Altona Painting · Popcorn Ceiling Removal

Say Goodbye to Popcorn Ceilings — Smooth, Modern Finishes Throughout

Professional removal, skim coat, and paint. One crew, start to finish. Serving Durham Region, York, and the GTA from Ajax since 2014.

★ 5.0 Google Rated ✓ Fully Insured & WSIB ✓ Based in Ajax, ON ✓ Free Estimates

Book a Free Estimate (647) 370-7239

Smooth ceiling after popcorn ceiling removal by Altona Painting

Why It Matters

Popcorn Ceilings Are the Most Dated Feature in Any Room — and One of the Easiest to Fix

Popcorn (or "acoustic") ceilings were common in homes built through the 1980s. Today they signal an unupdated interior more than almost anything else — and they trap dust, are nearly impossible to touch up, and make rooms feel smaller and darker than they are.

Removal is a messy, labour-intensive process that requires proper containment, wetting, careful scraping, and thorough skim coating and sanding to achieve a smooth finish. Done without the right technique, you end up with an uneven surface that's almost as bad as what you started with.

Our crew handles removal, skim coat, sanding, priming, and painting as a complete, single-service project. You get a flat, smooth, freshly painted ceiling and a room that looks completely transformed.

Single Rooms

One bedroom, living room, or kitchen ceiling done right. A single smooth ceiling makes the whole room feel newer and more finished.

Full Home

We sequence multi-room projects efficiently. Most full-home popcorn removal projects are completed within a week with minimal disruption.

Pre-Sale Preparation

Popcorn ceilings are frequently cited by buyers and realtors as a negative. Removing them before listing is a high-impact, lower-cost upgrade.

Combined with Interior Painting

Ceiling removal pairs naturally with a full interior repaint. We schedule it as a combined project for efficiency and a complete, cohesive result.

01 —

Free On-Site Estimate

We assess your ceilings, check for any asbestos risk factors in older homes, and give you a clear scope and price before any work begins.

02 —

Full Room Protection

Floors, furniture, walls, and trim fully covered with plastic sheeting and drop cloths. Popcorn removal is a wet, messy process — containment is everything.

03 —

Wet & Scrape

Ceilings are wetted to soften the texture, then carefully scraped clean. Proper wetting prevents drywall damage and reduces dust significantly.

04 —

Skim Coat & Sand

A skim coat of joint compound is applied over the bare ceiling to fill imperfections, followed by thorough sanding to a perfectly smooth, flat surface.

05 —

Prime & Paint

Fresh drywall compound requires a sealing primer before paint. We prime, then apply two coats of flat ceiling paint for a clean, uniform finish.

06 —

Clean-Up & Walkthrough

All protection removed, debris cleared, and surfaces wiped down. Full walkthrough with you to confirm the ceiling meets our standard before we leave.

Popcorn Removal

Wet-scrape removal of acoustic texture, carefully done to avoid gouging or tearing the drywall face beneath.

Skim Coat

Full skim coat of joint compound applied after removal to fill scrape marks, low spots, and imperfections left by the texture.

Sanding

Thorough sanding of the skim coat to achieve a genuinely smooth, flat surface — not just "smoother than before."

Priming

Sealing primer applied before paint to prevent flashing and ensure even colour and sheen across the repaired surface.

Ceiling Painting

Two coats of flat white ceiling paint for a clean, uniform finish. We can also apply colour if that's the direction you're going.

Combined Interior Projects

Ceiling removal pairs naturally with a full wall and trim repaint. We bundle these for efficiency — one crew, one mobilization, one result.

Popcorn Ceiling Removal Living Room Ceiling — Durham Region

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After

Popcorn Ceiling Removal Stairwell & Hallway Ceiling — Durham Region

Popcorn ceiling removal in progress — Durham Region

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After

Popcorn Ceiling Removal Full Home Ceiling Removal — Durham Region

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Michael Cappa — Founder, Altona Painting

About Altona Painting

Founded by Michael. Built on a Standard He Still Holds Every Crew To.

Michael Cappa started Altona Painting in Ajax over a decade ago. Popcorn ceiling removal is one of those jobs where the difference between a careful crew and a careless one is immediately visible — in the smoothness of the skim coat, the flatness of the final surface, and whether the ceiling actually looks new or just "different."

Michael's crews are trained to do it right: proper containment, patient scraping, thorough skim coating, and a finished paint job that makes the whole room look transformed. Over 100 five-star Google reviews reflect that standard, project after project.

10+Years in Business

100+5-Star Reviews

5.0Google Rating

★★★★★

"We recently had our popcorn ceiling removed and the main floor painted and we're glad we chose Altona Painting. The ceilings came out perfectly smooth and the paint job is flawless. The crew was clean, professional, and fast."

Michelle L.

Ajax, ON — Google Review

★★★★★

"Had popcorn ceilings throughout the whole house. Altona removed them all, did the skim coat and sanding, and repainted. The transformation is incredible — the house looks 20 years newer. Highly recommend for anyone still living with this texture."

James & Sheila W.

Whitby, ON — Google Review

★★★★★

"We had the ceilings done before listing our home. Our realtor said it was one of the smartest investments we made before going to market. The rooms looked so much brighter and more modern. Altona's crew was outstanding throughout."

Karen B.

Pickering, ON — Google Review

Does popcorn ceiling texture contain asbestos?+

Popcorn ceilings installed before 1980 may contain asbestos. If your home was built before this period, we strongly recommend having the ceiling tested by a certified inspector before removal begins. We can advise on next steps during the estimate, but asbestos abatement must be handled by a licensed abatement contractor before we proceed with removal.

How long does popcorn ceiling removal take?+

A single room typically takes 2 to 3 days including removal, skim coat, sanding, priming, and painting. A full home project typically runs 5 to 7 days depending on the number of rooms and ceiling condition. We give you a specific timeline during your estimate.

Is it messy? Do I need to vacate my home?+

Popcorn removal is a wet and messy process — but we contain it. Floors, furniture, walls, and doorways are all covered before we start. You don't need to vacate, but you should expect limited access to the rooms being worked on. We clean up thoroughly at the end of each day.

Can you paint the ceiling a colour other than white?+

Yes. White is by far the most common choice — it maximizes light reflection and reads as "neutral" to buyers — but we can paint ceilings any colour you choose. Tinted ceilings in dining rooms and bedrooms are increasingly popular. We'll advise on finish sheen as well.

Can you combine ceiling removal with an interior repaint?+

Absolutely — and we recommend it. Doing the ceilings and walls together in the same mobilization is more efficient and ensures everything is sequenced correctly (ceilings first, then walls, then trim). We scope both and price them together for maximum value.

Based in Ajax, Altona Painting provides professional popcorn ceiling removal across Durham Region, Northumberland County, Kawartha, York Region, and Central and Eastern Toronto.

Durham Region

Northumberland

Kawartha