When working on your home’s interior design, it can be difficult to decide how you should paint your ceilings.

Both textured and smooth ceilings have their own benefits, but they also come with drawbacks. Luckily, though, it won’t take long to decide which one is best for you.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about textured ceilings vs smooth.

So, Which Do I Choose?

While the answer to this question will mostly depend on your taste, there’s a handful of other factors to consider about each style.

Read on to explore the pros and cons of…

Textured Ceilings: Pros

While the ‘popcorn’ style of ceiling texture has been removed and replaced throughout the years by the “orange peel” texture, not everyone is sure if it’s the ideal style for them.

Here are some of its most outstanding positive aspects:

It’s Easy to Hide Blemishes

Since a textured ceiling is so ‘busy’ design-wise, it’s harder to notice any scratches, waviness, painting imperfections, etc. As such, it doesn’t require a high level of maintenance.

It should be noted, though, that dust can sometimes cling to the edges of the ceiling’s textured segments, especially on popcorn textures, so make sure you give it a light dusting every now and again.

It’s Cheaper

As previously mentioned, textured ceilings can help mask imperfections. This means less skimming and less sanding. So, it doesn’t take as long to install as a smooth ceiling or require as much material.

This also means that you’ll pay a contractor less money to complete the job or save extra time if you decide to do it on your own.

It Helps Reduce Noise

Smooth surfaces allow sound to pass through far more easily than textured surfaces. They also reflect sound far more efficiently, making echo and reverb much more apparent.

While nowhere near as efficient as soundproofing, textured ceilings can help decrease the noise you hear from other rooms (as well as reduce the noise that can be heard from the room with the textured ceiling).

Textured Ceilings: Cons

This type of ceiling isn’t perfect, though, and it comes with its share of drawbacks. Whether these are enough of a deterrent is up to you, but they’re worth keeping in mind.

Let’s dive in.

The Look is a Bit Dated

Although textured ceilings are currently used in many homes, some people might view its appearance as outdated or unappealing. If you’re looking to make your house look as contemporary as possible, this is something to keep in mind.

Repair Is More Difficult

If a portion of your ceiling becomes damaged, replacement isn’t as easy as painting over it. It will require a new texture to try and match the existing texture. Sometimes the area being re-textured will have to be several times larger than the repair in order to blend the new texture more evenly.

Textures that don’t match the original ceiling will be immediately noticeable and may take away from its aesthetic. Unless you’re skilled with repairing this type of material, you’ll likely need to hire a contractor to do it.

Older Ceilings Could Have Asbestos

Before 1977, asbestos was commonly used in this type of ceiling. Additionally, contaminated textured ceilings were still sold after this year.

If your home was built before 1980 and has textured ceilings, you may need to contact a professional to test for asbestos and remove any contaminated segments.

Long-term exposure to asbestos has many detrimental health effects, so it’s vital to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

Smooth Ceilings: Pros

As with textured ceilings, smooth ceilings come with various benefits. Here are some of the most significant:

It’s a Modern Look

Smooth ceilings and walls are all the rage right now, and the best way to achieve a modern look. Heavier textures, especially popcorn texture, are outdated and being replaced quickly.

Raises The Ceiling

Since smooth ceilings are completely flat, they create the illusion that the ceiling is higher than it actually is. For rooms that feel cramped due to small square footage or the presence of furniture, a smooth ceiling can help create more sense of space.

Easy to Clean and Repair

Repairing a damaged untextured ceiling is simpler than trying to match an existing texture. Cleaning one is even easier since there is less texture to trap dust and dirt.

If you’re looking to keep your maintenance as infrequent as possible, smooth ceilings are likely the right choice for you.

Smooth Ceilings: Cons

There are drawbacks to smooth ceilings. However, they’re often not deal-breakers for those who can’t decide what type of ceiling they want.

Read on to take a look.

They Show Imperfections Easily

Depending on what a room with smooth ceilings is being used for, it may never experience imperfections. But, if you’re using the space as a game room or as a playroom for kids, it’s not impossible for a stray ball or object to scuff or perforate it.

With a smooth surface, dents and dings don’t have anywhere to hide and are much more obvious. If you’re someone who easily notices imperfections, you’ll likely be significantly bothered by this.

It Doesn’t Reduce Noise

For those who need to reduce noise from either inside or outside the room, this type of ceiling won’t do much for you.

If you happen to use this room for recording things like voiceover work, you’ll also need a bit more sound treatment to compensate for the increased sound reflections smooth ceilings give off.

It Costs More Money

This is really the biggest downside to smooth ceilings; they just cost more. Since a ceiling texture can help hide imperfections, a smooth finish requires a lot more work. And this of course means a higher cost. Extra labor will be required to skim the entire ceiling with drywall mud, and then sand every square inch of ceiling.

The difference in the amount of labor and materials required to achieve a smooth finish over a light texture is surprising to many people, and is easily the biggest downside for most.

Deciding Between Textured Ceilings Vs Smooth Can Seem Difficult

But it doesn’t have to be.

With the above information about textured ceilings vs smooth in mind, you’ll be well on your way to making the best decision for your home’s appearance.

Still have questions about the two? Feel free to get in touch with us to see how we can help.