It could be authentic, turn-of-the-century decorative molding, in which case DONT DESTROY IT. It is unique and historic and timeless. I would have a plasterer check it out (not a dry-waller!) or send a photo to an expert. Our molding added significant value to our house, believe it or not. Many people in our hood drywalled over their molding and are regretting it bigtime.

Wow, it's lovely! Tacky doesn't seem like the right word, even if you don't like it. Not sure what the detailing is called though.

This is not a "Good Question". This is tragic.

I don't think yours is turn-of-century decorative molding like "cm" says, it looks too contemporary, esp. the ceiling detail, and those ceiling plates can be purchased anywhere. Although, it could be the modern fan that is throwing me off. What year was your home built and do the neighbors have the same detail?
But, regarding your question, I would hire a pro. Ceiling work is quite tedious mostly due to the nature of the angle. It's very uncomfortable!

I don't think Ann is talking about the molding around the fan at all--it's the swirly pattern on the ceiling itself.

Unfortunately, I have no idea how to fix that up.

I am guessing the question is about the ceiling itself and not the medalion. My house has the same stuff. It's plaster hand troweled over the ceiling. It was done in the 40s and 50s in lots of older homes. While I do not agree that it is "tacky" I can understand the desire for simpler, cleaner ceilings. There's no easy fix. In some homes, it was done to cover old, dated wall paper on the ceilings (this is the case in my house). If you are lucky, you can discover if this is the case, and try taking down the paper. It's a messy and time consuming (and back breaking) process. It can be skim coated over, but there is no guarantee that it will turn out flat and smooth. Finding someone talented and honest enough to do it at a reasonable cost is challenging to say the least.

I think we are looking at two things. The ceiling itself (swirled texture) and the medallion around the fan.

If the medallion is plaster, I'd preserve it. If it's plastic, up to you.

The texture on the ceiling is the forerunner of popcorn. I don't know for certain, but always assumed it was both decorative and a way to minimize the need for perfection -- lots of old ceilings aren't going to be absolutely flat.

This look can be done with real plaster or with drywall compound. (Maybe even with thick paint, not so sure about that...) You can probably sand it smooth with an orbital sander (after taping and protecting the rest of the house with plastic sheeting, of course) but I'd research more first. (You might even ask a real estate agent whether that feature is a keeper in a vintage home...)

I would be careful, some of that ceiling stuff had asbestos in it prior to 1980. Here is a link detailing the process of how someone else removed their testured ceilings:

http://www.homeenvy.com/db/4/914.html

Looks like artex plastering to me, very common over here in the UK. Having had a peek on Google, it looks like there are a few DIY products out there that you could try.

the ceiling looks good to me, the problem is the modern ceiling fan is a total mismatch. Do you need a fan in the room? a chandelier, even a $20 craigslist find spray painted a modern color, would look 10x better. school house electric also has plenty of lights that wood look great with that. replacing the light/fan will likely be a lot cheaper than paying someone to smooth the ceiling.

@cm - I don't believe it is turn of the century decorative molding because you can still see drywaller "artistry" in 1970 and 1980 homes who wanted a little extra flair instead of cottage cheese ceilings. Also, she doesn't say it's an old house. Check out Lowe's and Home Depot and you can still buy the drywall brushes that create this using drywall mud. Very time-consuming and messy to remove yourself so I would hire a professional to smooth out your ceilings.

Tacky? ;_; No no no.

But if you really want a smooth ceiling, talk to the pros. It takes skill to make a ceiling without cracks or ripples.

Realistically, to get a good result, you need to use drywall. If it's possible, on top of the plaster. If not, then the ceiling would have to come down. There is some crown molding barely visible in the image. If that and the medallion are also plaster, it is a shame someone plastered the field in that modern swirl. If they are fypon pieces, then no problem. Have you thought about paint to minimize the look? Just painting that ceiling the same color as the walls (unless it's very dark) could go a long way towards making it less noticeable. It goes without saying that you should have a professional evaluate for asbestos before you do a single thing. You may not have as many options as you think.

I know home depot has a scraper meant for removing the texture from ceilings. It comes with a bag attached to catch the stuff you scrap off. Not sure how well it works. But if you can afford it, I'd hire a professional especially if it does/could contain asbestos.

And btw, I love the contrast between the style of the ceiling and the more modern fan. I'd tackle some other projects before worrying about this ceiling. It looks lovely! (In my opinion)

Oh what a shame, that ceiling is lovely! I can see that the medallian around the fan (not to mention the fan itself) doesn't really match.

If you really want to smooth it (I'm guessing you want a more modern look to match the fan?), it isn't really a DIY kind of project. You'll want to hire a drywall guy to remud the ceiling.

oh dear god that swirly ceiling stuff is awful...good luck on your endeavor.

That texture was typically applied to cover imperfections in the ceiling. I wouldn't have it torn out. My parents house has this in all of the bedrooms. One ceiling needed some repair (electrical) and rather than trying to match it, they had a plaster texture sprayed on top of it after a light sanding. Not popcorn type texture, much more smooth in overall appearance.

That swirled plaster business was really popular in the '60s (um, that's 1960s, not 1860s!), and it's totally incongruous with the Victorian-style moldings I see in the distance. I can't tell if the medallion is plaster or a resin/plastic repro, but again, it's not the same style as the textured ceiling.

To each his or her own, but I think these swirled ceilings are horrible -- on the same level as popcorn ceilings, and I understand completely why Ann wants to get rid of hers! They were put up to hide cracks, repairs, and other imperfections without having to use (and pay for) a skilled plasterer.

