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Plastering & Rendering
Should I remove my old artex ceiling?
Anonymous user 5 December 2018 - 5.02 AM
Hi everyone, I'm opting for a new kitchen. I will be needing my walls and ceiling plastered. I have had a few builders/kitchen fitters tell me that I should never trust or hire a plasterer that will simply just cover/overboard my old artex ceiling with plasterboard then plaster on top. They have advised to completely remove old artex ceiling and put new plaster boards up and then plaster over the boards. All plasterers that have looked at my ceiling say that they will just resheet over the old artex and I do not have to remove old ceiling... Which is the correct way of doing this? I don't want my ceiling sagging due to the extra weight or cracking. This way will also lower my ceiling. If I need to remove my old artex ceiling, whats the best way to do this? I don't know if it contains asbestos, but I will treat it as if it does, just to be safe. I have looked into chemicals such as Trade Strip X-Tex Artex Remover: https://www.univarsc.com/products/trade-strip-x-tex-artex-remover?variant=12126424596554 It's safe to use on artex containing asbestos as it is a Working Wet system. Once the artex pattern is removed, I could just plaster over this? Thanks.
6 answers from MyBuilder tradespeople
Hi. I have overboarded and skimmed many artexed ceilings and never had a problem. The secret is to find the centres of the beams and use at least 50mm dri wall screws for fixing new boards. You won't notice any height loss because your only lowering ceiling 15mm or so when skimmed. And as for the builders telling you it must be taken down first,sounds like they are trying to make a meal of it so they can cash in on the extra labour. Plasterers should stick to plastering and builders should stick to building.
Answered
8 December 2018
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Aertex houses asbestos asbestos is only ok if its contained and untouched you can call a specialist in to test the sample my advise is do NOT attempt to remove this, this can safety be plastered over it can be boarded over but then this means screwing through the aertex which can disturb the fibres if you do wish to remove the aertex or have it over boarded and you don't want family members including children breathing in dangerous fibres you will need to instruct asbestos non-licence workers
Answered
5 December 2018
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Hi. If was my home i would opt to remove it. Overboarding is acceptable but can then cause difficulties with spotlight fitting etc. I would take the opportunity to have a nice new ceiling (while there is disuption/ building work taking place anyway) I would also check how level/un-bowed the ceiling joists were once the ceiling is down. If its out, battons e.g. 3×2 screwed to the joists run off a string line then the new boards screwed to them....then plaster for a perfect ceiling
Answered
5 December 2018
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Hello, It sounds like you've had good advice to remove old artex ceiling before re-boarding and plastering. As mentioned, the extra weight is a bad idea. If you suspect asbestos, this company or similar can come and take a sample to test before you schedule any work - https://smartasbestossolutions.ibestlocal.co.uk/?msclkid=0befb2081e42112394afee0fbcc88e76&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Asbestos%20Removal%20GEO&utm_term=asbestos%20removal%20Brighton&utm_content=Brighton Good luck!
Answered
5 December 2018
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could you not get a good plastering firm to seal ceiling then re plaster, seen this done many times. without any problems at all
Answered
13 June 2020
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Depends on a few things. Grease from kitchen can cause slipping when glueing. You can overboard but ad mentioned it will cause difficulties whrn refitting spotlights. Weight is not a issue. After 25 years of plastering i would always overboard artex But for 25 yeats I've plastered over them. Makes no difference to me. Just a bit more time consuming and more skill involved as ceiling is determined by coving thickness....
Answered
19 June 2020
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