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How do you deal with an Artex ceiling?
Deal with an Artex ceiling by finding out whether it contains asbestos before anyone sands, scrapes, drills or removes it, then choose between leaving and painting it, covering it, skimming it or having it removed. Any work that disturbs a coating with asbestos in it needs a contractor trained to do it safely.
Last reviewed:What is an Artex ceiling?
Artex is a brand name that has come to mean any textured coating on a ceiling or wall: the swirls, stipples, fans and peaks found in many British homes. It was put on wet and then patterned with a brush, comb or roller. People liked it because it hid cracks and uneven plaster, and it did not need a perfectly smooth surface underneath.
Today, many people want smooth ceilings again, and the question is how to get there. The answer depends mostly on one thing: whether the coating contains asbestos.
QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach among the first towns, and anyone in the UK can post a job. This guide explains the options and who to call. It does not give steps for sanding, scraping, drilling or removing a textured coating yourself.
Why does testing come first?
Some older textured coatings were made with a small amount of asbestos. You cannot tell from the pattern, the colour or the age of the house alone. HSE lists textured coatings among the materials that may contain asbestos, and says work on them can be done by non-licensed workers who are trained to recognise and work safely with asbestos [S1].
Asbestos is a risk when its fibres are released into the air, which happens when the material is broken, sanded, scraped or drilled. A council guide on asbestos in the home says asbestos materials are usually safe unless they are damaged or disturbed [S3]. That is why the safe order is:
- Do not disturb it. No sanding, scraping, drilling or steaming until you know what it is.
- Get it tested. An asbestos surveyor or testing service takes a small sample and has it analysed.
- Decide what to do once you have the result.
If the result shows no asbestos, you have more options and any plasterer or decorator can work on it. If it does contain asbestos, the work that disturbs it must be done by people trained to do it safely.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE). QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
How do you get an Artex ceiling tested?
Testing usually means a small sample taken from the ceiling and sent to a laboratory. Ask for a surveyor or testing service that will:
- take the sample in a way that controls dust, and seal the spot afterwards
- send it to a laboratory for analysis, and give you the written result
- tell you which rooms they sampled, because ceilings in the same house can differ
- explain what the result means for the work you are planning
If you are planning a larger renovation, an asbestos survey of the parts of the house being worked on may be more useful than a single test. Tell the surveyor what work is planned so the survey covers it.
What are the options for an Artex ceiling?
Once you know what is in the coating, the choice is about the look you want and how much disturbance is involved.
| Option | What happens | Disturbs the coating? | Who to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leave and paint | The ceiling is cleaned and painted as it is | No, if no sanding or scraping | A decorator |
| Repair small damage | A cracked or damaged patch is made good | Yes, a small area | A trained contractor if asbestos is present |
| Overboard | New plasterboard is fixed over the old ceiling and finished | Fixings go through it | A plasterer or builder, with care if asbestos is present |
| Skim | A new coat of plaster goes over the texture | Only if it is prepared by sanding or scraping | A plasterer |
| Remove | The coating is taken off the ceiling | Yes, fully | A trained contractor, or a licensed contractor for some methods |
Leaving and painting is the least disruptive choice. A sound textured ceiling can be painted with an ordinary emulsion.
Overboarding hides the texture under new plasterboard, which is then skimmed or taped and filled. It lowers the ceiling slightly, and the screws go through the old coating, so the plasterer needs to know the test result. HSE's Asbestos essentials task sheet A26 describes good practice when drilling through textured coating, and it is a non-licensed task [S2].
Skimming puts new plaster straight over the texture. Some textures are too deep to skim in one go, and the preparation matters. If the coating contains asbestos, it must not be sanded or scraped to flatten it.
Removal gives you the original ceiling back, but it is the most disruptive choice. HSE says work on textured coatings is low-risk and does not need a licence when it is done by non-licensed workers trained to work safely with asbestos, and some higher-risk methods, such as wet abrasive blasting, need a licensed contractor [S1].
What should you ask a contractor?
Whether you are hiring a plasterer, a decorator or an asbestos contractor, ask:
- Have you seen the test result? If not, will you test before starting?
