TheDrywall Repair Co.
(503) 565-9255Free estimate

01 Popcorn ceilings

Popcorn ceilings, encapsulated and made smooth.

The Drywall Repair Co. does popcorn ceiling encapsulation across the Portland metro. We cover the old, bumpy texture with a smooth new surface instead of scraping it off. Before we start on an older ceiling, the texture gets tested for asbestos, because the test result decides who is allowed to do the work.

If you have been searching for popcorn ceiling removal, this page explains why we cover the ceiling instead, and what the asbestos rules in Oregon mean for your ceiling.

Popcorn ceiling texture meeting a new smooth, painted ceiling surface in low side light

02 Popcorn ceilings

Why we encapsulate instead of scrape

Most homeowners start by looking for someone to take the popcorn off. Scraping is messy, it means sanding and refinishing the whole ceiling afterward, and on an older ceiling it can release asbestos fibers into the house. Covering the ceiling avoids the scraping and the dust. We leave the old texture in place, overlay it with a smooth new surface, and finish it flat.

Asbestos changes who can do that work. Oregon DEQ counts encapsulating or covering asbestos-containing material as asbestos abatement, and abatement on popcorn texture has to be done by a DEQ-licensed asbestos abatement contractor. We are a drywall company, not an abatement contractor. So we encapsulate popcorn ceilings that test negative for asbestos. If a test comes back positive, we will tell you so and point you to a licensed abatement contractor.

03 Popcorn ceilings

Is my popcorn ceiling asbestos?

The only way to know is a lab test. You can't tell by looking. Age is the best clue: the EPA banned spray-applied asbestos ceiling materials in 1978, and Oregon OSHA tells workers to presume building materials installed before 1981 contain asbestos. Don't scrape off a sample yourself, because that disturbs the material.

Oregon DEQ also requires an asbestos survey before a contractor renovates a home built before January 1, 2004. Owner-occupants doing their own work inside their home are exempt, but that exemption does not cover a hired contractor. For an older ceiling, the order is a survey or lab test first, then the work.

The same ceiling made smooth and painted white
Living room ceiling covered in yellowed popcorn texture
What was wrong
The living room ceiling had old popcorn texture, yellowed with age.
What we did
The texture tested negative for asbestos. We skim-coated over it, sanded it flat, primed, and painted.
What you can’t see now
The popcorn. The ceiling is flat and smooth from wall to wall.

Drag the seam to compare.

Skim-coating over a popcorn ceiling from a stepladder, with plastic covering the floor
Skim-coating over a popcorn ceiling from a stepladder, with plastic covering the floor

04 Popcorn ceilings

How popcorn ceiling encapsulation works

Once the texture has tested negative, we cover the existing popcorn ceiling with a smooth new surface. Depending on the ceiling, that means an overlay of new board or a skim coat over the old texture, finished flat, then primed and painted. A smooth ceiling makes a room look brighter and more current than heavy popcorn texture. You no longer see the bumps, and the ceiling looks the way people picture it with the popcorn gone.

If your ceiling also has cracks, sagging, or water stains, those get fixed first, and our ceiling repair service handles them. Once the ceiling is smooth, we can also re-finish the ceiling texture to match the rest of the room.

05 Popcorn ceilings

What encapsulation costs

The cost of popcorn ceiling encapsulation depends on the ceiling's square footage, its condition, whether asbestos testing is part of the job, and the finish you want on the new surface. We do not publish flat rates. We also do not price against the removal costs you will find online, because scraping is a different job that we do not offer. Every ceiling gets a free written estimate. Send photos with your ZIP code and you will get a number back, usually within one business day.

06 Free estimate

Get your ceiling assessed

Send photos of the ceiling, one from directly below and one from across the room, with your ZIP code and the year the house was built, and get a written estimate within one business day. Prefer to talk it through? Call (503) 565-9255.

Get your ceiling assessed

The Drywall Repair Co. is Oregon CCB# 263361, bonded and insured, and every job is backed by our workmanship warranty. See encapsulated ceilings, before and after in our gallery.

07 Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is my popcorn ceiling asbestos, and how do I know?

The only way to know is a lab test. As a rule of thumb, treat popcorn texture installed before 1981 as possibly containing asbestos, which is what Oregon OSHA tells workers to presume. You can't tell by looking, and you should not scrape off a sample yourself, because that disturbs the material. Oregon DEQ requires an asbestos survey before a contractor renovates a home built before January 1, 2004, so for an older ceiling the test comes first. If it is negative, we can encapsulate it. If it is positive, the work goes to a DEQ-licensed asbestos abatement contractor.

Should I remove the popcorn ceiling or cover it over?

For most homes, covering it over is less mess than scraping. Scraping means wetting and scraping the whole ceiling, then retexturing or skim-coating it, and on an older ceiling it can release asbestos fibers. Popcorn ceiling encapsulation covers the texture with a smooth new surface instead. We only cover ceilings that have tested negative for asbestos, because Oregon treats covering asbestos-containing texture as abatement work that needs a DEQ-licensed contractor. We do not scrape popcorn ceilings.

Is it safe to scrape a popcorn ceiling myself?

Not on an older ceiling that has not been tested. Scraping releases fibers into the air in your home if the texture contains asbestos. Oregon DEQ allows owners to do some asbestos work in their own home, but it strongly recommends against it, and the waste has to be packaged and disposed of under its rules. Get the ceiling tested first. If it is negative, scraping or covering it are both options. If it is positive, hire a DEQ-licensed asbestos abatement contractor.

Can you make a popcorn ceiling look smooth and modern?

Yes, once the texture has tested negative for asbestos. Encapsulation covers the dated popcorn texture with a smooth new surface, which we then prime and paint to a clean, flat finish. The room looks up to date and the bumpy texture is gone from view. You get the smooth ceiling most people are picturing, done by covering the texture instead of scraping it off.

Related: ceiling repair · re-finish the ceiling texture · serving Hillsboro, Beaverton, and Lake Oswego.

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