Short answer: usually yes. Most artex ceilings can be skimmed straight over, and that is nearly always the better option.
In most cases, yes. You can skim straight over artex. It is quicker, cleaner, cheaper and far less disruptive than scraping it all off. Nine times out of ten, that is exactly what we do.
The reason people assume it has to come off is that removal used to be the standard approach, and there are still plenty of tradesmen who will quote you for it without asking whether it is necessary. It usually isn't.
Which is most of the time.
A fine stipple or a light swirl can be bonded and skimmed over without any drama. This covers the majority of artex ceilings we see.
If the artex is firmly stuck down and the plaster underneath is solid, there is nothing to gain from removing it.
Artex that is intact and dry takes a bonding coat perfectly well.
Less common, but worth knowing.
Deep swirls and sharp peaks stand too proud to skim over cleanly. They need knocking back first, or taking off entirely.
If it sounds hollow or lifts when you press it, skimming over just puts a nice new surface on top of a failing one.
If the ceiling has been leaked on, the board may have gone. Skimming over that is pointless. It needs cutting out.
Artex applied before 2000 may contain asbestos. Chrysotile asbestos was used as a binder in textured coatings in the UK right up until it was banned in 1999, so any artex in an older property should be treated as suspect until it is tested.
Here is the important part: artex containing asbestos is not dangerous while it is intact. The fibres are bound into the coating. It becomes a risk when you disturb it, sanding, scraping, drilling or dry-scraping releases fibres into the air.
That is another reason skimming over is often the better answer. Bonding and skimming over the surface does not disturb it. We never sand or scrape artex in a pre-2000 property without a test first, and nor should anyone else.
Come and look at the ceiling, or send us a photo. If it can be skimmed over, and it usually can. We bond the surface, skim it, and you get a flat, paint-ready ceiling in a day. If it genuinely needs removing, we will tell you, and we will tell you why.
See our artex removal and ceiling skimming page for what the job involves.
The ones we get asked most.
Yes, in most cases artex can be skimmed straight over without removing it. The surface is bonded and then skimmed to a flat, paint-ready finish. This is quicker, cleaner and cheaper than removal, and it avoids disturbing the artex, which matters in older properties where it may contain asbestos.
Artex needs removing when the pattern has very heavy peaks that stand too proud to skim over cleanly, when it is blown or loose and sounds hollow when tapped, or when the plasterboard underneath has been water damaged and needs replacing anyway.
Artex applied before 2000 may contain chrysotile asbestos, which was used as a binder in textured coatings in the UK until it was banned in 1999. It is not dangerous while intact, the risk comes from disturbing it by sanding, scraping or drilling. Any artex in a pre-2000 property should be tested before it is disturbed.
Skimming over is significantly cheaper because it is quicker, creates far less mess and waste, and avoids the need for asbestos testing and controlled removal. Removal only makes sense where the artex is unsound or the pattern is too heavy to cover.
An average artex ceiling is usually bonded and skimmed in a single day. It then needs roughly 7 to 14 days to dry fully before it can be painted.
Send a photo on WhatsApp and we'll tell you straight, including if the answer is "leave it alone".