Fluffy Popcorn

Q: What is the best way to get the popcorn texture off the ceiling? The guestroom bath ceiling has water stains. I need to paint it with Kilz? - J

A: Really, there are a couple methods to remove popcorn ceiling texture.The method you choose will depend on what you want for a finished product and if the ceiling has been painted or not. 

IF you want to have a little texture left, and just want to remove most of the popcorn to make painting easier, scrapingit with a putty knife or a more rigid floor scrape will do the trick. You will want to do this and try to leave some of the texture on the ceiling. 


If you are wanting to remove all texture (and the ceiling as not been painted) you will want to wet the texture first. If you lightly spray the ceiling with water and let it sit for about five minutes. It should scrape off relatively easily with a putty knife or floor scraper. Be careful not to use too much water though, because it can soften the paper on the drywall and make it easier to gouge. If the ceiling has been painted, you will need to dry scrape it first before spraying it with water and scraping. The paint seals the texture and will not allow the moisture to soak in. 


With both methods, be careful to keep the scraper flat against the ceiling to prevent digging in or gouging. You may need to fill any imperfections with spackle or drywall joint compound. 


Hope it helps!


-Stephen

Nice and Shiny

Q: Brasso does not clean my outdoor brass. Any Suggestions?

A: Another good brass polish is Wright's Bass Polish. You may also see this as Brass Cream. An 8oz bottle can be found for less than $10 and I have seen good results from it.

If that doesn't work, or if you want something more natural, you can try a homemade brass polish that is not harsh but does a good job of removing any tarnish or discoloration.

• Dissolve 1 tsp salt in 1 cup of vinegar
• Add flour until it becomes a paste
• Rub paste onto the brass then let sit for 10 minutes
• Rinse or wipe off with wet cloth then wipe dry

If the brass has a lacquer coating, it cannot be polished due to this coating. You can remove the lacquer finish with fingernail polish remover, then try a polishing compound.




Hope that helps!
-Stephen