Ceiling bits are falling off!!

infection0

Hi all, I'm a college student that just moved into a new apartment and am sharing a very small room with someone. I got a full size loft bed from IKEA so I could have enough room to fit my desk and dresser underneath it. In fact, all of the space in the room that belongs to me is under this full size bed. This setup would be perfect if not for three annoyances. I'm only asking for help with one of them here, but I'll list them all:

1) The ceiling to my apartment is pretty low (8 ft standard) and the stupid loft bed sits very close to the ceiling. I cannot sit up in my bed without hitting it.

2) The ceiling is a "popcorn" type, there is a chunky type of texture to it. For some reason, every time I touch (sometimes even breathe on) it, little chunks fall off and wind up on my bed. I wake up in the morning covered in white chunks.

3) The stupid bed squeaks like crazy whenever I get on it or move in it (not even talking athletics here). Whenever the bed rocks back and forth, even slightly, you can hear squeaking.

So, I plan to dismantle my bed in the future and saw off the legs to lower it. I'll ask for help on that later... but the most important problem is that ceiling. I have tried a makeshift cover with butcher paper and duct tape, but woke up in the morning with the entire sheet of butcher paper on my face (the duct tape could not adhere to the popcorn ceiling, and furthermore the duct tape just ended up pulling off the bits and not sticking)

I need a new plan. Ideally, I would like it to look half decent and not like I'm living in a pigsty... but if I have to make it ugly to solve this problem, I am prepared to do it. I would really like not to damage the apartment, as I'd have to pay for that. So drilling isn't a very good option. I am OK with painting, but don't know what kind of paint/glue mix I'd have to use to get the bits to stay up there. I'm thinking about using double-sided 3M tape to stick saran wrap up there, or using a full size flat sheet and thumbtacking it up. I really don't know what will work and what won't. I think you can all tell I'm new at this DIY stuff. So, please help with your advice and ideas! Oh, and any help concerning my other problems would be great too.

Sorry I typed such a long thing. And... first post!

TazinCR

Saw the legs off now. The joint compound used to texture is very brittle and not meant to be rubbed against. Painting may help a little but not like lowering your bed.

__________________
I may go home hungry, but not tired and hungry.

Big Bob

agree, lower the bed now.

Painting: poorly adhered acoustical texture (popcorn) can be a PITA. You will need to paint the entire ceiling or it will really look(lose your deposit) funny.

even if you have experience painting this type you risk removing large sections of texture...then locating proper size texture for repair ...then risk painting again....

(hints: don't have too much paint on the roller. roll in one direction..do not back roll or (go back to a spot you missed until all is dry.)

Spray painting is less of a risk. But lots of cover-up and content manipulation.



"Brain storm" some posters or cloth installed with rosettes or lattice strip nailed to ceiling joists. ( when you are ready to move you can repair small nail holes with cheap white caulking) ( gun and caulk $ 5).

If bed is metal: learn now early in life, you have two good friends wd-40 and duct tape. Try the wd-40 and tighten everything. Keep the wd40 close by.

infection0

Big Bob: The bed is indeed metal.

Thanks both of you for your great advice. I went to the hardware store today and bought a hacksaw and a can of WD-40. I also went to Target and bought nails and a full size flat sheet. I nailed the flat sheet to the ceiling (didn't bother finding the joists, I don't have the equipment to and holding up the cloth doesn't require too much grip). It works great, and doesn't look too bad. In the near future I will disassemble the bed, saw off the legs, and reassemble everything with WD-40.

I've been thinking about adding some kind of brace in the wall so that the bed quits moving around so much (it shakes quite a bit). What's the best way to do that?

yesitsconcrete

sleep alone don't bother askin' those other 2 guys - they're older