In order to avoid damaging the moldings (assuming they are plaster/original), I would recommend having the highest points of the swirls sanded down, and then getting a REALLY skilled plasterer to go over the whole thing and give you a smooth surface. You could cover it with drywall, but then you'll lose the profile of your moldings (which, if they're synthetic repros, might be just fine).

One VERY important thing to keep in mind: Depending on the age of the textured plaster, it COULD contain asbestos. You definitely do NOT want to be sanding or otherwise abrading anything with asbestos in it. Whatever you do, I strongly advise you to get the material tested for asbestos content before removing it.

I have a swirly ceiling and would love to get rid of it. I looked at videos on youtube a little while ago and it looks like vinegar and water will make it come off without a ton of scraping.

I have not done mine yet, because, even though I hate it, there are bigger fish to fry in my 1969 condo.

I'd say: indeed horrible, tacky swirls. Probably 50´s or 60´s like Anna at D16 says. Most probably plastic/raisin medaillon because it's quite obvious it was added after (or on top of) the swirly plaster job. General mismach, engrossed by the ventilator which, in itself, is quite nice.
My idea would actually be: maybe you might consider to suspend the ceiling and give it an extra layer of insulation. Given, of course, that you own the place.

Aww... I actually like the ceiling! (My only issue is that the molding doesn't match the fan... yikes!)

<3 NorNor

I do not think the ceiling is tacky, I would lose the fan instead. If you really hate it, hire a pro.

Just don't look up.

If you're speaking of the ceiling itself... We had a pretty bad plaster job on one of our ceilings. Rather than mess with scraping it off, we had our drywall guy essentially put up a wooden slat buffer and hang another piece of drywall under that, which he then finished. It lowered the ceiling around an inch, but it was done in a day and not messy at all.

I would much rather this than my popcorn ceilings. Blech.

That being said, I'd say this is a big job for a professional. Echoing others, if this is a really old home, you may have to have an expert remove asbestos or to deal with lead-based paints so you'd probably want to make sure you had a large budget in place before you take this on.

Assuming you do, try consulting local heritage offices or home inspectors in the area to find out exact dates of construction or renovations, etc. (commenters here can only be so knowledgeable if they don't know where you live and more info on the house itself) and then look into hiring a very reputable crew who will do the job well so you don't endanger your self.

If you decide to get rid of it be very careful. As mentioned above, it likely contains asbestos fibers.

Scraping it off could be very bad for your health!

Yeah my mom had that done in her house in the 70's. Go to a hardware store. Not Lowe's or Home Depot but a real hardware store with old guys. Show the old guys the photo. When I needed to scrape the paint job off my bathroom tile they were the ones that knew what to do. If you have one in your neighborhood they could also tell you who still does plaster work, who used to do plaster work, who not to ask, etc...

This is a total-commitment removal job. If you start scraping and sanding and then change your mind, it's going to look way worse (I speak from experience in the popcorn ceiling removal realm).

Painting it a darker color may minimize the effect.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about the asbestos -- it would probably only take a week of sanding to get it off, and if you wear a mask you should be okay. I think it takes years of exposure for asbestos to be cancer causing.

you take a hammer and rip out the drywall its attached to...

but seriously... paint scraper, then re-plaster over the drywall (or hire a day laborer and let it be his headache)

I feel compelled to chime in on the asbestos danger. I lost someone I loved to it. Don't chance it. Test it. Your state gov't can hook you up with a testing company. Wet small piece--make sure it's wet, so you don't make dust--chip off a corner, and mail it in to be tested. Then, no matter what you decide to do, you'll know you're safe.

If you're in the Boston area, check out Golio Plastering dot com.

Every single wall in my apartment is swirled like this. I'm not joking.

It's the ceiling fan that has to go! The plaster mount around it looks to match the beautiful crown moulding--that's all a keeper. Just paint the textured ceiling a darker color, change the fan to a classy/campy chandelier, and you will have something beautiful! Don't worry about the swirls: they're not ideal, but they are not half as tacky as the fan.

wow, thank you for so many comments!

it is most definitely not a turn-of-century decorative work. The building is old, but not that old and it's been gutted and renovated 3 years ago - perhaps they kept the original ceiling detailed, but it would likely be from the 60s or 70s. It still looks too new for that, though. What you don't see in this photo is that the other half of the room doesn't have this detail and it's a complete mismatch. We're still a little puzzled by it all.

Well, looks like for now, we'll just be moving the fan as it seems to be a big job to smooth the ceiling. Thanks for all the feedback!!

ann

I've performed this exact project on my house. I have done it two ways...one of which I will never repeat again. First, this stuff is put on with regular plaster mix...there is no asbestos to worry about.

The first time I removed this type of decoration I soaked it with water and tried to scrape it off. That did not work at all. Because the ceiling had been painted previously, the water did not soak into the plaster well enough. I ended up letting it dry and then sanding it off. It made a huge mess even with one of the sanders that vacumes the air through a bucket of water. When i finally got it sanded, I had to end up doing a bunch of patch work and skim coating the entire ceiling to get it smooth. The project ended up costing me several hundred dollars in plaster and two full weekends. Do not do it this way.

I smartened up a little when I took this project on in another room. I sealed off the room with plastic, stuck a fan in the window blowing outside and pulled down all of the old drywall. For a 16x 12 room this took no more than 30 mins including the time to take the fan down. The next hour was spent installing the new drywall. I hired someone to tape the seams and finish the ceiling. The pro came and taped the seams in less than half an hour. Then he came back the next day to put on the second coat and reinstalled the fan..again he was in and out in less than half an hour and the project was complete. The only thing left is to paint. I paid the guy 100 dollars for this.

so, basically you have two choices...sand and be miserable for weeks, or rip it out quickly and install new.