Author Topic: Painting Stain on Popcorn Ceiling  (Read 6937 times)

NextTime

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Painting Stain on Popcorn Ceiling
« on: March 09, 2016, 11:09:33 AM »
So I'm trying to get the house ready for sale and I have a little touch up work.

I had an ice dam a couple years ago (had never heard of it before then) and so had a roof leak that left a small stain on the ceiling. I also have to paint about a 3x1 ft section of ceiling where I removed some cabinets (new fridge wouldn't fit underneath them). It has a light brownish tint.

What is the best way to go about this? Just a a textured roller and white ceiling paint?

I paid a friend 6 years ago to spray all of the ceilings with white ceiling paint. One of the previous owners had smoked so it needed it. I believe I still have some of that paint in the basement.  No one in the house smokes so it shouldn't have dulled that much (or has it?).

I'm looking to get out of this place without putting much more money into it. So I'm really only hoping to have to paint the spots above.

Thanks for any suggestions.

NextTime

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Re: Painting Stain on Popcorn Ceiling
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2016, 11:54:08 AM »
This probably should have gone in the Do it Yourself forum.

Mods can you move this please?

Drifterrider

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Re: Painting Stain on Popcorn Ceiling
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2016, 10:08:44 AM »
Use a quality stain blocker before you paint.  Kilz is one brand.

Spork

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Re: Painting Stain on Popcorn Ceiling
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2016, 03:46:07 PM »
My advice is DO NOT USE A ROLLER on a popcorn ceiling.  You might get by with it... but you are just as likely to pull the texture right off.

Popcorn comes off really easily (which is awesome because I am not a fan of it.)  If you take a nice wet roller and roll across the ceiling, then roll back to evenly coat the back side -- often times the texture will just roll up on the roller in one nice even roll.

So... definitely use a stain blocking primer like Kilz.  And rent or buy a mid-priced paint sprayer.  I've had awful luck with the low end Wagner type sprayers.  A mid range sprayer with a long extension on it will cover it in no time.  You will spend all day masking off the room and 2 minutes painting it.

I'll also suggest you don't "just paint the spots".  Paint the whole ceiling in the room(s) that are affected.  The amount of additional work is minimal compared to the difference it will make in the end result.
« Last Edit: March 15, 2016, 04:03:15 PM by Spork »

Agg97

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Re: Painting Stain on Popcorn Ceiling
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2016, 03:59:24 PM »
You need an oil-based Interior Primer, Sealer and Stain-Blocker (such as Kilz).  Your choice whether to brush it, or they are available in a spray paint can.  If spraying, you might need to tarp off the area around it.  You might practice a bit on a piece of cardboard outside to see how much paint it will actually take and get a sense of how much overspray before trying the real thing. 

lthenderson

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Re: Painting Stain on Popcorn Ceiling
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2016, 08:07:54 AM »
I also echo the advice to NOT USE A ROLLER! The popcorn will just come off and then you have a mess. For small water stains, I generally go with rattlecans of paint and try to fade the color in with the surrounding paint so it isn't so noticeable. I usually test it out first on a coat closet ceiling with no lighting or less visible spot first to make sure you get the closest shade of white. For large areas, I generally consider removing the popcorn in that room as my best option although if it is above a fridge, you might be able to rattlecan paint it as well.

soupcxan

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Re: Painting Stain on Popcorn Ceiling
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2016, 08:23:49 AM »
Generally, painting popcorn is a terrible idea because it makes it much harder to remove, which is ultimately what should be done with it. And painted popcorn often cracks or otherwise looks even worse.

But you've already painted it, so re-painting it is unlikely to remove the popcorn...I would just re-roll it with ceiling paint. However I doubt you are going to get it looking good by only painting the spots, I think you will need to do the whole ceiling in that room if you want it ready to sell.

As for the suggestion to paint it with a sprayer or spray-can, I think you are going to end up with paint drifting onto your furniture or other parts of your house, so I would definitely not do that.

