Popcorn ceiling sanding

[Sean.M]

I am looking for recommendations on tools to be used for sanding popcorn ceilings.

Right now I do the standard wetting scraping of removal of popcorn ceilings. I am now looking to eliminate some of those steps. Any recommendations of sanders for this process? I am of course open to experimentation as far as what works and what does not but thought some of you may have already done some experimenting on this subject. Any input will be very helpful to me as I already have decided to try this.

EDIT:
Warning: Popcorn texture contained asbestos until 1978. It could of been used in residential use up to 1985. If your home was built before then or around those dates please have your texture tested by a professional before attempting any kind of repairs or removal.

 

[peter halle]

I know the answer to this one!  Did a crap load of those last year.  I also use Festool!  And I am a member here.

Peter

 

[Sean.M]

I know the answer to this one!  Did a crap load of those last year.  I also use Festool!  And I am a member here.

Peter

Peter, I am fine experimenting and finding out from trial and error on what works and what does not but just looking for suggestions on what other members may have tried or think will work. I do this X amount of times a year and turn down these jobs X amount of times a year because I am busy enough to not to want to deal with the hassles.  My take is I want to save time, prep and clean up. I think I would want the biggest sander possible with a square sander for the flats and a detailed sander around lights and what not. If I can save on all the prep and clean up I would be doing these jobs a lot more than I do.

 

[peter halle]

Advice time.

Many popcorn ceilings have been painted and thus do not respond favorably to the water / mist approach.  Buy a 99 dollar Wagnor wallpaper steamer. This will get past the latex paint.  Scrape.   Then use your Festool sander, or then thin mud and spray and skin.  Sand with an ETS.  Prime and paint.

Peter

 

[Sean.M]

I understand Peter, I normally take a garden sprayer and wet the ceiling, scrape with a 12+ blade and then repair after scraped if not getting retexured.

I am looking for a dry clean way. I will figure it out whether it is doable and if it is not I will find that out too.  [big grin]

 

[Ken Nagrod]

I believe Bosch, Makita and Porter Cable make a large horizontal disc grinder/sander that would level it down dry, but with lots of mess.  They're normally used for concrete leveling or stripping paint, depending on the models I'm referring to.

 

[lumbajac]

http://dustlesstools.com/popcorn_ceiling.htm

 

[peter halle]

OK.  If you are looking for a miracle Festool sander to deal with popcorn ceilings - they don't exist.  A sander is a planer tool and popcorn ceiling is three dimensional.  The popcorn will be sheared off by sanders that deal with the level as they were engineered to do.  Just wet and scape.  Follow up with a sander that can handle the dust.  

Peter

 

[Sean.M]

Thanks guys you confirmed what I already knew.

I am just considering another option,.

Peter, not looking for a miracle I am just considering improvements to the status quo.

 

[Scott B.]

I dont know guys. I have been messing around with the scraper attachment for my LS130. I would not rule out the possibility that this combo could get involved in what Sean is exploring. There wouldn't be much extraction about it, just popcorn extricated from the ceiling. I dont do any popcorn ceilings, but I wonder if this could work.

If not, a pot of coffee and the Fakir.

 

[Scott B.]

Sean

This is the 130 attachment I am talking about:

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/sanders/other-accessories/scraper-491199.html

 

[greenMonster]

another low-tech option

Chip Buddie Scraper

 

[AlexThePalex]

Just make sure the ceiling isn't so old that it might contain asbestos. You wouldn't want to sand that stuff.

 

[Sean.M]

Sean

This is the 130 attachment I am talking about:

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/sanders/other-accessories/scraper-491199.html

I saw that when we were visiting Festool and it might be too small for my purposes. I have a basic concept. of what I am thinking of and will update my trial and errors.

another low-tech option

Chip Buddie Scraper

I think that may be to small for what I am thinking.

Just make sure the ceiling isn't so old that it might contain asbestos. You wouldn't want to sand that stuff.

Good point. I do this type of work regularly and know that they used asbestos until around 83 in this type of texture.

I believe Bosch, Makita and Porter Cable make a large horizontal disc grinder/sander that would level it down dry, but with lots of mess.  They're normally used for concrete leveling or stripping paint, depending on the models I'm referring to.

I am trying to skip this step of taking it off and then sanding. I am actually just trying to eliminate the mess altogether.

http://dustlesstools.com/popcorn_ceiling.htm

Thanks.

If not, a pot of coffee and the Fakir.

There you go. 

 

[tbellemare]

A buddy of mine and I duct-taped an elongated vacuum nozzle to a putty knife to remove a popcorn ceiling once. It worked pretty well. It didn't get all the mess but probably about 90% or more. After scraping with that, it almost looked good, kind of like a subdued Monterrey drag.

Tom

 

[Scott B.]

There you go. 
[/quote]

I'm not entirely joking. The Fakir is a popcorn perforator just waiting to happen.

[attachimg=#]

 

[Sean.M]

There you go. 

I'm not entirely joking. The Fakir is a popcorn perforator just waiting to happen.

[attachimg=#]
[/quote]
Having a hard time envisioning it, I think the Planex might be a good tool but I am wanting to try what I have in my mind. I am trying to eliminate some steps by sanding it down.

 

[Scott B.]

Any outcome where you can eliminate the wet work would be a major gain. Just like the pressure wash v. dust free sanding discussion we had at the workshop. This is one of those cases where wetter is not better.

 

[Sean.M]

Any outcome where you can eliminate the wet work would be a major gain. Just like the pressure wash v. dust free sanding discussion we had at the workshop. This is one of those cases where wetter is not better.

Exactly how I see it. When wetting and scrapping it falls all over so my goal is to eliminate both of those and over all make a clean working environment.

 

[Paint and Hammer]

Something like a paintshaver pro for ceilings?

Instead of blades have a brush of sort.