Popcorn Ceilings (and Wallpaper): Enemy #1

The only thing left to de-popcorn at our new house is three closets and the high-ceilinged room next to the living room. I don't think I'll be able to tackle the high-ceiling room and I honestly don't care about those closets. I'm tired of that crap. I'm tired of removing it, getting it in my hair, mouth and eyes. However, if a friend needed help with the removal I would assist. It's actually not a difficult process. You just need the right tools and lots of time set aside. Each room I did took a minimum of two hours, minimum, even the small bathrooms. We didn't have any furniture to move or cover but you still want to cover your floors and anything you don't want plastered with popcorn droppings (fuse box, cabinets, sinks, fireplace, etc.). Covering takes longer than you think depending on what you use to cover everything.

I do have to tell you, no matter how well you cover everything you will still have a horrific mess that will need to be swept, vacuumed and washed off. This goes for your body as well. Some days I wore shoes and socks and a hazmat suit that covered my feet and I still had a fine white powder all over my toes. When the hazmat suit bit the dust (pun intended) I just had shoes and socks to protect me.

After you cover everything you need to soak the ceiling. I used my father-in-law's garden sprayer which was great but a little temperamental. Then you wait at least fifteen minutes and then start scrapping. My folks also bought me some great equipment: a 10-inch scrapper, work bench, and stool. Jeff got me a helmet visor.

For the wallpaper removal we rented a steamer for $25. Best $25 we've ever spent.

I also think the previous owners used quality wallpaper that was applied properly. This stuff came off in thick sheets, hardly any tearing and nothing was left on the wall that we couldn't just peel off with our fingers.

The scrapper was there if we needed but it was never needed. There was a small section of wallpaper in the half-bath that was really old and cheap and took lots of steam and lots of scrapping. If the master bath was full of that stuff I might have had to kill someone. One thing I can say is I lost a little weight during this process. It was all water weight but I'll take any victory I can at this point. We don't have the air running which makes it pretty miserable over there. Add being stuck in a small room with a hot steamer into the mix and you've got sweat rivulets all over.  When I carried this pile of wallpaper to the trash it felt like I was holding a trophy.

I hated doing both popcorn and wallpaper removal but I think we saved ourselves some money (God, I hope so), I burned some calories, and I can take pride in my efforts. I've never removed popcorn or wallpaper before so I'm also learning new things. This house will be nothing but new experiences and learning new skills. I cannot wait to move in, it is literally killing me.