Artex ceiling with paper underneath

Posted by Howard Reeves, on Thu 28 Nov 2013 07:12pm

My ceiling is artex can I skim over this or should I board over this??

Michael Tucker

Fri 03 Jan 2014 08:54am

Hello Alison, Welcome to this site. You can skim over this, but to do so you will have to scrap the high spots off and I would suggest you get the artex tested for asbestos before doing so. Simply put your job on this site with a budget of £100 and you will be sorted. tradesmen pay for the opportunity to quote on your job. It is important to give tradesmen contacting you the opportunity to do so, the advice you receive is free. You are not obliged to use any of them. Regards Michael

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steve ralph

Tue 10 Dec 2013 05:19pm

Hi howard it is always best to strip back to original ceiling and reskim regards steve

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Nish Maroo

Thu 28 Nov 2013 10:34pm

Hi, before think of skimming your ceiling think what is Artex? Artex is a trade name for a 'stipple finish surface'. Lots of local companies will remove it for you at cost. In the industry we assume it is dangerous and don't touch it at all, we test it. The test takes around 10 days to be discovered clear or not. All 'Artex' has been free of asbestos for around 20-30 years now, so if it is new then it will be clear. If you don't know how old it is, then you can get it tested. So use your judgement, if your house was built in 1990, then it will be clear! Before any plaster is done please remove Artex by using a wallpaper steamer, steam it off carefully, get it very wet. Whilst it is wet it is harmless, and 'Artex' contains low levels of asbestos dust anyway, but still dangerous amounts. As it is the dust that causes ill health, I would remove it wet, and steam it gently. Take your time and bag it up and seal the bags closed. Take them to the local tip and tell them they may be asbestos. Red asbestos bags are available from GOOD suppliers of construction equipment, they will have 'asbestos do not open' written on them. If you don't feel comfortable doing this in your home, then call an expert in. Please be careful before any steps are taken. Thank you

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Dean Wilkins

Thu 28 Nov 2013 08:36pm

Generally you'd have no problem skimming over artex but this is a bit different,There is a possibility that when the ceiling is skimmed it will soak through to the paper under the artex and cause the plaster to start bubbling and it will peel away , Best option is to overboard and skim Thanks

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Andrew McDonald

Thu 28 Nov 2013 08:20pm

Artex can be plastered over however with paper underneath its not ideal if its totally solid and has no bubbles from when it was artexed it is possible if it can be stripped that would always be the right thing to do

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