popcorn ceiling
Textured ceiling finish
A popcorn ceiling has a bumpy, textured surface resembling popcorn—created by spraying on a mixture containing small particles.
Popular in American homes from the 1950s through 1980s, these ceilings hid imperfections and dampened sound.
Many homeowners now scrape them off, viewing the texture as dated: We spent the weekend removing the popcorn ceiling in the living room.
Uneven in surface
- roughUneven in surface
- unevenNot smooth or balanced
- pittedSeed removed, or opposed
- coarseRough in texture
grainy · stippled · dimpled · raised · cratered · mottled · speckled · lumpy
Fourth decade, twentieth century
- 1980sFourth-to-last twentieth-century decade
- datedOld-fashioned or courted
- vintageQuality from past eras
- retroEvoking recent past
midcentury · outdated · tract home · suburban · nostalgia · old-fashioned · eyesore · unfashionable
Dispersed liquid droplets
- splatterScatter in drops
- hopperTapered dispensing container
- compressorPressure-increasing mechanical device
- nozzleFlow-directing pipe fitting
aggregate · vermiculite · styrofoam · mixture · drywall · joint compound · mud · plaster
Likely to cause injury
- abatementDecrease in force
- mesotheliomaMalignancy of organ linings
- fibersThreadlike structural strands
- carcinogenCancer-promoting agent
exposure · inhalation · toxicity · friable · regulations · testing · certified · containment
Preventing noise transmission
- absorptionProcess of taking in
- noise reductionDecreasing auditory interference
- dampeningReducing or wetting slightly
- echoReflected sound wave
reverberation · insulation · deadening · quiet · buffer · sound barrier
Rubbing away material
- wettingAdding moisture to
- drop clothProtective covering for surfaces
- sandingFriction-smoothing a surface
- skim coatThin finishing plaster
smoothing · renovation · remodel · DIY · labor-intensive · messy · disposal · testing
Blow causing a fall
- orange peelCitrus fruit's outer layer
- swirlRotating, curving movement
- rosebudUnopened flower head
- stompTread heavily
splatter · stipple · crow's feet · comb · acoustic tile · smooth · flat
bumpy
Uneven in surface
coarse · grainy · stippled · dimpled · raised · cratered · mottled · speckled · lumpy · nubbly
1970s
Fourth decade, twentieth century
- 1980sFourth-to-last twentieth-century decade
- datedOld-fashioned or courted
- vintageQuality from past eras
retro · midcentury · outdated · tract home · suburban · nostalgia · old-fashioned · eyesore · unfashionable
spray
Dispersed liquid droplets
- splatterScatter in drops
- hopperTapered dispensing container
- compressorPressure-increasing mechanical device
nozzle · aggregate · vermiculite · styrofoam · mixture · drywall · joint compound · mud · plaster · substrate
hazardous
Likely to cause injury
- abatementDecrease in force
- mesotheliomaMalignancy of organ linings
- fibersThreadlike structural strands
carcinogen · exposure · inhalation · toxicity · friable · regulations · testing · certified · containment · respirator
soundproofing
Preventing noise transmission
- absorptionProcess of taking in
- noise reductionDecreasing auditory interference
- dampeningReducing or wetting slightly
echo · reverberation · insulation · deadening · quiet · buffer · sound barrier
scraping
Rubbing away material
- wettingAdding moisture to
- drop clothProtective covering for surfaces
- sandingFriction-smoothing a surface
skim coat · smoothing · renovation · remodel · DIY · labor-intensive · messy · disposal · testing · encapsulation
knockdown
Blow causing a fall
- orange peelCitrus fruit's outer layer
- swirlRotating, curving movement
- rosebudUnopened flower head
stomp · splatter · stipple · crow's feet · comb · acoustic tile · smooth · flat
- dated decorshag carpet, harvest gold, wood paneling, brass fixtures, floral wallpaper
- 70s decoravocado green, burnt orange, harvest gold, shag carpet, shag rug
- interior finishespaint, drywall, flooring, tile, carpet
- ceilingssuspended, acoustic tiles, acoustic tile, exposed beams, coffered
- ceiling materialstin tiles, drywall, acoustic panels, wood panels, tiles
- plasterworkstucco, skim coat, finish coat, scratch coat, rendering
popcorn ceilingorange peel texture
Bumpy, dimpled surface finish
glass ceiling · coffered ceiling · tray ceiling · tin ceiling
corn, popcorn, popped, popping, corns, corny, corniest, ceiling, ceilings