Artexing ceilings

My downstairs ceilings had artex when we moved in I hate it I'd love to get rid. Apparently it's very difficult to remove the easiest thing is to have it replastered. We just haven't had this done because it's such a messy job. I've never heard of it being a health hazard though.

No, me neither - why would it be a health hazard?

Oh, have just googled and apparently some Artex had asbestos fibres in it.

My house was built in the late 80's when artexing was all the rage. Slowly I have had ceilings re-plastered- I personally have finished mainly because of the mess but there are only 2 bedrooms and living room to do. I doubt if it has asbestos mixed in it- that is the only hazard that I can think of.

The chap who removed our artex said it was pre mid eighties that asbestos was used, anything after that is considered fine.

It was a damn sight easier to put on than get off, what a palaver.

When we moved here in the '80s the ceilings were not great and we couldn't afford to replaster everywhere so we used textured ceiling paint. We have gone over it with white emulsion over the years It's not as bad as artex but this too is now considered old fashioned. However it will stay as we don't intend ever selling.

It's only a danger when it's removed by being broken up, releasing asbestos fibres into the air. It's easier to have it plastered over than removed.

In '87 we moved into a house where the dining-room wall was artexed in huge sharp lumpy semicircles. Hated it but it was reasonably simple and cheap to have it skimmed.

I really like artexed ceilings and was disappointed that when the kitchen was done a few years ago they replaced the artexed ceiling with a common-or -garden smooth ceiling. Hate it, you can see every imperfection. Luckily the rest of the house has decent artexed ceilings. It was done post 1980's so is safe. Don't care if it is old fashioned, after all retro is in and having lived through all that stuff the first time round it looks so dated to me.

Our dining room is at this very moment swathed in dust sheets as we're having the artex plastered flat. Apparently it was fine to scrape the pointy bits off as the original artex was done after the mid eighties. Asbestos was used in ceilings older than 1985, but not after. We're leaving the upstairs as we don't mind the pattern, but the ceilings downstairs are quite low and the pattern makes them seem even lower.

We have our plaster skimmed and painted. Would it be right proper to skim, plaster, and paint artext?

Thank you all. It seems it is not dangerous as mine isn't that old.

We just ours skimmed in last house-only took a day and much easier than taking it off!

When we moved here my husband was certain the dining room ceiling was artex. On closer inspection, it turned out to be textured wallpaper. He was relieved.??

The 1980's vintage artex ceilings in our current home were in dreadful condition. Had them all skimmed, along with most walls. We were lucky to be able to do it before we moved in. The plasterer said it wasn't a problem to do, it was certainly accomplished quickly.

Could the ceiling not be made smooth with a sander, then painted? Yes it would be messy and you'd have to cover your face but my DH did it in our old house and it was fine. Or get a plasterer to skim it over.

Luckily we didn't have to move into our bungalow straight away so we could have all the ceilings replastered. As the whole place needed recarpeting etc. It was easy for the plasterer to do it. Each room had a different bold artex pattern, in fact it was one of the first things I noticed when we walked in the door.
Nice smooth ceilings now which IMO make the rooms look bigger.

Have to be careful sending artex. As explained upthread, pre 1985 it probably contained asbestos.
The lumps didn't present a problem to our plasterer and the skimming avoided all that mess.