Spork

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Re: Painting Stain on Popcorn Ceiling
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2016, 10:37:38 AM »
Generally, painting popcorn is a terrible idea because it makes it much harder to remove, which is ultimately what should be done with it. And painted popcorn often cracks or otherwise looks even worse.

But you've already painted it, so re-painting it is unlikely to remove the popcorn...I would just re-roll it with ceiling paint. However I doubt you are going to get it looking good by only painting the spots, I think you will need to do the whole ceiling in that room if you want it ready to sell.

It's actually super easy to remove.  That's why rolling it is a bad idea.  While I don't like popcorn... painting it works fine.  I've put multiple coats on over years (and easily removed it later.)  Everything up there is likely water based: the texture and the paint.  A spray bottle full of water and a scraper duct taped to a shop vac will take the whole thing down in less than half an hour.  Making a nice flat ceiling worthy of repainting will likely take longer.  Popcorn was used to hide imperfections, so removing it means all those imperfections have to be addressed.

As for the suggestion to paint it with a sprayer or spray-can, I think you are going to end up with paint drifting onto your furniture or other parts of your house, so I would definitely not do that.

You'll note that suggestion said to mask everything off.  And that is absolutely mandatory.  Mask everything.

CowboyAndIndian

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soupcxan

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Re: Painting Stain on Popcorn Ceiling
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2016, 08:38:27 PM »
Generally, painting popcorn is a terrible idea because it makes it much harder to remove, which is ultimately what should be done with it. And painted popcorn often cracks or otherwise looks even worse.

But you've already painted it, so re-painting it is unlikely to remove the popcorn...I would just re-roll it with ceiling paint. However I doubt you are going to get it looking good by only painting the spots, I think you will need to do the whole ceiling in that room if you want it ready to sell.

It's actually super easy to remove.  That's why rolling it is a bad idea.  While I don't like popcorn... painting it works fine.  I've put multiple coats on over years (and easily removed it later.)  Everything up there is likely water based: the texture and the paint.  A spray bottle full of water and a scraper duct taped to a shop vac will take the whole thing down in less than half an hour.  Making a nice flat ceiling worthy of repainting will likely take longer.  Popcorn was used to hide imperfections, so removing it means all those imperfections have to be addressed.

As for the suggestion to paint it with a sprayer or spray-can, I think you are going to end up with paint drifting onto your furniture or other parts of your house, so I would definitely not do that.

You'll note that suggestion said to mask everything off.  And that is absolutely mandatory.  Mask everything.

Just because latex paint is water based, does not mean it can easily be removed with water after it dries. Wallpaper painted with latex paint is a bitch to remove. Painted popcorn is nowhere near as easy to remove as unpainted popcorn.

Spork

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Re: Painting Stain on Popcorn Ceiling
« Reply #10 on: March 19, 2016, 09:44:11 PM »
Generally, painting popcorn is a terrible idea because it makes it much harder to remove, which is ultimately what should be done with it. And painted popcorn often cracks or otherwise looks even worse.

But you've already painted it, so re-painting it is unlikely to remove the popcorn...I would just re-roll it with ceiling paint. However I doubt you are going to get it looking good by only painting the spots, I think you will need to do the whole ceiling in that room if you want it ready to sell.

It's actually super easy to remove.  That's why rolling it is a bad idea.  While I don't like popcorn... painting it works fine.  I've put multiple coats on over years (and easily removed it later.)  Everything up there is likely water based: the texture and the paint.  A spray bottle full of water and a scraper duct taped to a shop vac will take the whole thing down in less than half an hour.  Making a nice flat ceiling worthy of repainting will likely take longer.  Popcorn was used to hide imperfections, so removing it means all those imperfections have to be addressed.

As for the suggestion to paint it with a sprayer or spray-can, I think you are going to end up with paint drifting onto your furniture or other parts of your house, so I would definitely not do that.

You'll note that suggestion said to mask everything off.  And that is absolutely mandatory.  Mask everything.

Just because latex paint is water based, does not mean it can easily be removed with water after it dries. Wallpaper painted with latex paint is a bitch to remove. Painted popcorn is nowhere near as easy to remove as unpainted popcorn.

That has not been my experience.