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Artex simply refers to a surface coating that’s commonly incorporated for interior decorating. Although it’s usually found on ceilings but it can also be used on the walls as well. The surface coating enables the professional plasterer or decorator add both texture as well as patterns to it. Originally, the name “Artex is the trademark of a UK based company known as Artex Ltd. Over time, the Artex name has been used to refer to all textured coatings, although there are other businesses that manufacture and sell identical products.

You can find Artex on ceilings as well as walls of mainly residential properties. In the 70’s and 80’s, it was pretty much a trend to have either your wall or ceiling ( can be both ) covered with Artex. The surface coating can be incorporated to create raised, textured swirls as well as patterns on ceiling and walls. There are a number of different patterns that can be made using Artex and some of these includes the following: Broken leather, swirl, stipple, fan or shell as well as knifed plaster. It can also provide just a bobbly raised uneven patter appearance from top to bottom.

Artex is main put to use by mainly decorators ( mostly plasterers). This is a skilled job as it’s tedious to create uninformed patterns especially if you don’t know how or where to start. Although the skill of Artex is very much a trade that’s dying rapidly now, but it was pretty much in high demand especially in the 70’s and 80’s. Nowadays, homeowners now prefer smooth plastered finishes over Artex, as they can be easily painted or wallpapered.

Artexing a ceiling can be a tricky job, but whether you’re considering hiring a professional or DIY, it’s helpful to know how it’s done.

Artex is available either in a paste or powder form. The paste is ideal if you’re making small repairs or additions to an existing ceiling. But, if you have a whole ceiling to cover, the powder is more cost effective. When you’re ready to get started, you’ll need to mix the powder up with cold water according to the instructions.

It’s possible to artex over plaster, plasterboard or paint. If you have a plasterboard surface, you should tape and fill any joints or cracks before you begin. Plaster and plasterboard both require a coat of sealant or primer first. You can usually artex straight over paint, but any gloss paint should be sanded down, and any dark paints covered with a layer of white.

Artexing can get quite messy, so make sure you empty the room you’re working in as much as possible, lay down sheets and wear protective clothing and glasses. You might want to practice on a piece of board before you start on the ceiling.

Start by using a brush or roller to cover a 500 square cm area with a generous layer of artex. Then use a brush, comb or roller to create your chosen texture. Every time you do a new section of ceiling, try to blend it with the other sections you’ve done. Don’t be tempted to cover the whole ceiling before you start adding texture – the artex will dry too quickly for you to do it all in time.

Artex usually needs 12-24 hours in a well-ventilated space to dry completely.

There are several different kinds of plastering. ‘Dot and dab’ refers to a base layer of plasterboard which is attached to a wall using ‘dabs’ of adhesive. ‘Floating’ is a technique where a backing or undercoat plaster is applied to walls. ‘Skimming’ or ‘reskimming’ refers to the very thin final decorative layer of plaster.

The short and simple answer to this question is, it depends. Artex surface coating was manufactured with white abestos ( until the mid 1980’s ) in order to strengthen as well as harden it. In other words, this implies that all the ceilings and walls coverings made by Artex Ltd and other manufactures at the time are highly likely to contain asbestos. Although Artex Ltd stopped using asbestos as early as the mid 1980’s, there were still other manufacturers who continued using it until 1999 when the laws and regulations covering the use of asbestos changed in the year 2000.

Asbestos, however, is only harmful when disturbed and releases its deadly fibres. For instance, when it’s being sanded and removed as it usually poses no risks when left undisturbed. Since it’s not possible to identify Artex containing asbestos fibres with the naked eye, it’s strongly recommended that you hire the services of a qualified person or company to help determine if you have asbestos in your ceilings or walls especially if your house was constructed before the year 2000. The professionals will be able to advise you on the best course of action as well as if it’s dangerous.

To be sure if your Artex contains asbestos, you’ll need to have the artex sampled by an asbestos surveyor. If you’re planning to have a construction or maintenance work done on your property, and the artex is likely to be in the way or disturbed, there’s a need for you to have a refurbishment or demolition asbestos survey done. This will ensure that all the areas that’ll be disturbed by the work is properly tested to determine the presence or otherwise of asbestos. If found, the artex will have to be addressed and either removed or protected before any work can take place.

