# Drywall patch on popcorn ceiling



## scottktmrider (Jun 24, 2012)

Like title says iam patching about a 2x2 patch in a ceiling with popcorn texture on it.
I tried scraping it off with no luck,its like concrete (its been painted over a couple times).How do you tape it with that rough texture on there.
Thanks for the help i have done alot of patch work but never ran into this.
The only thing i can think is to pre fill the texture around it so its smooth when i tape it.


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## donerightwyo (Oct 10, 2011)

I use an orbital sander with 80 grit or so. Grind it own by your patch and then feather it out on the out skirts of where your mud will be. The key is to gradually get rougher and rougher until your not sanding any thing off. Maybe out a foot or so from edge of your patch. Mud it in, sand and then sponge in the edges revealing some of the old texture. Feather the proper texture back into the old and it should be invisible. Probably ain't going be perfect your first time.:thumbsup:


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## [email protected] (Aug 9, 2011)

With painted popcorn scrape the texture off softly, only enough to get to beyond the aggregate. Spray area with garden sprayer and scrape the final layer off. Works every time.
I always scrape bigger than my patch. It allows for easier blending.


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## scottktmrider (Jun 24, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> With painted popcorn scrape the texture off softly, only enough to get to beyond the aggregate. Spray area with garden sprayer and scrape the final layer off. Works every time.
> I always scrape bigger than my patch. It allows for easier blending.


Thanks ash;i think i will try wetting it down.
I love this site just joined a few days ago and you guys have balied me out of 2 screwed up projects.
When i was on my union job i worked around all different trades and could ask for advice.Now because of lack of work (like most people)Ive been working on my own And nobody to ask.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

scottktmrider said:


> Like title says iam patching about a 2x2 patch in a ceiling with popcorn texture on it.
> I tried scraping it off with no luck,*its like concrete* (its been painted over a couple times).How do you tape it with that rough texture on there.
> Thanks for the help i have done alot of patch work but never ran into this.
> The only thing i can think is to pre fill the texture around it so its smooth when i tape it.


How old is the ceiling? 
It could be a vermiculite popcorn ceiling (which is hard as concrete), instead of a polystyrene bead popcorn, if it's an older popcorn ceiling.


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## iDAHOchris (Feb 11, 2012)

If the scraping down or 80 grit dont work just patch in with drywall as tight as you can and use a high end caulk like a big stretch brand and caulk it in. Its a popcorn ceiling so,,, when spraying tex back on mask off area that is already textured ( existing) and spray just the patch h til it matches existing. Some cases its best to keep patch as small as possible and as long as its just a patch and not acyual seams youl be ok


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

iDAHOchris said:


> If the scraping down or 80 grit dont work just patch in with drywall as tight as you can and use a high end caulk like a big stretch brand and* caulk it in*. Its a popcorn ceiling so,,, when spraying tex back on mask off area that is already textured ( existing) and spray just the patch h til it matches existing. Some cases its best to keep patch as small as possible and as long as its just a patch and not acyual seams youl be ok


 Caulk it in? :no:


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## iDAHOchris (Feb 11, 2012)

Sir Mixalot said:


> Caulk it in? :no:


 Its popcorn, Im sure the 1/2" or more of popcorn will cover Have you ever tried it?


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

iDAHOchris said:


> Its popcorn, Im sure the 1/2" or more of popcorn will cover Have you ever tried it?


No I haven't. :no:
My worries would be about the caulk shrinking or possilbly cracking around the seams of the patch.


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## iDAHOchris (Feb 11, 2012)

Ive only done that a couple of times ( to minimize costs) . Patches on popcorn suck especially on painted popcorn. Or how bout skimmed over painted over painted popcorn:blink:...caulk it:whistling


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## [email protected] (Aug 9, 2011)

Im with mixalot on this. The caulking would allow seasonal cracks through out the year. A good rule of thumb for most repairs is to repair with same materials, drywall with drywall, plywood with plywood, caulk with caulk. That way all repairs are dimensionally stable.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

Here's one of my popcorn ceiling repair patches. :thumbsup:


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## iDAHOchris (Feb 11, 2012)

Looks Great:thumbsup: Who puts popcorn in a garage?


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## [email protected] (Aug 9, 2011)

The norm is to popcorn the whole house.

Good looking patch. I have a tough time blending the patches seamlessly.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

iDAHOchris said:


> Looks Great:thumbsup: Who puts popcorn in a garage?





[email protected] said:


> The norm is to popcorn the whole house.
> 
> Good looking patch. I have a tough time blending the patches seamlessly.


Pretty much. 
If the house has been sprayed with popcorn, that incuded the closet's and garage. But, usually the bathrooms and kitchens are orange peel.


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## scottktmrider (Jun 24, 2012)

Sir Mixalot said:


> How old is the ceiling?
> It could be a vermiculite popcorn ceiling (which is hard as concrete), instead of a polystyrene bead popcorn, if it's an older popcorn ceiling.


It is hard as concrete.I tried an orbital sander but that didnt phase it.Its on a rental house so it looks like its been painted a few times.
The owner said he was not worried about looks too much because its a rental.But me being in the trade for 20 yrs i like the challenge and learning how to do it rite in case i run across it again.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

scottktmrider said:


> It is hard as concrete.I tried an orbital sander but that didnt phase it.


Maybe try an air chisel. :thumbsup:


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

If you use a sander...make sure the house isn't pre 78...


