Dealing With Artex Ceilings in London Properties: Asbestos, Skimming and Paint Options

Artex and Its Place in London's Housing Stock

Artex is the brand name that became the generic term for textured ceiling coatings applied extensively in British housing from the 1950s through to the 1990s. In London, it appears in enormous quantities — in the bedrooms and living rooms of 1960s and 1970s council conversions, in the communal areas of mansion blocks updated during that period, and in the reception rooms of Victorian and Edwardian houses where a landlord or owner chose it as an inexpensive ceiling finish.

For anyone redecorating a London property built or refurbished before 2000, an artex ceiling is a common discovery, and it raises an immediate and important question.

The Asbestos Question

Artex manufactured and applied before approximately 1984 may contain chrysotile (white) asbestos fibres as a binding and strengthening agent. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates that artex applied before this date carries a meaningful probability of asbestos content, typically at 3–5% by weight.

This does not mean the ceiling is immediately dangerous. Artex containing asbestos is classified as a non-licensable non-notifiable material when it is in good condition and is not being disturbed. A ceiling that is intact, well-adhered and simply being redecorated presents minimal risk provided it is not sanded, drilled through aggressively, or subjected to significant mechanical disturbance.

However, before any work that involves disturbing artex on a pre-1984 ceiling — including dry sanding — a sample should be taken by a UKAS-accredited analyst and tested. Bulk sample testing costs approximately £30–50 per sample and returns results within a few days. This is not an optional precaution; it is the correct professional practice, and any decorator working on artex in an older London property should be able to advise accordingly.

Where asbestos is confirmed, the HSE's guidance is clear: non-licensable work may proceed provided controls are in place (wetting to suppress dust, appropriate RPE, disposal as asbestos waste). Removal of artex containing asbestos requires a licensed contractor under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

Option One: Paint It

If the artex is in good condition — well-adhered, no loose peaks, no areas of delamination — painting it is the simplest approach. The practical steps:

1. Wash the surface with sugar soap or a proprietary cleaner to remove grease, nicotine and airborne contamination
2. Check for loose peaks — artex that was applied with a coarse texture may have sharp peaks that are friable. If these are loose, they must be stabilised or very carefully removed before painting. Do not dry sand; use a damp sponge to soften and wipe gently if removal is needed
3. Prime with a stabilising primer — Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 or Dulux Trade Stabilising Primer, applied by thick pile roller to ensure it reaches into the texture
4. Apply a good quality matt emulsion — the texture of artex reads most neutrally under a flat matt finish. Any sheen in the topcoat will emphasise the texture and create uneven light reflection

Avoid applying a single thick coat of emulsion in an attempt to fill the texture — this leads to the paint cracking as it dries under its own weight in the recesses. Build coverage in two thinner topcoats.

Option Two: Skim Over It

Plastering over artex is the trade solution that produces a smooth ceiling ready for any finish. The process requires a qualified plasterer rather than a decorator:

1. The artex surface is washed, stabilised, and a PVA bonding agent is applied and allowed to become tacky
2. A thin coat of finish plaster (typically 2–3mm) is applied over the artex, floating out any significant variations
3. Once cured, the new plaster surface is decorated in the normal sequence — mist coat, two full-strength topcoats

Skimming over artex disturbs the material minimally compared to removal, but does generate some dust during the bonding stage. If asbestos content has been confirmed or cannot be ruled out, appropriate RPE and dust controls apply. The finished result is a fully smooth ceiling indistinguishable from new plaster.

Option Three: Remove It

Full artex removal is the most disruptive option and carries the greatest risk of asbestos fibre release if the material contains asbestos. Where removal is the preferred route:

• If asbestos content has not been confirmed negative by testing, a licensed asbestos contractor must be engaged
• Where testing confirms no asbestos, a specialist artex removal contractor can use wet stripping techniques to remove the material with minimal dust

In most London renovation projects, skimming over artex is the preferred compromise between cost, disruption and the quality of the finished result.

Colour and Finish Considerations

Heavily textured artex is unforgiving under directional or raking light from floor-level uplighters or low winter sunlight. If the ceiling is to be painted rather than skimmed, avoid high-sheen finishes and give particular thought to how the room is lit — recessed downlights or pendant fittings tend to be kinder to textured ceilings than wall-mounted uplighting.

For artex ceiling assessment and decoration in London, contact us here to discuss your project, or request a free quote and we will advise on the best approach.