Artex Removal & Ceiling Skimming
Artex Ceiling Removal in Bridgwater
Textured artex ceilings covered and skimmed flat, one of the most common jobs I'm asked for.
Artex dates a room more than almost anything else, and scraping it off is rarely the right answer. Older artex can contain asbestos, and disturbing it turns a plastering job into a licensed removal job. In most cases it can be skimmed straight over and flattened instead, quicker, cleaner, cheaper, and no disturbance.
Where the texture is deep or heavily swirled it needs a bonding coat first to fill it before the finish goes on. I'll tell you which yours needs after looking at it.
I did exactly this on a set of downstairs ceilings in Ashcott recently, and it's the job I get asked about most often across Bridgwater and Street.
What's included
- Ceiling assessed for the right approach
- Artex skimmed over and flattened in most cases
- Bonding coat where the texture is deep
- Full skim finish, ready to paint
- Dust sheeted throughout
How artex removal & ceiling skimming works
- Assess the textureHow deep and how swirled the artex is decides whether it needs a bonding coat first or can be skimmed straight over.
- Seal and bondThe ceiling is sealed, then a bonding coat fills the texture where it's too deep to skim directly.
- Skim flatFinish coat applied over the top and worked flat, the texture disappears completely.
- Ready to paintSheeted throughout, room swept, ceiling left ready to decorate once it's dried out.
Common questions about artex removal & ceiling skimming
Does artex contain asbestos?
Artex applied before around 2000 may contain a small amount of chrysotile asbestos. It's harmless while undisturbed, which is exactly why I skim over it rather than scrape it off. Sanding or scraping artex is what releases fibres, and that's a licensed job, not a plastering one.
Is it cheaper to cover artex or remove it?
Covering, almost always. Skimming over is quicker, far less mess and avoids any asbestos question entirely. Removal is only worth considering if the ceiling is failing for other reasons.
How long does an artex ceiling take?
A typical room ceiling is a day, sometimes two if the texture is deep enough to need a bonding coat first. Then three to five days to dry before painting.
Will the texture show through afterwards?
No. Deep texture is filled with a bonding coat before the finish goes on, so what you're left with is genuinely flat, not artex under a thin skim.
Can you do a whole house of artex ceilings?
Yes. I recently did a set of downstairs ceilings in Ashcott. Doing several at once works out better per ceiling because the setup and drying overlap.
Recent artex removal & ceiling skimming work
Reviews
What customers say
Toby plastered our downstairs artex ceilings in Ashcott, was very polite and did a very good job, we will be using him again on an upcoming project
Toby plastered our bedrooms and bathroom ceiling in Bridgwater, did a cracking job and will be using again
Toby came in and patch repaired our ceiling after a water leak, was very professional and turned up on time. Left a good finish and we were very happy
Very happy with work completed, very tidy and polite, will definitely be using again
Had Toby in to do some work for me. Very personal and tidy work
Artex Removal & Ceiling Skimming across Bridgwater and Somerset
Artex Removal & Ceiling Skimming available across Bridgwater and the surrounding Somerset towns and villages. Toby is based in Street, a short drive from most of them.