Can Ceiling Tiles Be Put Over Cottage Cheese Ceilings?

Strength

• One primary consideration you have to make when deciding whether or not to cover a cottage cheese ceiling is the strength of the existing cottage cheese coating. Because this can weaken over time, it is possible that the covering will not be able to hold any decorative ceiling tiles. To check the strength of the ceiling, you can get up on a ladder and use the palm of your hand to push up on the cottage cheese covering. If you experience any movement or chipping when you do, chances are the ceiling may not hold any tiles.

Removal

• If it appears that your ceiling will not be able to hold the weight of your tiles, you must remove the popcorn in its entirety to create a flat surface upon which you can apply the tiles. Many of these decorative tiles come with a self-adhesive backing and need to be applied to an even surface. If some of the cottage cheese ceiling begins to peel off, it can have a domino effect on the rest of the materials and will eventually come down anyway. Removing the texture is the best bet.

Cautions

• One consideration you have to make when removing the popcorn ceiling covering is when the covering was added. Ceilings constructed prior to 1970 were often made with asbestos-containing materials. Asbestos is a fire-retardant material that also serves as a sound barrier. It was commonly used because of its ease of of use and cost effectiveness. If your ceiling contains asbestos, you need to either leave it intact or contact qualified professionals to remove it. Local and state regulations against asbestos removal may prevent you from doing it on your own. Asbestos is now linked to certain types of lung cancer, such as mesothelioma.

Installation

• Because many of the materials designed to cover ceilings have a self-adhesive backing, the installation of tiles is fairly simple. Measure your ceiling space to get a rough idea of how many ceiling tiles you will need to put in place. Make note of any obstacles such as lights, ceiling fans and vents that you may have to cut around. Plan for these in advance so that you can easily work around them. Many ceiling tiles come in a lightweight material such as a durable Styrofoam. Some companies offer lightweight woodlike planks that can provide you another option.