Residential services: Stipple and popcorn ceiling removal in Ottawa
Popcorn ceilings scraped, skimmed and finished smooth and modern, with your rooms protected from start to finish.
From stipple to smooth
Stipple, also called popcorn or textured ceiling, dates a room more than almost anything else. It collects dust, shows stains and makes lighting look flat. Removing it and finishing the ceiling smooth is one of the most noticeable upgrades you can make to a home.
How we remove it
- Furniture is moved out or covered, and floors and walls are protected
- The stipple is scraped off the ceiling
- The ceiling is skim-coated where it needs it and sanded smooth
- Primer and ceiling paint finish the job
- The room is cleaned up before we leave
Scraping stipple is messy work, so protection and clean-up are a big part of the job. We keep the mess contained to the room we are working in.
Painted or unpainted?
Unpainted stipple can usually be dampened and scraped off cleanly. Stipple that has been painted doesn't absorb water, so it has to be scraped dry, and it often leaves more marks that need skim coating. We'll check yours at the site visit, because it changes how long the job takes.
Smooth enough for modern lighting
Pot lights and big windows show every flaw in a ceiling. After the stipple comes off, the ceiling is skim-coated and sanded until it reads flat under the light, then primed and painted with a flat ceiling finish that hides minor imperfections.
Older ceilings and asbestos
Some textured ceilings installed before about 1990 contain asbestos, and those shouldn't be scraped until a sample has been tested by a lab. If your home is older, ask about testing at the site visit so you know before work is scheduled. If a test comes back positive, the stipple has to be removed by an asbestos abatement contractor under Ontario's rules; once it's gone, we can skim, prime and paint.
Often paired with a repaint
Once the ceilings are smooth, many homeowners repaint the walls and trim at the same time. We can quote both together so the whole room is finished in one job.
Stipple Ceiling Removal FAQ
Questions we get about this work.
Anything else? Ask us or call and we'll answer straight away.
How messy is stipple removal?
Scraping creates a lot of dust and debris, so we protect floors, walls and anything left in the room, and clean up every day. Most of the mess never leaves the room.
Does my stipple contain asbestos?
It might, if it was installed before about 1990. The only way to know is to have it tested before it is disturbed. Ask us about it at the site visit.
Can you remove stipple from a whole house?
Yes. Single rooms and whole homes are both common. We'll plan the order of rooms so you can keep living in the house.
How long does stipple removal take?
Most rooms take a few days, because removal, skim coating, sanding and paint each need drying time in between. Whole homes are scheduled room by room.
Can stipple be covered instead of removed?
Sometimes a ceiling can be skimmed over or covered with new drywall, depending on its condition. Removal usually gives the cleanest result, and we will tell you which makes sense at the site visit.
Is painted stipple harder to remove?
Yes. Paint stops the texture from absorbing water, so it has to be scraped dry and usually needs more skim coating afterwards.
Get started
Tell us about the space.
We'll arrange a site visit and send a written quote with the scope, the products and the schedule.