Plank Paneling or Beadboard to Cover Popcorn Ceiling?

[Tim Porsche]

Hey All, would love to get your collective opinions on something. I have about 600 sq. feet worth of popcorn ceilings in a newly purchased property that I'm trying to figure out how to deal with. My options seem to be...

1. Leave it alone

2. Remove the popcorn drywall and replace with new drywall

3. Scrape the popcorn off, patch and dings, and repaint

4. Install something like beadboard or white plank paneling directly over the popcorn

Option 1 I definitely don't want to do, option 2 is doable but significantly more expensive than option 3 or 4. Option 3 is extremely hard to do because this popcorn ceiling has been painted, making it very difficult to scrape off even after wetting it down thoroughly. That leaves me with option 4 which would be very cost effective and relatively simple to do...cut the planks to the correct size, find the joists with a stud finder, and nail them up after applying an adhesive to them as well. 

My question is, would beadboard or plank panels for a ceiling look okay in a class B or C+ rental? Will it add any value to the home? Surely it would better than the popcorn right? What are your thoughts and what would you do? 

[JD Martin]

Be careful. Depending on the age that popcorn might have asbestos in it. What's your ultimate purpose here - rent or resell? If rent, I wouldn't bother with it at all. 

I had my drywaller redo one with 1/4" drywall right on top. Was solid as a rock when he was done. And it was surprisingly cheap (not as cheap as scraping), and since there was damaged spots on the popcorn it was a good solution.