How To Plaster A Wall

In order to plaster your wall successfully, you’ll firstly need to get the appropriate tools and materials for the job in place. The tools you’ll need to have includes a trowel and bucket trowel, plasterer’s float, corner trowel, hawk board, two buckets, mixing stick or a paddle, adequate plaster, PVA , dust sheets, clean water, sandpaper, stilts or step ladder as well as a dust mask.

✓ Prepare the wall. You’d have to make sure that you lay down a dust sheet so as to protect your floor and also gather any possible spillage or debris of plaster, before you start working on the walls. Get rid of all the dirt, dust and debris as this is very important for the success of your project if you’re going to be plastering on a worn out and old wall. Also, cover the holes and cracks in the walls with a screen tape

✓ Apply PVA to the wall. This will help ensure the layer you’re using will not dry out at the same time.

✓ Mix the paster. Mix the plaster according to the instructions given in the manufacturer’s manual.

✓ Apply the plaster onto the wall. Upon cleaning of the walls and successful mixture of the plaster, the next step is to apply the mixture to the wall using the hawk board, trowels and a floating tool.

✓ Skim and smooth. After the the first coat has dried after waiting for about 30 minutes, the next step will be to wipe out the bumps and lumps using a trowel to smooth over the surface. Once this is done you can then scrape the wall with a devilling float.

✓ Apply the second coat of plaster

✓ Apply the finishing touches. This includes polishing your work by adding some water to the surface with a spray gun and using the trowel to further smoothen out the surface.

✓ Painting and wallpapering.

Installing a plasterboard to a ceiling is not the easiest of tasks, and even though it can be done by one person, it’s usually a lot easier when done by two people. If you’re an experienced DIYer, this task becomes a lot easier to undertake, with both confidence and patience needed to ensure a successful outcome. If you lack these essential attributes, we’d strongly recommend you call in a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this guide, we’re going to take you through the processes involved to plasterboard your ceiling. Let’s take a look!

✓ Take a measurement of your ceiling. Knowing the length and width of your room is crucial here. You have nothing to worry about if it’s not a perfect square as that’ll only mean more cutting.

✓ Make the necessary plasterboard cuts. Cut the plasterboard sheet with a utility knife in accordance to ceiling space measured.

✓ Remove existing plaster. Once done, examine the trusses and beams to ensure they’re still in a great condition before you proceed. Also, make sure there’s no loose plaster that can compromise your new installation.

✓ Apply construction adhesive. For a better fit, you’d have to apply adhesive along the beams while also avoiding the edges as this could affect your screw placement.

✓ Start in a level corner. You have to start the installation from the most level corner.

✓ Work along the outside edges. Secure it using a screw along the outside edge. This will make your plasterboard held to your ceiling perfectly. It won’t bend or break as your proceed with the installation.

✓ Complete the installation. Install the plasterboard on your entire ceiling and complete the installation by taping the seams and plastering for a smooth surface.

What Is Plaster Made Of?

Plaster is one of the most commonly used materials when it comes to building construction. It’s a crucial component that’s incorporated in coating walls, ceilings as well as partitions and it hardens on drying. Plastering is one of the most ancient building materials which has taken over mud to plaster reed or sapling huts so as to serve as a protection against the elements. Here, we’re going to take a look at the multiple compositions of plaster. These components are very important due to the fact that they form a protective coating on whatever they are used on. They work to protect surfaces such as ceiling and underlying walls from scratches or any form of damage.

Plaster comprises a few materials which includes gypsum, lime or cement and all operates in a similar way. Gypsum is made of calcium sulfate dihydrate and it’s the main component of main forms of plaster, sidewalk chalk, blackboard, drywall and more. Meanwhile, lime plaster is made up of sand, water and lime ( mostly non hydraulic hydrated lime). And lastly, cement which is a mix of suitable plaster, portland cement, sand as well as water.

The plaster is usually produced as a dry powder which is mixed thoroughly with water to create a stiff but also a paste that’s workable immediately before it’s applied to the wall or ceiling.

It’s quite easy to confuse a drywall with a plaster but there are some differences. Not only is plaster a much older style of wall construction than dry wall, but it’s also a lot more expensive than installing a drywall. Plaster walls are also able to provide you with a more durable finish when compared to a drywall and it makes for a better quality finish.

Plastering will fix small cracks in walls. Very small cracks may be fixed by simply reskimming plaster. More serious cracks will usually mean that you need to use new plasterboard or backing plaster. Larger jobs or deep cracks may need an experienced plasterer to come in.