Tellez & Sons Painting
Popcorn Ceiling Removal in Boerne and San Antonio, TX
Jesse Tellez and his son Isaac scrape the popcorn off ceilings in Boerne, San Antonio and the towns between, repair the board underneath, and put back a clean texture or a smooth finish. Six Google reviews, the oldest from 2014, describe this job by name.
Home built before the early 1980s? The ceiling needs a test before anything is scraped. Read this first.
- Painting since 1982
- Insured and bonded
- Free estimates
Rated 4.7 on Google from 88 reviews.
Step zero
Does my popcorn ceiling have asbestos in it?
It can. Texture on ceilings in homes built before the early 1980s can contain asbestos, and the only way to know is a test. Testing is inexpensive, and it is your first step, before anyone scrapes anything.
- Built before the early 1980s
- Have the ceiling tested before anything is scraped.
- Not sure when it was built
- Test it. Do not guess.
- The test comes back positive
- The work goes to a licensed abatement contractor, not to a painter. Once they are done, we can finish the ceiling.
- The test comes back clean
- Call us. Jesse or Isaac will walk the ceiling with you and tell you what it needs.
Tellez & Sons does not test for asbestos, take samples of it, or remove it. That is not painter's work. If you already have a test result, keep it handy for the estimate.
What does popcorn ceiling removal involve?
Popcorn ceiling removal takes the sprayed texture off a ceiling down to the drywall, repairs whatever that uncovers, then puts back a new texture or a smooth finish and paints. Tellez & Sons has done it for homeowners in Boerne, San Antonio and the towns around them for years, and six Google reviews describe it by name. Jesse Tellez and his son Isaac run the work: the room is covered, the popcorn is scraped off, seams, nail holes and old patches are fixed, and the ceiling is textured or smoothed and painted, so one crew takes it from popcorn to finished. It is messy for days, and a ceiling that needs heavy repair takes longer. What you get is a flatter, brighter ceiling that is easier to keep clean. Estimates are free, and a home built before the early 1980s needs an asbestos test before the job starts.
Is it worth it? Both sides, plainly.
What changes
- LightBumps throw tiny shadows across the ceiling. Flat, the same bulbs light the room more evenly.
- The look of the roomA flat ceiling stops announcing its age. The room reads cleaner.
- Resale appealMany buyers see popcorn as dated, so it is one less thing for them to notice.
- Keeping it cleanPopcorn holds dust and cobwebs. A smooth or lightly textured ceiling wipes down.
What it costs you
- Days of messScraping makes dust and debris. Plan on days, with the room closed off.
- Furniture out or coveredWhat stays is covered and sheeted. Small and fragile things are better out.
- Repairs that show upSeams, tape lines, nail holes and old patches show once the popcorn is gone. They get fixed first, and that can add to the job.
- A test, if the house is olderA home built before the early 1980s needs an asbestos test first. A positive result sends that part to someone else.
If the ceiling is sound and the texture does not bother you, painting over it is a real option. Jesse or Isaac will tell you which way your ceiling leans.
How does a popcorn ceiling job run, stage by stage?
Six stages, in order. The small drawings show the ceiling in section, the way Fig. 1 does.
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Test the ceiling
In an older home this comes first, and arranging it is your job, not ours. Nothing should be scraped before the result is in.
Cover the room
Floors, furniture and anything that stays are covered, and the room is sheeted in plastic, as in the photo.
Scrape the texture off
The popcorn comes off the board in layers, down to the drywall. The scrapings land on the covered floor.
Repair what shows
Seams, tape lines, nail holes and old patches show once the texture is gone. Each gets fixed, the same work as our sheetrock and repairs.
Put the finish back
You choose smooth, a light orange peel or knockdown, all three shown below. Smooth asks the most of the repair work, because it hides nothing.
Paint the ceiling
The ceiling is painted, and walls and trim can go in the same visit. We paint with BEHR, and interior painting covers the rest of the room.
“Jesse and crew did a great job removing the popcorn texture on the ceilings throughout the house. They did an excellent job painting, especially the difficult two story foyer and living room walls. I recommend them and would definitely use them again.”
Lorene Reeder, Google, Jun 2020
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After: a smooth, repainted ceiling in an open living room.
What goes on the ceiling after the popcorn?
You choose the finish: smooth, a light orange peel, or knockdown. The finish decides how the ceiling looks when light rakes across it from a window, and how well it hides a repair later.
Smooth
- How it looks
- Flat and plain, with no pattern at all. The cleanest look, and the easiest ceiling to wipe.
- A repair
- Shows the most. Window light finds every seam and patch, so smooth asks for the most careful repair work.
Light orange peel
- How it looks
- Fine, even dimples like the skin of an orange, quiet enough that you stop seeing them.
- A repair
- Hides small repairs and nail pops well, because a patch can be textured to match the dimples.
Knockdown
- How it looks
- Splatter flattened while wet into low plateaus with shallow valleys between. A heavier, more patterned look.
- A repair
- Hides the most. The pattern is busy enough that a patched spot is the hardest one to pick out.
“We hired Tellez Painting to remove the nasty Popcorn Texture under the ceiling,to put on a new Texture (Monterey), paint the Ceiling and Walls…”
Liz Ramirez, Google, Oct 2014
Popcorn ceiling questions, answered
Anything not covered here, ask Jesse or Isaac at the estimate.
“I had them remove popcorn ceiling, paint and texture the ceiling and I couldn't be any happier. They're professional and always available for any questions. My family and I will be forever customers.”
Arolyn Domingo, Google, Jan 2018
What decides the cost of popcorn ceiling removal in Boerne?
The size and height of the ceilings, whether the popcorn has been painted over, how much repair the board needs once the texture is off, and which finish goes back up decide most of it. Jesse or Isaac prices it after seeing the ceilings, and estimates are free.
Does my popcorn ceiling need an asbestos test first?
If your home was built before the early 1980s, yes: have the ceiling tested before anything is scraped. Testing is inexpensive. If it comes back positive, the removal goes to a licensed abatement contractor, because that is not painter's work. Tellez & Sons does not test for, sample or remove asbestos. If the result is clean, call us.
How long does popcorn ceiling removal take for a room or a whole house?
Plan on days, not an afternoon. The texture comes off, the repairs have to dry, and the new finish and the paint each go on in turn. One room is the short version and a whole house in Boerne takes longer. Jesse or Isaac gives you a timeline at the estimate.
Can we stay in the house during popcorn ceiling removal?
Usually yes, but not in the room being worked. Scraping makes dust whoever does it, so the room is sheeted in plastic and the floor and furniture are covered first, as in the photo above. If anyone at home has asthma, allergies or a new baby, say so at the estimate.
What texture goes back on the ceiling after the popcorn is removed?
You choose: smooth, a light orange peel, or knockdown. Smooth looks cleanest but shows every flaw and repair. Orange peel hides small repairs, and knockdown hides the most. Reviews mention orange peel and a Monterey texture among the finishes customers picked. Jesse or Isaac will talk you through each one at the estimate.
Do you remove popcorn ceilings in Boerne and San Antonio?
Yes. We remove popcorn ceilings in Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch, Grey Forest, Timberwood Park, Shavano Park, Scenic Oaks, Bulverde, New Braunfels, San Antonio and Alamo Heights, and we have worked in San Antonio since 1982. If your street is not on that list, ask anyway.
Tell us which ceilings, and Jesse or Isaac will walk them with you.
Free estimates for popcorn ceiling removal in Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch, San Antonio and the towns around them. If your home was built before the early 1980s, get the ceiling tested first.