Covering popcorn ceiling can be a good alternative to removing it, but it's important to consider your goals. One key benefit of covering up popcorn ceiling is that it's typically faster than removing it. You can also give your room a different feel by incorporating new materials like wood or tile when covering popcorn ceiling. However, if price is your primary concern, the cost to remove popcorn ceiling is often lower than the cost of covering it up.
It's also essential to remember that popcorn ceilings can contain asbestos, so removal isn't always a good option.
5 Options To Cover Popcorn Ceiling
- Wood
- Drywall
- Tile
- Fabric
- Paint
1. Wood
Wood is a classic choice for covering popcorn ceiling withot removing it. It’s widely available and comes in various types that can fit most people’s budget requirements. It’s also quite flexible in terms of appearance, allowing you to implement many different styles.
Unfortunately, wood also has some downsides. It’s more expensive to install as it requires professional work (unless you’re experienced with that yourself). It’s also a very specific look that not all people enjoy. Some people believe that wooden ceilings are a thing of the past and make a home look outdated.
2. Drywall
Drywall is the cheapest way to cover popcorn ceiling. Covering up popcorn ceiling with drywall is ideal as drywall is easy to install and affordable. It’s also a fairly neutral material that doesn’t look too different from a generic ceiling. You can customize drywall easily as it’s a good material for painting over.
The main downside of drywall is also mostly irrelevant when it’s used for a ceiling. The material is fragile and can be damaged easily, but that doesn’t matter much when it’s a few feet up in the air. Once you’ve put it up, you don’t have to take any special precautions to avoid damaging your ceiling.
3. Tile
Tiles are another material that requires a bit more work to install and doesn’t match everyone’s preferences. But if you like how it looks and can afford the installation work, it’s another excellent option. Tiles can be very durable and last for many years with practically no maintenance. They also come in a wide range of prices, including some very cheap options and premium, expensive tiles.
4. Fabric
Fabric is a somewhat unusual choice for covering a ceiling, but it can work well with some interior styles. If you have a suitable home, you should not exclude it as an option. Many people are skeptical about using fabric for this purpose, but that’s usually because they haven’t spent any time exploring the market and comparing different designs.
The truth is that fabric can look great on a ceiling and add an exquisite touch to your home’s appearance. Using fabric is also one of the easiest ways to cover popcorn ceiling. It is simple to install and doesn’t take a lot of experience. It’s something you can usually install on your own with some basic construction skills. There’s a huge variety of options on the fabric market, and you can always find something that matches your vision well enough.
5. Paint
Last but not least, while it technically won’t cover your popcorn ceilings, painting it can still make it less noticeable. It’s a great temporary solution if you’re planning to have the ceiling removed later. Keep in mind that the texture of the popcorn ceiling – which is often the primary negative factor for most people – will still be there even after it’s painted over.
Using the right color can make it far less obvious, though, especially if you play with your home’s lighting a bit in addition.
When Should You Cover Popcorn Ceiling Instead of Removing It?
If cost is important, it can often make sense to cover popcorn ceiling instead of removing it. Removing popcorn ceiling is a messy job that requires a lot of preparation. You’ll end up with a lot of cleaning work on your hands in the end. It can also be dangerous and expensive if your ceiling is old and contains asbestos. In this case, removing it requires specialized services that can cost significantly more.
In some cases, removal might still be the cheaper option, depending on specific factors like the condition of your ceiling, the materials you intend to use for covering it, and the size of your home.
Covering your popcorn ceiling is also an excellent temporary option if you plan to do major renovation work on the house soon. If you go with a cheap material, you can pay very little compared to what it would cost to remove the ceiling.
How Will Covering Popcorn Ceiling Affect My Home’s Value?
Removing popcorn ceiling usually improves the average home’s value, though there are various exceptions. However, covering it is a different story. How your home’s value will be affected by that depends on the type of covering you choose, how well it matches your home’s current decoration and the personal preferences of each potential buyer.
If you’re covering your popcorn ceiling in preparation for a sale, you might want to go with a more neutral material like drywall or tile. If you have a specific buyer already lined up and you know their preferences, this is a moot point. In that case, just go with whatever you know would work best for impressing them.
Can Popcorn Ceiling Be Removed After It’s Been Covered?
Covering popcorn ceiling will make it more difficult to remove later on. You will have to take down the cover before working on the ceiling. Some types of covers can be very difficult, or even almost impossible to remove without destroying them. This means that you will lose the money you invested into covering your ceiling, on top of having to pay for the removal afterward.
That’s why covering popcorn ceiling as a temporary solution should only be done with cheaper materials that you don’t mind destroying later. You should also try to minimize your budget as best as possible because every dollar you invest into this will end up getting destroyed later.
Covering Popcorn Ceiling FAQ
1. Is it cheaper to cover popcorn ceiling or remove it?
Covering popcorn ceiling is usually a cheaper option than removing it. This mainly depends on the material you choose to use for the cover and whether your ceiling contains asbestos. If you’re dealing with an older popcorn ceiling that was produced and installed before asbestos was banned, removing it can be significantly more expensive. It’s also not something you should ever attempt yourself.
2. Should I use professional services to cover my popcorn ceiling?
If you’re using high-end materials that you spent a lot of money on, you should get a professional on board to help you with the job. Otherwise, if you’re going with something simpler like fabric, you should look into some DIY guides and see if you can’t do it yourself.
3. What’s the best material for covering popcorn ceiling?
Drywall is your best material to cover popcorn ceiling if you want a cheap, neutral option. If you want to give your ceiling a more expensive look, consider wood or tile. Fabric is a very specific material that only works well with certain home decoration styles. Paint is only a reasonable option if you have plans to remove that ceiling at a later point and just want to improve its looks temporarily.
Covering Popcorn Ceiling Bottom Line
If you have popcorn ceiling and want to get rid of it, covering it is often the best option. If you cover popcorn ceiling, the job is typically cheaper and faster than removing and replacing popcorn ceiling. It's also simpler and safer to cover up popcorn ceiling yourself than to remove it, so its great if you want to go the DIY route.