Popcorn must go before painting?

Question

my house has popcorn ceilings everywhere! i'm not a fan especially when painting. what is the best way to remove it so i have a flat surface to paint on?

a friend scraped (w/spactula) and puttied. my hubby suggested sanding. please help.

Answer 1

How old is your house?  I believe if it is very old, it could contain asbestos, in which case, you don't want to scrape, sand or disturb it, call a pro.

Answer 2

this wears me out

with a bug sprayer wet the ceiling and scrape off the popcorn and let dry and paint, it won't be perfectly smooth but it will be acceptably smooth.

it's a terrible mess i do not envy you