Hi all,
I'm in the process of redecorating my bedroom and one of the things I'd like to do is to change the artex/popcorn ceiling for a smooth one. I am aware a lot of ceilings of this style have asbestos, so I had a sample tested and it came back as positive for crysotile. This obviously means I am not able to scrape the ceiling back. So I was wondering which would be the better option - skimming or overboarding?
For skimming, the ceiling appears to have been painted, so from what I have read, a coat of blue grit, rather than pva would be needed before 2 coats of skimming. My concern with this is that I have seen reports of artex ceilings that have been skimmed and then fallen down (perhaps just the skim coat, perhaps the whole thing). With this being an actively used bedroom, this seems like quite a safety risk, so I want to be sure this wouldn't happen.
For overboarding, the room has coving, which would need to be removed and re-done as the boards would come past the coving lip. Would tapered edge plasterboards, with scrim tape, then filling the joins and painting be better, or squared edge with a full skim before painting?
Thanks in advance for the advice!
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
Hi either option is OK most plasterers would blue grit the artex then skim coat with plaster however I've always reboarded ceilings for the very reason you've stated, all that skim on an artex coat or new boards screwed through to joists. If you'd like to do the latter one pop a whole in ceiling find which direction your joists run then install the boards spanning the joists. A tape and joiner could then skim coat the joints and then get it painted. This of course means the coving will have to be redone but for what it's worth it's the best choice. Hope that helps.
I've been Plastering for 40 years
If the artex is the "popcorn" type finish and has been regularly painted during its lifespan it is a sealed surface and unles tape are blown, or the plasterboard has been damaged due to water leak etc, it can be either coated with "Blue grit" or two coated with PVA and two coat skimmed when second coat is tacky
I have never experienced any problems in my 40yrs
I also don't believe in overboarding, never do it
I have had to repair many overboarded ceilings usually because of Builders or other Plasterers overboarding an unstable traditional lathe & plaster ceiling
Hi
Unfortunately lots of ceiling in UK asbestos and Artex finish.just skimming the ceilings will not solve the, but with in right mixture and type of under coating plastering and after that thin skim finish. Will solve your problem and it will not make any health problems or any lines on your ceiling. İf you wish to remove existing ceiling and re done again I will recommend romove the coving if wish to coving re done again. Otherwise trade person have to create tinny gap the sport your ceiling, and definitely on the future will cause cracks.
Hope you find helpful my answer.
Baris
