There are various ways to remove artex. One option is to remove it with a sander, however this is not advisable as some artex, especially in older houses, can contain asbestos and sanding pushes tiny particles of asbestos into the air which you may then inhale. A safer alternative option is to use a steamer and a scraper and manually remove the artex which is a lot harder than it sounds and could therefore take you a while. Another way to remove artex from your wall is to skim or plaster over it. This can be quite a big job and unless you have plastering experience and for that reason is better left to a professional plasterer like the expert plasterers and screeders that can be found on www.localtraders.com.

If you do want to tackle the DIY plastering job yourself then you will need to follow a few steps. The first is always fill any cracks and remove any loose chips of artex or your plaster may crack and fall off taking you back to square one. Once this is done you will need a good coat of pva glue on the artex, to help the plaster bond to the wall or ceiling. Finally make sure you get at least 2 coats of plaster or more over the artex when skimming to give a good clean smooth coat to your ceiling or wall and once dry you should have a clean smooth surface to paint or paper.

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Plastering Over Artex

Generally it is said that to cover over artex, you first need to remove or knock off any large points as these would protrude through the plaster that would be used to give you a smooth surface. Once the surface is prepared, adding two layers of PVA undercoating is said to give you a firm enough base to plaster onto, and then the actual plastering can begin.

Up to three layers of plaster tend to be used to suitably cover the original textured surface and give a good quality finish. This is a time consuming task that requires skill, and is generally considered not for the untrained due to the amount of prep work and the actual plastering work itself that are involved, so if you are considering plastering over your artexed ceiling, you should consult with a quality and professional time served plasterer.

Removing Artex

Although artex can be sanded down or scraped off your interior walls, this method can be considered dangerous as older artex can contain asbestos. This makes sanding or scraping artex off a wall or ceiling a potential problem for both people living in the house and the tradesman completing the work as the carcinogenic fibres would be released into the air.

Wallpaper removers can be an effective method for removing artex, although this can turn messy as the plaster returns to its original form. If you are planning to scrape or sand your artex, it is essential to seek professional advice, find out when your artex was installed and whether it’s safe to sand it off.  Local councils may be able to help with this.

In summary, there are two solutions to your artex nightmare – to plaster over or to remove your artex from the wall or ceiling.  Both methods require skill and caution is advised. The best advice we can give you is to speak to local quality plasterers who know their trade, and get quotes on both methods to enable you to make an informed choice. Remember some plasterers may prefer one method over the other, so speak to a few to get a balanced view on how to go about removing or covering that artexed ceiling or wall.

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