The Beautiful And Budget-Friendly DIY To Cover Up Dated Popcorn Ceilings

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Popcorn ceilings first rose to popularity in the 1940s and appeared for decades afterwards. Early models were later removed due to asbestos in the mixture, with laws enacted to change the materials allowed in the application. Now, modern homeowners are ditching the texturized look for reasons beyond health concerns. Inspired by style (or deterred by cleaning difficulties), this once trendy texturizing choice has lost its charm. If you're facing the dimpled dilemma and looking for ideas to cover a popcorn ceiling, but don't want to scrape it all off and deal with the mess, you're in luck. There's a cool cover-up that provides high-end results without the high-end prices of hardwood.

The process involved in this glow-up is simple but time-consuming. It starts with 4-by-8-foot panels of plywood cut into 4-inch-wide planks using a table saw. Each strip mimics the more expensive 2-by-4-inch hardwood boards used in similar applications, at a fraction of the price. For comparison, a single 2-by-4-inch plank of pine (an affordable softwood) costs about $6 per 8 feet at Home Depot, while the particle board mentioned above rings in at about $30. It would take 12 of those pine pieces at around $72 to make up a single panel, and that's just for softwood. At these prices, it makes sense to skip the stress of learning the intensive process of how to remove popcorn ceiling and simply cover it with this budget-friendly hack instead.

To get rid of the textured look on your ceiling without the scraping and sanding, you'll need a few supplies. For the plywood, Sandeply plywood (measuring ¼ inch by 4 feet by 8 feet) from Home Depot works well. You'll also need a bottle of solvent like Klean-Strip Green odorless mineral spirit, black paint, a roller and paint tray, your choice of wood stain, and a heavy-duty construction adhesive, such as Liquid Nails. Finally, you'll need a table saw. If you don't own or have access to one, check with your local construction store for rentals. Home Depot, for example, rents models for approximately $47 a day. After sourcing all your supplies, you're ready to roll up your sleeves and cover popcorn-textured ceilings without any mess using a simple DIY.

Paint your ceiling with black paint to create shadows through the slatted boards. Cut the plywood into 4-inch strips, and clean each piece with the mineral spirit. Stain them your chosen shade, and attach them to the ceiling with the Liquid Nails. Use a spare piece of plywood to create an even space between each plank as you secure them. 

This process is time-consuming, but the finished look is transformative and relatively inexpensive. Change up your look by experimenting with patterns. Instead of straight planks, look at herringbone or chevron patterns, or consider paint instead of stain to make a bold impact. Whatever your direction, in place of the dreaded popcorn texture, you'll have a high-end ceiling made from plywood, and nobody will know the difference.