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## iDAHOchris (Feb 11, 2012)

scottktmrider said:


> It is hard as concrete.I tried an orbital sander but that didnt phase it.Its on a rental house so it looks like its been painted a few times.
> The owner said he was not worried about looks too much because its a rental.But me being in the trade for 20 yrs i like the challenge and learning how to do it rite in case i run across it again.


 Let us know outcome


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## WarriorWithWood (Jun 30, 2007)




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## scottktmrider (Jun 24, 2012)

WarriorWithWood said:


>


Why would i need pic?Its popcorn thats been painted over several times that i cant scrape off.Shure everybody has seen it before.If it was the loose texture i would just scrape it off and run with it.


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## WarriorWithWood (Jun 30, 2007)

I'm talking about a picture of the repair when complete.


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## scottktmrider (Jun 24, 2012)

WarriorWithWood said:


> I'm talking about a picture of the repair when complete.


I probley wont post any pic when finished because i wont be to proud of it.


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## [email protected] (Aug 9, 2011)

Maybe posting a finished pic will let others give some advice on how you can improve your technique, help to up your game for next time you have a popcorn repair.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

scottktmrider said:


> I probley wont post any pic when finished because i wont be to proud of it.


You could alway's skim that ceiling. :thumbup:


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## r4r&r (Feb 22, 2012)

Makes my arm sore just looking at it.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Here's what I do. I cut a patch slightly larger, then use it as a template to cut out a close fitting matching hole. Then I'll cut 4" wide strips of 3/8" plywood, and glue them to the back of the ceiling along the edges of the cutout and let it dry. Bevel all face edges Screw and glue the patch to the plywood and any framing members. Fill the edge gap. I use durabond with acrylic admix for all patches I'm not going to tape - less cracking problems and better adhesion. Don't ask me about matching popcorn, sometimes I get a good match and sometimes not.


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## scottktmrider (Jun 24, 2012)

Now i know one of the reasons popcorn texture is a thing of the past.


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

hdavis said:


> Here's what I do. I cut a patch slightly larger, then use it as a template to cut out a close fitting matching hole. Then I'll cut 4" wide strips of 3/8" plywood, and glue them to the back of the ceiling along the edges of the cutout and let it dry. Bevel all face edges Screw and glue the patch to the plywood and any framing members. Fill the edge gap. I use durabond with acrylic admix for all patches I'm not going to tape - less cracking problems and better adhesion. Don't ask me about matching popcorn, sometimes I get a good match and sometimes not.


That's what I would do. Except for waiting for the glue to dry part.:whistling


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## asbestos (Mar 22, 2006)

I used to do asbestos abatement and man I tried to explain to the estimater how much extra time it took if the popcorn had been painted. What a pain. You think it's tough. try doing a huge room dressed in a space suit and sucking supplied air. 

Seriously though Get the stuff tested before you turn a sander loose on it.

Cottage cheese texture is a crime against humanity.


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## Clark Bilston (Jan 24, 2012)

asbestos said:


> I used to do asbestos abatement and man I tried to explain to the estimater how much extra time it took if the popcorn had been painted. What a pain. You think it's tough. try doing a huge room dressed in a space suit and sucking supplied air.
> 
> Seriously though Get the stuff tested before you turn a sander loose on it.
> 
> Cottage cheese texture is a crime against humanity.


Oh man ive done a bunch of asbestos jobs. Aside from good pay, they might have been some of the most unpleasant days of my life!


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## Bonzai (Dec 23, 2009)

Sir Mixalot said:


> You could alway's skim that ceiling. :thumbup:


Done that on a few jobs ... Turned out great but boy was it a lot of work.


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## Bonzai (Dec 23, 2009)

scottktmrider said:


> Now i know one of the reasons popcorn texture is a thing of the past.


I wish that were true here ... Still see it going in on lots of new construction and not just cheap places. No reason other than to cover up a sloppy drywall job if you ask me.


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## r4r&r (Feb 22, 2012)

Not a drywall patch but two different techniques for a popcorn patch. You can probably guess which one will be my go to technique going forward.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

r4r&r said:


> Not a drywall patch but two different techniques for a popcorn patch. You can probably guess which one will be my go to technique going forward.


My guess would be the second repair.:thumbsup: 
What were your techniques?


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## r4r&r (Feb 22, 2012)

Just two standard techniques, pretty much knew ahead of time which one would be best and I was right. Just scraped one down and tried to feather the edges when I blew it and the other just a quick mud around the edges. Primed both before I shot the acoustic. 
This place has so many bad patches that I wasn't worried about either of mine in comparison.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

r4r&r said:


> just a quick mud around the edges. Primed both before I shot the acoustic.


Yep, that's how I do them too. I use a can of Kilz to prime the bare spot and the area where I will be feathering the popcorn. :thumbsup:


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## AARC Drywall (May 11, 2008)

lol if i ever caught one of my guys using caulk on a patch to minimize coats, guess were that caulk would end up, up his a** If you have been hired to do a job, do it right, then there will be no problems. 

Why do we never have the time to do things right, but always find the time to do it twice?


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## ToolNut (Aug 9, 2012)

Am i understanding this right. you use chaulk on the seams instead of mud and paper tape


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## r4r&r (Feb 22, 2012)

Never used caulk on a patch but I will run a bead of caulk on the top corners on my Window wraps instead of mud and tape. The way I see it when they hang mini blinds the corners gonna get blown out and the caulk at least has a little give to it.


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