http://www.asktooltalk.com/cgi-local/sk_store.cgi?P=articles/popcorn-ceiling.htm

Commonly, the popcorn removal will reveal a ceiling that needs a fair amount of work to create a surface suitable for paint. The popcorn was often sprayed to cover flaws, or after only one coat of drywall mud.

If the ceiling has never been painted, the popcorn can be wetted & scraped into a garbage can held by a second person. The asbestos issue then becomes moot IMHO, but that depends upon your level of paranoia re asbestos.

You can't look at the texture and tell if it is asbestos and to be honest you would be better off leaving it alone as the threat of asbestos is real and you don't want to take that chance. The last post on this is totally wrong.

If you want to get rid of it you need to call someone that does asbestos abatement to be sure if you do or don't have asbestos in your texture.

Remember your health is nothing to mess with.

5slb6

Exactly what is your experience with asbestos & or popcorn ceilings?

I have remove quite a bit of the stuff & years ago occasionally installed asbestos repair panels on commercial warehouses.

I do not take the danger lightly, but in all honesty the EPA always says "the sky is falling".

I have also sprayed many popcorn ceilings & removed a few.

Just so that you do not think that I am not aware of the hazards, I'll tell you that my father who died 20 years ago at the age of 72 was diagnosed with Asbestosis. He worked in factories for 30 years that had asbestos all over the place, & he was a smoker.

Jansstudio1

Firstly, a sample can be taken & tested without calling in the guys with the hazmat suits, who will no doubt put you in a hotel for a week & charge you through the nose for the pleasure.

Not all spray-on “popcorn” ceilings contain asbestos. To know for sure, submit “popcorn” samples for laboratory analysis. Cost is minimal. Laboratories are listed in the yellow pages under “Asbestos - Consulting and Testing.” See instructions that are contained in the provided link.

Secondly, IMHO leaving it alone is not the best if you have doubts. Could you be comfortable in your home not knowing? It also has gone out of fashion, so now what to do??

You will have to disclose asbestos if you believe that it is present when you sell your home. Most folks are as paranoid as 5slb6 so the sale is now in jeopardy.

For complete DIY information read the following.

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infpai/popcornoff.shtm

Please note that this is not the ramblings of a crackpot but as stated "This article is reproduced with permission from the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency in Lacey, WA." & is also on the state website.

Also note that if yours has been painted, you are better off just living with it as is.

5slb6, please note that I did not say that you are wrong, as I would have considered it rude. You are certainly welcome to accept the view of the majority & the EPA, who I happen to believe are overreaction to a potential hazard.

For a slightly different viewpoint Read this:

http://www.sepp.org/asbestos/asbestnr.html

& BTW, nice handle… very catch & imaginative.

The EPA Comes Clean on Asbestos

http://www.junkscience.com/oct01/wsj-Strassel.htm

others here:

www.junkscience.com" target="blank">http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=asbestos&fr=yscpb&vs=www.junkscience.com