Using Artex on a papered ceiling?

Artex is horrible and its a b*gger to remove. It belongs in the 1970s. Don't go there. If you can't face stripping the ceiling - get a professional in.

Artex no longer needs to be removed. Slowly I am having all of my artexed ceilings plastered but the mess afterwards is horrendous even when the fellows clean up. My tiles will never be the same again.

I would also get a professional in but to look at the cause of the crack. Could it re - occur if the ceiling was artexed?

Artex is now so unfashionable that it lowers the value of a property. It is so difficult to get off that it is often plastered over to give a smooth finish so I wouldn't recommend that as a solution.
Chances are that the bulge was caused by water tracking along a join and unless you get to the source of the problem it will happen again. I have just had that problem rectified in a rented property I own and the builder replastered the entire ceiling as the best solution.

Artex is now so unfashionable that in the next few years it is sure to come back into fashion again.

Artex is horrible. I can't imagine why or how it was ever in fashion!

Sorry meant to add, this sounds like one if those "if a job's worth doing, then it's worth doing properly". I'd say get experts in.

Why not tidy the edges of the wallpaper stripped area, cut a piece of lining paper the same size and paper the currently unpapered it and then put two coats of paint on the ceiling, preferably the thicker ceiling paint, better still get someone else to do it.

Far less hassle than artexing the ceiling and nowhere near as horrible.

I would also investigate the cause of the bulge in the ceiling. It could be something quite serious and structural, best dealt with now before it gets too bad.

I don't care whether it's old-fashioned or not, it did the job on two of our unsightly ceilings and has only a stippled effect, can't see a problem!

However, I do agree with those who say the OP should get the bulging ceiling checked over by an expert - no point just covering up the problem if it's serious.

This has reminded me that we used to have a wallpapered ceiling. Each time it was painted it would sag alarmingly then look fine again when it had dried. It did a brilliant job of disguising a lumpy cracked ceiling. We later solved the problem by having the ceiling artexed. We both like artexed ceilings, not bothered if they are old fashioned, so are we!
GrannyA11i ifI were you I would call in a professional or at least google alternatives

Interesting people feel the same
About artex as we did till we bought some 'textured paint' from b&q today after I posted. It makes a rather interesting stipple effect, not the pointy hard stuff I remember artex being. We're pretty sure the bulge was caused by the crack underneath it and as its now completely gone there's nothing to as a professional to do. DH is quite handy and has used special tape and builder's filler called Mud and with sanding in between coats it's done the job. Monica's idea is a possibility though.

Thanks for the suggestions - its helpful to know what other people
would do.

Is the problem caused by the join in the plasterboard from when the house was originally built coming loose?
We had a professional in to skim some of our ceilings and walls and do not regret it.

We've just bought a house with Artexed ceilings, can't see the problem? Bit tired of going around with estate agents determined to tell you what you can tear down, throw out, knock through in every blooming house. Those relocation programmes have a lot to answer for!

Bite the bullet! Strip the paper off and get a professional plasterer in to skim the entire ceiling.

I wouldn't put artex onto a papered ceiling as the weight of the artex may loosen the paper. If you were thinking to apply the artex yourself I guess you would be attempting a stippled effect, so be warned, the roller used will spray the artex everywhere...just not worth it IMO. Get it skimmed and you will have a lovely smooth ceiling and you will just have to apply a couple of coats of New Plaster Emulsion.

Hmm I do fancy getting it skimmed - yes we think the join between plasterboards is the problem.

Azie You should have gone round saying that you are going to put '50's tiles in the kitchen and board up the door openings because you like separate rooms, moulded coving and architraves, you wanted smaller windows as you like dark rooms, lino'd floors, net curtains, take out the central heating and put back in coal fires, working out where the tin bath will go on the hearth rug.

It might have shut one or two of the estate agents up! It's nothing to do with them what you would do with a place, they are just there to sell it, not redesign it for you.

I hope you have many happy years with your artexed ceilings. (I have them too in my home).

We bought a second property a few years ago, in pristine condition, untouched since the 1980s. We modernised the avocado green bathroom and the heating and plumbing and painted the whole place, but apart from that, left it as is and the tenant who has been in there for two years now ooh-ed and aah-ed over the "original vintage features" e.g. the Bakelite light switches. The ceilings are papered (embossed).

If you want to apply lining paper just to the stripped area, I would suggest tearing the edges, which will then blend with the rest and shouldn't show when painted. Good luck!

Think artex is like marmite!! Love it or hate it! This non artex brand artex we've got makes a nice gentle stipple effect and I quite like it - - at least we won't have seams showing where the previous owners have wallpapered the ceiling?

azie We do have mounded coving in this room though . ?