Asbestos content in popcron ceilings


  #1  
Old 01-24-04, 02:58 PM
jenawren
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Asbestos content in popcron ceilings

I would like to remove the popcorn ceilings in my home, but have heard that it may contain asbestos. The house was built in 1966, but we have no idea when the popcorn was applied. How can I tell if there is asbestos in the ceiling?
 

Last edited by jenawren; 01-24-04 at 11:00 PM.
  #2  
Old 01-25-04, 10:33 AM
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From the age of the home, there is a chance that your popcorn ceiling does have asbestos in it. Only way to know for sure is to have it tested, look in your local ph book for a lab that does the testing, here locally I refer folks to the state university, their fees are cheaper than private labs. If asbestos is detected, check with local officials as to what's required for legal removal & disposal of the stuff.

As far as removing the popcorn, cover the floor with 2 layers of plastic, also tape plastic over doorways to contain everything within the room. Wear eye protection, approriate work clothing and a mask over nose & mouth, to ensure you do not breathe any of the junk in, this is basically the only way the stuff is hazardous. Use a spray bottle & mist down the ceiling, allow to sit a few minutes & then scrape it off with a wide drywall knife. Once you've got the ceiling scraped, roll up the top layer of plastic from the floor & place in a large trash bag for disposal. Leave to bottom layer on the floor until you finish with skimming, primer & paint coats.

Repair any drywall that was damaged in the removal process with drywall compound to achieve a smooth surface. This is your skim coat. You'll need to apply primer prior to finish paint, we generally use oil-based primers to get best finish results. Best of luck.
 
 

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