Do I HAVE to texture a ceiling before I paint it?

I am getting ready to renovate a house...or hire someone to do it. Anyway, I am having someone take down the accoustic popcorn ceiling...I just hate it. And I want to repaint. I want a smooth modern look. But my mother-in-law is swearing that I have to put a texture down first. She says I have to use a ';knock down'; texture than I can repaint it. She says no one has a smooth ceiling, that everyones has a knock down texture. I am looking at my current house's ceiling and it doesn't look like I have any texture at all. Does anyone have any experience with this? Can someone settle this for us?Do I HAVE to texture a ceiling before I paint it?
i have a flat ceiling and i LOVE it!!! never listen to your in-laws j/k...hehehe....





flat ceilings actually look cleaner, i think. i'll never go back to popcorn ceiling again in my life.Do I HAVE to texture a ceiling before I paint it?
If your hiring someone then you should make sure its understood you want the ceiling smooth. Ive taken down textured ceilings before mostly Popcorn and made the ceiling smooth. If your doing it yourself buy a cheap steamer from a Home Center and use the hose to apply steam to the Texture then scrape it of, when you finish you need to sand with an electric sander then spackle with joint compound. Do not apply a knockdown texture unless your looking to hide something!
man i don't know what these people are trying to feed you. if you got rid of the popcorn and your cieling is flat and smooth and your happy with it's apearence then all you have to do is prime and paint. the thicker the roller you use the more of a stipple effect you will have.
the best type of ceiling to have is; the type you like. you are the one whom has to live with it. not dear ole mother-in-law or anyone else for that matter. if you decide to do any type of texture, you can save time and a few steps by adding the color of paint you want to the compound you use.
ok first of all Yes, you have to texture the wall/ceiling before you paint it. All you do is buy some compound and spread it evenly on the wall/ceiling and wen it starts drying take a 9';roller attatchment and roll it over the compound there is a specific roller for this they have them at any hardware store. then after ur done with that go back wit the trough that u used to spread the stuff and knock off the hard pointy stuff... and then paint..... personally i make this stuff thats extra sturdy u take the 5 gallon bucket of joint compound split it up into another 5 gallon bucket mix in a bag of plaster of paris then add some sand for more texture helps hide the cracks in the wall and it gives the stuff sumthing to grab onto making it a harder finish but thats just me and the bag of plaster of paris cost like the same amount as the 5 gallon bucket of compound so its your call O and a knock down ceiling is nothing more than the way they put it up just quick easy in an out job its made for the consumer/owner/renovater to paint it
Please follow the link below. There is much more to it that you need to know. :) Good luck!
Ummmmm. Nnnnnnno. You can have any ceiling texture you want. I prefer a smooth ceiling myself. Popcorn ceilings are awful.