you a written number for your own rooms rather than a generic price per square foot.
Does my popcorn ceiling contain asbestos?
You cannot tell by looking. Ceilings textured before the 1980s can contain asbestos, and a ceiling of unknown age deserves the same caution. Have a sample analyzed by an accredited laboratory before any scraping. In Colorado, work that disturbs more than 32 square feet of suspect material in a single-family home requires sampling by a Colorado-certified asbestos building inspector first.
Does Carroll Painting test for or remove asbestos?
No. Testing is done by Colorado-certified asbestos professionals and an accredited laboratory, and regulated removal is done by a Colorado-certified abatement contractor. Our work begins once the result shows the texture can be removed as ordinary work.
How long does popcorn ceiling removal take?
It depends on the number and size of the rooms, whether the texture is painted, how much drywall repair appears once it is off, and drying time between coats of compound, primer and paint. Test turnaround and, if needed, abatement scheduling come first. Your estimate sets out the sequence for your home.
How messy is popcorn ceiling removal?
Damp scraping is messy work, which is why protection matters as much as removal. Furniture is moved out or covered, floors and walls are covered, vents and doorways are closed off, and the room is cleaned before it is handed back.
Should I scrape or cover my popcorn ceiling?
Start with the test result. If the texture is clear, scraping and refinishing gives the cleanest result. Covering or painting can suit some rooms, but painted texture is harder to remove later. If asbestos is found, talk with a certified abatement contractor before deciding.
Can you paint over a popcorn ceiling?
Often, yes, once testing is settled. Heavy texture absorbs paint and can loosen under a roller, so it takes a gentle approach. Keep in mind that a painted popcorn ceiling is harder to remove if you change your mind later.
Will the ceiling be completely smooth afterward?
A skim coat can bring the ceiling to a smooth finish, but drywall under popcorn was often never finished to be seen, so the level of finish is worth agreeing on in advance. Raking window light shows more than overhead light. Our page on texture matching explains how light and sheen affect what you see.
Family-owned. Serving the Springs since 1988.
One ceiling, done once and done right.
Tell us which rooms you have in mind, when the texture was applied and whether it has been tested. The same family that built this name will help you see the order of steps, the finish options and what to plan around at home. Happy to talk it through.
Or call (719) 491-8257
