Artex Removal & Application

The Artex Question

Artex and similar textured coatings were hugely popular in UK homes from the 1960s through to the 1990s. Walk into almost any East Kent property built or renovated during this period and you are likely to find textured ceilings, and sometimes walls, in one or more rooms. Common patterns include swirl, stipple, fan, bark and the distinctive “broken leather” effect.

While artex was considered fashionable at the time, tastes have changed dramatically. Smooth, flat ceilings are now the overwhelming preference, and artex is one of the most common things homeowners want to update when renovating.

However, there is an important consideration that must be addressed before any artex work begins: asbestos.

Lee on the asbestos conversation

Any artex that pre-dates 1990, I treat as potentially containing asbestos until it’s been tested. I’ll always raise it with the customer at the quote stage, and if they don’t know when the artex was applied, I’ll recommend a test before we start. The test isn’t expensive, and it gives everyone peace of mind. My preferred method is overboarding rather than scraping, because overboarding doesn’t disturb the artex at all and that takes the asbestos question off the table completely. The downside is overboarding costs more than skimming, so a lot of customers will go for the skim-over option, which is still safe as long as you don’t sand or scrape.

Asbestos in Artex

Artex products manufactured before 1990 commonly contained chrysotile (white asbestos) as a reinforcing fibre. When the artex is intact and undisturbed, the asbestos fibres are safely encapsulated within the coating and present no health risk. The danger arises when the artex is sanded, scraped, drilled or otherwise disturbed, potentially releasing asbestos fibres into the air.

Our Position on Asbestos

We take a responsible, clear approach:

1. We always ask when the artex was applied (or when the property was built/renovated)
2. We strongly recommend testing any artex applied before 1990, or where the date is unknown
3. We will not sand, scrape or mechanically disturb artex unless it has been confirmed asbestos-free by a UKAS-accredited laboratory
4. We can skim over artex regardless of asbestos content, as this process does not disturb the existing surface

This is not about being overly cautious. Asbestos-related diseases are serious and entirely preventable. A £30 test is a small price for peace of mind.

Getting Your Artex Tested

Testing is straightforward:

1. Dampen a small area of the artex with water spray
2. Wearing a disposable mask and gloves, carefully cut or prise off a small sample (roughly 2cm x 2cm)
3. Place the sample in a sealed plastic bag
4. Send it to a UKAS-accredited laboratory for analysis

Results typically come back within a few working days. If you are uncomfortable taking the sample yourself, we can recommend local asbestos surveyors who will do it for you.

Lee on testing

I’ll help customers arrange testing as part of the job. Testing is normally handled through the local council, which is straightforward and not expensive. The customer can take the sample themselves following the proper precautions, or arrange a surveyor to come in. Either way, my position is: don’t disturb pre-1990 artex without testing first. I’d rather walk away from a job than scrape something that turns out to contain asbestos.

Option 1: Skimming Over Artex

This is by far the most popular approach and the one we carry out most frequently. Skimming over artex gives you a smooth ceiling without the mess, time and potential asbestos risk of removal.

The Process

Preparation: We protect the room with dust sheets and mask off any surfaces that need shielding. The artex surface is checked for loose areas or flaking, and any loose material is stabilised or removed.

Bonding Agent: We apply blue grit (a gritite-style bonding agent) to the entire artex surface. This creates a textured key that the plaster can grip to, as artex is typically smooth-surfaced despite its patterns and can reject standard plaster.

First Skim Coat: A layer of Thistle Multi-Finish is spread across the ceiling, working the plaster into the artex pattern and building up enough thickness to begin levelling the surface. This coat is left to firm up.

Second Skim Coat: A thinner coat is applied and trowelled to a smooth, flat finish. The skill here is in getting the timing right - each trowelling pass needs to happen at the correct stage of the plaster’s setting process.

Result: A smooth, flat ceiling that looks identical to a freshly plastered ceiling. Once dried and decorated, there is no way to tell that artex was ever there.

Considerations

• Very deep artex patterns (thick stipple or heavy bark effects) may show a ghost of the pattern through a standard skim. In these cases, we may apply a thicker base coat first.
• Artex on walls can also be skimmed over using the same process.
• The ceiling does gain a small amount of additional weight from the plaster, but this is well within the capacity of standard ceiling joists and plasterboard.

Lee on stubborn artex patterns

Deep stipple patterns can be a pain because the high points need a thicker coat to bury them properly. Early in my career I had a couple of horror stories where I plastered over artex that had been applied on paper, and the whole lot came down in sheets. That taught me to check what the artex is sitting on, not just the artex itself. Now I’ll either overboard for the cleanest result, or use grit grip PVA before skimming if I’m going over a deep pattern. The grit PVA gives the plaster something to hold onto and lets you build up enough thickness to flatten the pattern out properly.

Option 2: Artex Removal

If the artex has been confirmed asbestos-free and you want it removed entirely (rather than covered), we can do this too.

Steam and Scrape Method

The most common removal method. The artex is dampened with steam or warm water, which softens it, and then carefully scraped off using broad scrapers. This is time-consuming but effective. The key is patience - rushing the process damages the plasterboard or plaster underneath.

Chemical Remover

Proprietary artex remover products (such as X-Tex) are painted or sprayed onto the surface and left to penetrate. They soften the artex, making it much easier to scrape off. This method is less physically demanding but takes longer overall due to the dwell time required.

After Removal

Once the artex is removed, the underlying surface usually needs attention. If the artex was on plasterboard, the surface is often scuffed and pitted from the scraping process and will need a skim coat. If it was on an old plaster ceiling, the surface may be uneven and again requires skimming.

This is why removal is almost always more expensive than skimming over - you still end up needing to skim the ceiling anyway, plus you have the removal cost and time on top.

Option 3: New Textured Finishes

While rare, some customers do want a textured ceiling finish - perhaps to match other rooms in the house, or because they simply prefer the look. Modern textured coating products are asbestos-free and available in a range of patterns.

We can apply new textured finishes using products from Artex-brand or similar, creating patterns to match existing textures or in new designs. This is also useful for insurance or landlord work where matching an existing finish is required.

Lee on applying new artex

Honestly, very rarely. Most people want artex gone, not put up. I’ll apply it if a customer specifically asks, but I’ll always have a conversation first about whether they really want it, because it’s a dated look and they may be limiting the value of the property. Nine times out of ten the conversation ends with the customer choosing a smooth finish instead. I won’t push back if they’re set on artex, but I won’t pretend it’s a current style either.

Ceilings vs Walls

While artex is most commonly found on ceilings, it was also applied to walls in many East Kent homes. The same principles and processes apply to artex on walls - test for asbestos first, then skim over or remove as preferred.

Wall artex is actually slightly easier to work with than ceiling artex, as the plasterer is working at a more comfortable angle and gravity is working in their favour rather than against.

What to Expect

• Timescale: Skimming over artex in a standard room typically takes one day. Removal takes one to two days plus a day for skimming.
• Disruption: The room needs to be cleared of furniture or have it moved to the centre. Dust sheets are used throughout. There will be some mess, but less than a full replaster.
• Drying: Fresh plaster needs 2-4 weeks to dry before painting. A mist coat of diluted emulsion should be applied first.
• Cost: Skimming over artex is comparable in cost to a standard ceiling skim. Removal adds significantly to the price due to the additional labour involved.