- What method will you use, and does it disturb the coating?
- If asbestos is present, are you trained for this work? Ask what training and equipment they have.
- How will you protect the rest of the house, including floors, furniture and other rooms?
- How will you deal with waste? Who wraps it, carries it and where it goes.
- How will you reach the ceiling? Ask what platform or scaffold they will use for high ceilings or stairwells.
- What is included in the price, including making good, lining paper and decorating afterwards.
Get the method and the waste arrangements in writing. A low price that skips testing, protection or proper disposal is not a like-for-like quote.
How should the waste be handled?
Waste from a textured coating that contains asbestos needs care. A council guide says the general rule is to leave asbestos alone, because it is usually safe unless it is damaged or disturbed [S3]. If the coating has to come off, ask your council or the contractor how the waste will be wrapped, carried and disposed of.
If the test shows no asbestos, the waste is ordinary building waste. It still needs to go somewhere, so ask whether a skip or waste removal is included in the price.
Working at height
Any work on a ceiling means working from steps, a platform or, over a stairwell, a scaffold. This guide gives no steps for working at height. A contractor should plan how they will reach the ceiling safely. HSE publishes guidance on work at height for the businesses that do this work.
HSE: work at height. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts.
- "Swirl-pattern Artex on the living room ceiling. Want it tested and then skimmed smooth if it is safe to do so."
- "Test result came back positive for asbestos in a textured bedroom ceiling. Looking for a trained contractor to quote for overboarding."
- "Textured ceiling in the hall and over the stairs, tested and clear. Need it skimmed and painted."
Say whether the ceiling has been tested, what the result was, how many rooms are involved and whether there is a high ceiling or stairwell.
Get quotes for an Artex ceiling
Describe the ceiling, whether it has been tested and your postcode. Up to five matched local businesses can send you a quote [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
See our plasterers and painters and decorators pages. For prices, see what changes the cost of Artex removal. For painting a ceiling, see choosing white ceiling paint.
Questions about Artex ceilings
Does my Artex ceiling contain asbestos?
You cannot tell by looking. Some older textured coatings contain asbestos and many do not. The only way to know is to have a sample taken and tested by an asbestos surveyor or a testing service. Do not scrape off a sample yourself if you are unsure how to do it safely.
Is an Artex ceiling dangerous if I leave it alone?
A council guide on asbestos in the home says asbestos materials are usually safe unless they are damaged or disturbed. A sound textured ceiling that nobody is drilling, sanding or scraping can usually stay in place and be painted over if needed.
Can a plasterer skim over Artex?
Often, yes. Skimming covers the texture with new plaster. If the coating contains asbestos, the preparation must not disturb it, and HSE says work on textured coatings that contain asbestos must be done by workers trained to recognise and work safely with asbestos. Ask the plasterer how they will prepare the ceiling.
Who can remove an Artex ceiling with asbestos?
HSE says work on textured coatings is low-risk and can be done by non-licensed workers who are trained to work safely with asbestos, and that higher-risk removal such as wet abrasive blasting needs a licensed contractor. Ask any contractor to explain their method and how they will deal with the waste.
Can I put old Artex in my bin?
A council guide says the general rule is to leave asbestos alone, because it is usually safe unless it is damaged or disturbed. If a coating that contains asbestos has to come off, ask your council or the contractor how the waste will be wrapped, carried and disposed of.
Does QuoteZila check the businesses?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.
Related trades
Related pages
- Plasterboard Ceiling: What to Arrange First. How to plan a plasterboard ceiling, what planning pages say about replacing one, and why texture and overhead access come before boarding.
- Plastering Repair: Cracks, Holes and Hollows. How to describe a plaster repair, when a patch is enough, when the coat has lost its key, and what to do before anyone disturbs a textured finish.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and jobs-for-tradesmen copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ and app README.
- S1: Locations of asbestos and taking the right action, HSE. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/location-materials.htm
- S2: Asbestos essentials a26: Drilling and boring through textured coatings, HSE. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/a26.pdf
- S3: Asbestos (environmental health guidance), Hastings Borough Council. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.hastings.gov.uk/environmentalhealth/pollution/asbestos