Artex ceilings!

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

A dd has just bought a house with very dated decor - much of it from the 60s or 70s, I suspect. I've heard that removing Artex from that era could unleash asbestos, so best to cover up instead.

Apart from paying a plasterer, does anyone know of anything a DIYer could do?

Thanks!

cant u just sponge it off? if its wet then it wont release fibre.

I think the white artex is the less dangerous one?

I think it is quite an involved process to get it off wet.

I am having mine plastered over right now...

Plastered over or removed is the only way really. Plastered over preferable as won't release the dust. Should be just a skim so not too bad...

I had mine plastered but had to call them back to put another coat on as I could still faintly see the bloody patten through the plaster after the first skim!

If it's painted Matt rather than gloss, it's not quite so distressing to look at...

Once tried getting it off with Nitromors - bloody stupid really. Ended up plasterboarding over the whole lot (takes 2 -3 people as quite heavy, then skimming. Looked good in the end

You can get a survey done to find out if asbestos is present

Just had my ceiling tested for asbestos for £70 - thankfully none present. I would be wary of doing any DIY without knowing - if 60s/70s you may be ok. Good luck!

If there's any chance of it being asbestos, get it tested. That will involve holes being punched into various surfaces.

If it is asbestos, I'd strongly recommend against removing it yourself. Wetting down is not enough - you'd want full paper suits, face fitted masks, gloves and goggles. Covering it over may be cheaper and less risky for you and your family, but take advice.

Asbestos fibre is insidious when it is in your lungs, and it never gets out. Please look at www.hse.gov.uk for information. Whilst you will not be removing it as an employee or employer, at least you can be au fait with the health risks.

Oh, and any building refurbished or built before 2000 may contain asbestos, so it's not confined to the 60/70's.

Steam it off like you would with wallpaper

We had our ceilings skimmed. It worked well.

I looked at other diy options but they were either unreliable or so time consuming and labour intensive as to be more faff and worse value than getting them skimmed.

Many thanks, everybody.
Looks as if skimming will be best. Given the evident era of the decor it's highly likely that asbestos could be present.

We've got a sort of bobbley pattern so would need to be boarded and plastered (will do this when we have more money!) but flatter patterns can be skimmed I think.

My partner and I are looking at a flat which has Artex ceilings and I've spent days researching the best way to tackle it. From what I've read, skimming is the best option that most people seem to go with.

I've seen quotes bandied around for about £200/room, but if you have a few ceilings to do then it may be best to get them all done at the same time for a daily rate?

We've had ceilings skimmed in two houses. One has quite a raised pattern, so we 'raked' over it with a bolster first, to chip off the worst of the lumps. Then skimming did the trick. Finish with new smart coving.

wouldnt raking it over first to chip the worst off get lots of dust in the air?

Watermum73 - Steam it off like you would with wallpaper
Have you done this successfully? We didn't, despite trying very very hard!

If you think it might contain asbestos, surely the first step is to get it tested.

Then you can make an informed decision.

Certainly don't start scraping it or knocking the points off until you know.

Usually skimming over it is suitable.

If the ceiling is very old and L&P, it will probably have to come down, or at least be overboarded (which involves drilling for screws). Taking down an old ceiling is a filthy job which people who have done it try not to do again. It is best done in am empty house; failing that an empty room where you have taken out every scrap of furniture and carpet, taped the doors shut, and taken rubbish bags, bins, a canister vac, broom and shovels in with you. You will need overalls, hat, gloves, dustmask, goggles.

I recently did a complete renovation on a 1966 council house. Skimmed over all the Artex ceilings. Easy, quick and good result. Not expensive and no great hassle if the rooms are already empty and uncarpeted