How to Paint Popcorn Ceilings With Less Mess in 7 Steps

Popcorn textured ceilings were popular from the 1940s through the 1990s, but few modern homes contain the feature. One way to refresh the look of a ceiling with popcorn texture is to paint it.

Another option is to remove the popcorn texture. This is far more expensive than painting the popcorn ceiling, as it may cost between $900 and $3,000. If you have a home built before 1980, you may need to test your ceiling for asbestos before painting a popcorn ceiling.

If this describes your home, don’t panic! Don’t disturb the popcorn texture yourself. Call an asbestos testing contractor near you to determine if the popcorn texture contains the potential dangerous material. If so, you’ll need the contractor to remove the texture safely. If not, go ahead and prepare to start painting.

Before starting to paint, move all the furniture out of the room and cover the floor with a drop cloth. Use painter’s tape on the walls where they meet the ceiling or trim. You should also apply painter’s tape around ceiling fixtures or cover them in plastic.

Paint can splatter while you’re working on the ceiling. Some people choose to tape plastic sheets or drop cloths over the walls to guard against paint splatter. Wear safety glasses when painting a ceiling to guard your eyes against splatter as you look upward.

We recommend using a duster on the ceiling before painting, as the popcorn texture can collect dust over time. Don’t apply too much pressure when dusting, or you could dislodge the popcorn texture.

Instead of dusting, you could use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment on the hose. Again, be gentle, or the popcorn texture may flake away. If your ceiling has any cracks or holes, repair these with spackling paste.

If the ceiling has water stains, make sure you fix any leaks causing the staining. You may want to apply a special stain-blocking primer paint in these areas to cover the stains before applying your ceiling paint.

Use a paintbrush along the edges where the ceiling meets the walls. Using a brush on these edges, called doing a “cut in,” allows you to be more precise with the paint versus using a roller. When it’s time to use the paint roller, the paint applied during the cut-in allows you to keep the roller a couple of inches away from the walls, reducing the chances of errors.

Use an interior acrylic-latex paint for the popcorn ceiling. A matte or flat paint finish is best on a ceiling to reduce glare. Because of the popcorn texture, we recommend using a roller with a nap of 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch.

When it’s time to paint the ceiling, you have three options:

• Apply an extension pole to your roller and stand on the floor

• Climb a ladder and use a short handle on the roller

• Use a paint sprayer, which is challenging for a novice to do indoors without making a big mess

Precisely controlling the roller on the extension pole can be tough, meaning there may be extra splatter. Most DIYers prefer to use the ladder and short-handled roller. However, you can paint faster when you stand on the ground with the extension pole rather than climbing up and down the ladder.

Keep the roller moving in the same direction back and forth as you move across the ceiling. Slightly overlap the previously rolled paint to avoid uneven application or missed spots. Go slow to reduce paint splatter and limit the amount of popcorn texture that pulls loose.

It’s possible that your popcorn ceiling has never had paint or another coating on it. If so, the job may require two coats of paint. If the paint soaks into the ceiling quickly as you apply it, you may need a second coat. You also could apply a primer coat before applying your first paint coat, if desired.

Pro tip: Before deciding whether to add another coat, allow the paint to dry completely. It’s important to wait to apply another coat of paint because it may look different after it dries than when it is still wet.

After your paint job is complete, don’t walk away from your paint-covered tools. Wash your paint roller, paintbrush, and paint tray using warm water. Let the tools dry completely before placing them in storage.

Make sure to tightly seal the paint can so you can use any leftover paint for future touch-ups. Remove any painter’s tape, plastic coverings, and drop cloth. Wait until the paint is completely dry on these items to avoid making a mess as you remove them.