Popcorn ceilings had a moment. Around here, that moment has passed. If you’re staring at a bumpy, dust-catching surface in Salt Lake, Davis, or Utah County, you’re not alone—and you’re not stuck with it. A smooth, bright ceiling lifts a room in a way new lamps can’t. It’s quieter, cleaner, and, yes, it makes paint look better. You know what? It also makes your home easier to sell.
Why remove popcorn at all?
Popcorn texture traps dust and shadows; it also dates a space on sight. Beyond looks, the material can hide hairline cracks or sloppy seams. When we remove it, we correct what’s underneath—so your ceiling doesn’t just look smooth, it actually is smooth. That matters the next time you flip a light on or film a quick video in your living room.
Safety first—testing, containment, and clean air
Older textures (especially pre-1990 installs) might contain asbestos. That doesn’t mean you panic; it means you test before disturbing anything. We arrange third-party lab testing when needed and won’t touch a ceiling until the results are in. If it’s clear, great—we proceed. If not, we recommend compliant abatement paths. No shortcuts.
Once we’re a go, we build a clean zone:
- Poly sheeting from floor to ceiling (ZipWall systems), sealed edges
- Negative-air filtration with HEPA machines to keep dust flowing one way—out
- Floor protection that doesn’t shift while we work
It’s simple, quiet, and—honestly—kind of satisfying to watch come down the right way.
Our removal process, start to finish
Here’s the thing: popcorn isn’t tough when you use the correct sequence.
Moisten and lift. We lightly mist the texture—never drench—so the binder loosens without soaking the gypsum board. Then we scrape with wide knives at low angles. No gouging.
Surface evaluation. Scrape done, we flag seams, popped fasteners, and tape issues. If you’ve got a wave in a hallway or a sag around a can light, this is where it shows. Better now than after paint.
Repair and skim. We countersink fasteners, retape as needed, then skim with a lightweight compound (think USG Plus 3 for broad passes, Sheetrock Dust Control for tight rooms). Between coats, we use vacuum-attached sanding (Festool/HEPA setups) so dust doesn’t win.
Prime and finish. A high-build primer bonds and reveals pinholes. We spot-skim again if anything telegraphs through—because once the finish coat hits, flaws get loud. Final coats go on smooth using airless sprayers with the right tips, or roller if the space calls for it.
Texture match or true smooth? Your call—with context
Smooth ceilings look modern and bounce light beautifully. Still, some rooms benefit from a subtle texture to camouflage framing telegraph or older drywall seams. We’ll tell you straight: a light, uniform orange peel can save you money in a basement with uneven spans, while a dead-flat smooth finish is the showpiece for a main-level great room. Mild contradiction? Maybe. But both can be “right” depending on what the ceiling is hiding and how the light hits it at 4 p.m. in winter.
Timelines you can actually plan around
Most single-level projects (living room, kitchen, hallway cluster) wrap in 1–2 days once testing is cleared. Whole-home main floors run 2–4 days depending on square footage and repair needs. Dry times are real; we don’t force heat or rush compound beyond what the material allows. Faster isn’t better if it causes shrinkage lines next month.
What it costs—and why the range is honest
Pricing depends on:
- Square footage and ceiling height (vaults take more staging)
- Repairs hiding under texture (seams, fasteners, previous patches)
- Finish level (true smooth vs. light texture)
- Access (occupied home vs. empty home, tight stairwells, built-ins)
Could we quote a single number here? Sure. Would it be real? Not really. We’d rather look once, price once, and be done—no “change order” dance. A quick walkthrough (or clear photos with measurements) is usually enough for a firm estimate.
What you handle vs. what we handle
You move small items, cover what matters, and tell us about alarms or pets. We protect floors, set containment, and handle the mess—bagged, sealed, hauled. Curious about paint brand? We lean on top-tier lines that level well and don’t flash under raking light.
Homes in Salt Lake, Davis, and Utah Counties need local know-how
Utah light is sharp. High altitude and big windows mean ceilings show everything—roller lap marks, missed seams, the faintest ripple across a joist. We plan around that. North-facing rooms get a different look than south-facing rooms at noon. And if you’ve got can lights, return vents, or a linear diffuser: we feather repairs past those edges so you don’t see a halo.
Repairs bundled in—because popcorn hid more than you think
Popcorn often masked nail pops, tape blisters, and stress cracks at wall-ceiling corners. We take care of those while we’re there: retape with paper at inside corners for strength, add screws where framing missed, and float transitions so crown or no crown, the line reads straight. Mild repetition here on purpose: the finish is only as good as the surface.
Prefer a cover-up? We’ll tell you when that makes sense
Sometimes skim + smooth is perfect. Sometimes ⅜-inch drywall over the old lid is smarter—especially on ceilings with heavy patch history or failing tape over wide spans. We can sheet, finish, and paint so it looks like the popcorn never existed. Is that overkill for a small bedroom? Usually. For a tired basement with bad seams every four feet? Worth it.
Painting that doesn’t betray the prep
A ceiling finish falls apart at the paint stage if the wrong nap or sheen shows up. We prime with high-build, then finish with a true flat that hides light bounce—no cheap vinyl flat that chalks in a year. Cut lines at the wall are crisp; if the wall color is staying, we tape and shield to avoid touch-ups.
Tiny but important: fixtures and smoke alarms
We drop or mask fan canopies, undo trim rings on recessed lights, and protect detector sensors so overspray never fouls them. Once finish coats cure, everything goes back tightened and clean. It’s the difference between “done” and done.
Straight answers, straight results
Could you scrape popcorn yourself? Sure. People do. Then they run into uneven compound, dust in every outlet, and flashing after paint. We’re not saying you can’t; we’re saying you don’t have to. Bring in a team that’s already made the mistakes—somewhere else, a long time ago.
Ready when you are—let’s schedule it
By Phone: 801-406-6350
By Form: https://drywallrepairutah.com/request-estimate/#free