A Guide to Renovating Your Airbnb: Removing Popcorn Ceilings for a Fresh Look

Making your property look the most beautiful is one of your goals as an Airbnb host. A way of refreshing your space is to get rid of popcorn ceilings. These are those that were in vogue before.

Nowadays, they will not only fail to make your room look stylish but also will make it seem to be old. This guide will facilitate your comprehension of the procedure to remove popcorn ceilings in order to transform your Airbnb into a new place for international travelers.

What Are Popcorn Ceilings?

popcorn ceilings

Construction of the first popcorn ceilings, also called textured ceilings, began in 1930s and 1990s and they were in demand at that time. They were called popcorn because they were like popcorn. They were used by the builders as they were easy to install and could also camouflage defects in the ceiling.

Why Remove Popcorn Ceilings?

Several reasons require you to take drastic steps like eliminating the popcorn ceiling from your Airbnb:

  • They are liable to make the rooms look old and outmoded.
  • Dust and cobwebs accumulate on them, which makes them difficult to clean.
  • Versions of popcorn ceiling from earlier times might contain asbestos, which can be harmful to health.
  • The walls of the rooms will appear wider and brighter when they are smooth.

Before You Start

Renovating Your Airbnb Removing Popcorn Ceilings

Check for Asbestos

How crucial it is that even a common thing like your popcorn ceiling may contain asbestos; therefore you should always investigate such an possibility before you undertake any work. Asbestos was used in certain popcorn ceilings before 1978.

If your house was built before that year, you have to test the ceiling yourself at home. Get a test case from a store or hire a specialist. If they find that the ceiling bolus they remove is asbestos, only technicians can remove it. Even then it will be a legal case which should be handled by professionals.

Gather Your Tools

The implements needed to remove a popcorn ceiling are:

  • Plastic sheets
  • Painter’s tape
  • Spray bottle
  • Putty knife or scraper
  • Ladder
  • Safety goggles
  • Dust mask
  • Work gloves

Steps to Remove Popcorn Ceilings

If you are looking to learn about popcorn ceiling removal cost, you should know the basic steps that are involved to remove popcorn ceilings.

1. Prepare the Room

To begin, make the space ready for the project. Clear all the furniture out of the room. Use plastic tarps to cover the floor and walls of the room. The plastic should be secured with a painter’s tape. This will prevent any damage to your floors and walls from water or any debris that falls.

2. Spray the Ceiling

Use a spray bottle with warm water to fill it to the brim. Spray a small area (about 4 feet square) of the ceiling with water. Leave it for about fifteen minutes to absorb. This will facilitate the scraping of the popcorn texture because the water makes the bonding weaker.

3. Scrape the Ceiling

You need a putty knife or scraper to carefully get rid of the wet popcorn texture. Hold a pan or bucket under the scraper to collect the falling material. Be cautious not to damage the drywall beneath. On the other hand, spray more water to a dry part and wait for it to get damp again before trying to scrape it again.

4. Repair and Sand

After you have gotten rid of the complete texture, you may find some parts of the ceiling that need extra work. Use the jointing mixture to seal the holes and crannies. After it dries, dust the ceilings flat. The key to having a perfectly even and smooth ceiling is this step.

5. Prime and Paint

When a perfectly smooth ceiling is obtained, start with a primer. The paint still will spread properly with a base of it. After day the primer becomes dry, you are free to paint the ceiling. Light color can give a big and bright look to the room.

Alternative Options

Cover the Popcorn Ceiling

Maybe the impale ceiling seems way too difficult; so instead you have the following possibilities; overlay the ceiling with:

  • Drywall: This is a finishing option that is smooth but a bit of a heavy choice.
  • Ceiling tiles: These tiles are of many styles and are easily to install.
  • Wood planks: This is the style you can pick if you want your Airbnb to look warm and rustic.

Hire a Professional

If you feel you are unable to finish the project on your own, compromising the aesthetic quality of your home, you can hire a contractor to help you accomplish the task. They are the ones who have the right tools and the experience to get the job done fast and safe. This is probably more expensive, but it will not waste your time and you can still get a good result.

Benefits of Removing Popcorn Ceilings in Your Airbnb

Airbnb

Improved Appearance

Taking down popcorn ceilings can uplift your Airbnb which may now look modern and sanitized. Smoothening ceilings volte face the light which makes rooms look luminous and vast. Thus, the youthels and walls will now look thin and whitwashed.

Easier Cleaning

Feather smooth ceilings allow you to do more house cleaning than the regular ones. Simply cleaning them with a slightly wet mop gets rid of dust or cobwebs. This can be done when time between guests is short.

Better Air Quality

Popcorn ceilings hold dust and other air pollutants. However, getting rid of such pollutants will in effect herald the advent of cleaner air in your Airbnb. People with allergies or breathing problems will particularly find this beneficiary.

Increased Property Value

Transforming your ceiling can increase your property`s value. Selling the property will also be easier. You are more likely to sell the property off if you have ceilings like that.

Things to Consider

Time and Effort

The removal of popcorn ceilings can be a big project. It may take a certain number of days before it is completed. Specially if you are to do it yourself. Be sure there are a couple of days between the guests to finish the project.

Cost

Price should be calculated for each variant (of removing the popcorn ceilings) is different. If you do it by yourself, you will need to buy tools and materials. On the contrary, the price may be higher, but the effect will be better of course, if you hire a professional.

Disruption to Your Airbnb Business

Your property will be empty since you cannot rent it out while you are working on redesigning the ceilings. It is consequently reasonable to make a project plan when you have fewer bookings so that you will lose less income due to the construction work.

Conclusion

Removing popcorn ceiling is the way to have a modern Airbnb. Doing the work on your own could possibly be how the results will be as well as how much actual work is involved. To have a give, a more pleasant and a more well-liked place, you may add your touch of it by listing the best new surfaces that you would like to see re-plastered in your home or office.

If you want to sell your Airbnb in the future, a feature like a smooth ceiling can obviously persuade a potential buyer.

Please note – every upgrade in your home may result more happy guests and better reviews. You are showing your guests that you are dedicated to delivering an excellent experience to your guests by performing activities like this and others, e.g. removing popcorn ceilings. This increases the guest’s likelihood to book your place compared to the competition.


Ferona Jose

Ferona Jose is a passionate travel writer and blogger at Travelistia. She has traveled throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas. Her writing focuses on cheap travel destinations, travel experiences, cultural insights, and travel hacks.

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