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The fact is several buildings contain artex as well as other textured coating on walls and ceilings which are all likely to contain asbestos. However, artex itself is not the main threat here but the potentially deadly harmful fibres that’s contained in it. In this post, we’re going to look at whether or not artex truly contains the deadly abestos.

The short and simply answer to this question is yes, artex can definitely contain asbestos, however not all artex will contain asbestos. The main reason asbestos was a popular construction material is because it was not only cheap and strong but also because it was very durable and long lasting. It was used in numerous construction materials ( which includes artex ) before it was finally banned in the year 1999. unfortunately during the time when artex was very popular in the 60’s, 70’s as well as 80’s, asbestos was still very much in use during the period. And as a result, a lot of the artex incorporated during that period will contain the deadly asbestos fibres. However, this does not only apply to artex, but also other textured coatings containing asbestos were incorporated in construction until 1999 when asbestos was formerly banned in the UK. These asbestos containing materials are often used on walls as well as ceilings of residential properties.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to know an asbestos containing artex just by looking at it. In order to determine whether or not an artex contains the deadly asbestos fibres, it’ll have to be sampled and tested in a laboratory. What’s more? While several artex contains asbestos, asbestos free artex was available from the 1970s. However, since it’s impossible to determine using the naked eye, all artex installed before the ban will be assumed to contain asbestos.

If your artex ceiling is looking tired or you just fancy a change, you can try plastering over your artex. You have two options when it comes to plastering over your artex: plasterboard or skimming.

Covering your ceiling with plasterboard is a good option if you suspect the artex may contain asbestos. If done carefully, it doesn’t involve disturbing the artex, reducing the risk of asbestos exposure.

You also have the option to skim over your ceiling. The first steps to this involve removing loose and flaking parts, cutting off stipples and sanding your ceiling down. So, if there’s a chance your artex ceiling may contain asbestos, this isn’t the right solution for you. However, if you’re sure there’s no asbestos in your ceiling, then sanding down and skimming over your ceiling can be a great way to create an attractive result.

It’s worth noting that both putting up plasterboard and skimming plaster can be difficult jobs. Although possible to DIY, you’re likely to get much better results if you hire a professional.

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.

Plastering is suitable to cover most Artex. If it’s shallow Artex, it may be covered by skimming plaster on top. If the pattern of the Artex is too deep, you may need to use plasterboard to cover it or if you want to remove it entirely, you will need to use a wallpaper steamer.

Installing a plasterboard on your ceiling is a cool way to modernize your property. Over the past couple of decades, there has bee an increasing number of trends associated with plastering of both walls and ceilings such as rounded edges and textured plaster. However, in recent times, home and property owners are now looking to install more of sharp edges. If you’re planning to plaster your ceiling, you’d probably want to know just how much this project is going to cost. If yes, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll give you a rough estimate of ceiling plastering costs.

There are a plethora of factors the can influence the price of plastering your ceiling. These pricing components includes the following:

✓ Size. As you would have expected, the larger the job, the more the overall cost. However, the price per square metre will reduce which means that the cost of plastering a small ceiling space will cost more per square metre than the cost of plastering a larger ceiling space per square metre.

✓ Materials. We have a wide range of plasterboard available in the market. If you need a fire retardant, acoustic or other types of specialist plasterboard, you can expect to pay higher than standard plasterboards.

✓ Location. Just like many other home improvement projects, the cost of plastering ceiling varies greatly throughout the UK. Places such as London and the South East have the highest prices due to the high standard of living as well as greater demands.

In general, to plaster a ceiling (small 2 m x 2 m) - overboard and plaster will cost within the range of £200 to about £300. Also, to plaster a ceiling (large 5 m x 6 m) - overboard and plaster will cost within the range of £400 to about £600. The average plasterer’s daily rate (including material) is about £180 to £300 and ceiling plastering cost per square metre ranges between £20 to £40.

How To Plaster A Ceiling

Generally, plastering is a very tricky and time consuming job which usually require lots of efforts and practice to get right - with that in mind it gets even a lot trickier when it comes to ceiling plastering.

However, when you’re able to acquire the right know-how as well as tools, ceiling plastering can be completed by any confident DIYer enthusiast without the need to call in a professional. However, if you lack the needed confidence to pull off this task, then we’d recommend you get in touch with a trustworthy professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this guide, we’ll take you through the ceiling plastering process.

You’ll need the following materials to get started: plaster, mixing bucket and paddle, plasterer’s float, plasterer’s towel, bucket trowel, protective gear, bucket of clean water and wide brush.

✓ Prepare the area. When it comes to plastering a ceiling it’s almost unavoidable to leave a mess around and no matter how you do it, your plaster will drop on the floor. Therefore you have put drop sheets on the floor, cover the furniture and put thing you don’t want to get dirty out of the way.

✓ Prepare the ceiling to be plastered. Sand down the uneven patches on the ceiling. Once done, wash the ceiling with a sponge and warm soapy water while also removing all cobwebs as well. Leave the surface to dry once completed.

✓ Mix the plaster or buy a premix plaster. To mix the plaster, simply use equal parts of plaster and water for mixing the plaster,

✓ Plaster the ceiling. Apply a little quantity of plaster to the edge of your trowel and try to spread it in rows to do the job without much hassle. Ensure that the thickness of the coat is thin and even throughout the application. The rough edge of the trowel should be used for the spreading as it’ll help you create scrapes or scratches in the plaster.

✓ Sand the surface

If you’re looking to plaster your ceiling, one of the most essential parts of the process is cutting the plasterboard. Once you’re able to master this skill, the rest of the plastering is quite easy. This is a task that can be done by any competent DIYer but with a little bit of patience and confidence. If you lack any of these 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 plasterboard ceiling cutting process. Let’s take a look!

To cut plasterboard ceiling, you don’t need any expensive tool which is usually not the case when it comes to carpentry. If you won’t be cutting a lot of plasterboard, all you really need would be just an old handsaw or plasterboard one, a Stanley knife as well as a straight edge. However, if you’ll be cutting lots of plasterboards, you’ll require the following to make your task a lot easier:

✓ An old handsaw

✓ A Stanley knife and many spare blades

✓ A straight edge like a long spirit level

✓ A surform

✓ A battery drill and oh2 screwdriver bits, with specific plasterboard screws.

To cut plasterboard to length, you’ll have to first score a line on the face side of the board with a straight edge and Stanley knife. Once done, simply lift the sheet off the ground and snap it along the score line. Then, you can run your knife down the other side of the board , cutting the back of the plasterboard backing sheet. Upon completion, your plasterboard is now ready to be fitted on your ceiling.

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.