Frequently Asked Questions
We have compiled this page to hopefully give you answers to the most often asked questions.
Artex is a powder compound which when mixed with water becomes a thick plaster like paste. Some in the trade refer to artex as plastic compound or plastic ceilings, because of it's ingredients it is often agreed to be more flexible & crack resistant than a plaster finish.
Artex is applied to ceilings & walls to produce a durable, long lasting & artistic finish. On badly cracked or uneven ceilings artex can be used to mask defects & uneveness, giving an old ceiling an almost new appearance.
2. Is artexing of a ceiling expensive?
Artex is very affordable, an average size lounge (12ft x 12ft) for example cost's from as little as=£50 depending on preparation & other factors. This cost compared to other alternatives makes artexing of ceilings & walls extremely good value for money. It is also more durable than papered ceilings & is virtualy maintenance free.
3. Is artexing very messy?
Artexing isnt normally messy providing the room is cleared & there are no objects to work around. Dust sheets can be put down & any mess is therefore kept to a minimum, however it should be expected that in most cases there will be some cleaning up afterwards. any missed splashes can be simply wiped off with a damp sponge.
4. Can you re-artex a ceiling?
Yes, you can re-artex an existing artex ceiling. This is done by scraping off any high points & uneven areas to get the ceiling as level as possible, then a coat of primer sealer would normally be applied, a skim coat will then be applied to the entire ceiling. This is referred to in the trade as "caulking out" of the ceiling. Sometimes it may be necessary to apply 2 or more skim coats over the ceiling to get it smooth & even enough before applying a fresh artex pattern.
5. How long before I can decorate?
Artex usually takes between 24-48 hours to fully dry out. Depending on weather conditions & ventilation it can be shorter or longer than this. After texturing of your ceiling your windows should be opened up to allow sufficient ventilation to assist the drying in a natural manner, forced drying by using heating is not recomended as it drys out the artex too rapidly possibly causing shrinkage & cracking. When the ceiling is fully dried out, it is highly recommended that the ceiling be emulsioned with vinyl silk or matt emulsion paint. The first coat must be diluted sufficiently to a ratio of say 60% paint to 40% water, this is referred to in the decorating trade as a "Misty Coat" & it's purpose is to provide a sealing coat that will be absorbed into the finish, making it more durable & ready for further decoration.
6. Can cracks in ceilings be repaired?
Yes, in most cases & with most patterns they can be sucessfully repaired. Cracks sometimes appear & this is usually because of movement in the ceiling timbers often due to extremes in weather conditions. Cracks tend to appear in
the cold winter months rather than in warmer weather, cracks can be repaired by retaping over the crack or joint & then simply patterning over to match the existing textured finish. Some patterns are a little more difficult to repair than others, comb patterns for example tend to be more difficult, but can be repaired with success in most situations.
7. What preparation do I need to do?
Please ensure the rooms to be textured are as clear as possible prior to our arrival, the customer is responsible for removing any bulky items of furniture
from the room to be textured. This especially includes 3 piece suites, bedding
& wardrobes etc, small objects can usually be worked around but generally
speaking the clearer the room the easier it is for us to complete the work
cleanly & efficiently.
All valuables are the customers responsibilty & you are advised to remove these in advance. Any preparation work needed to be carried out on the ceiling will be taken care of & done in the course of the work. Any unforeseen problems that arise & not allowed for in our estimate shall be bought to the customers attention at the time on site.
8. How long do I have to wait for your services?
The artex trade has a fast turnaround, as texturing of ceilings is relatively quick
to complete. under normal work loads we always suggest customers give us at least "7-10 working days" notice. Sometimes we are able to accomodate jobs at shorter notice depending on our work schedule at the time.
9. How long does artexing take to complete?
We can complete most ceilings comfortably within a day, an average size lounge for example (12ftx12ft) can be entirely textured & coved within a morning with ease, obviously this is dependant on the ceiling in question along with preparation involved. you will be advised on the likely duration to complete your ceiling upon booking our services.
10. I have artex on my ceiling & dont like it?
Artex although attractive to most is not to everybodys tastes. Occasionaly we are asked on the best methods of removal or flattening of existing textured ceilings. there a 2 or 3 ways of dealing with this, including skimming over the artex finish with artex compound to get an overal smooth finish which we can carry out, or it can be plastered over by an experienced plasterer to gain back a flat surface, another method would be to re-plasterboard over the existing ceiling.
11. What guarantee do I get?
All new work applied directly to plasterboard will be fully guaranteed against faulty materials & workmanship. This covers joint tapes & material leaving the ceiling, on all other surfaces all work is carried out to the best of our ability & standard obtainable. This is however dependant upon the ceiling & wall surface that we have to work with. We always stand by our work & in the unlikey event of any problems that may arise we will be happy to correct this if we feel the customer has a valid complaint.
12. Terms of payment?
We strictly require payment in full upon completion of all work. (Unless otherwise agreed in advance) This can be by cheque (with a valid cheque gaurantee card) or by cash, in some circumstances we reserve the right to request a deposit to cover cost of materials in advance.
13. Is Ceiling Textures Fully Qualified?
Yes, Eddie Watts trading as Ceiling Textures has received both standard & advanced levels of training in artexing of ceilings, Certificates are available for
inspection if required. Ceiling Textures is a member of the Artex Teambuild scheme (previously known as federation of artex texturers) which means we are recognised by Artex Ltd to be competent in our texturing skills & also that we are recognised as an established ceiling texturing business.
14. Does artex contain asbestos?
There are numerous comments & unclear unjustified statements regarding this so I will try to clarify this question as best I can. Artex did in some cases contain asbestos up untill the late 1970's.
However even though asbestos was used in the manufacture of artex compounds the asbestos fibre used is of a very low risk & would only pose a small health risk if disturbed ie: scraping or stripping of material from ceilings or walls. if attempting removal yourself ensure you have adequate ventilation & always wear a face mask to prevent breathing in the dust.
Asbestos was discontinued in the manufacturing process of artex powder during the late 70's to my knowledge in the 18 or so years I have been in business I have never knowingly used any artex products that have contained asbestos in them. All Artex coatings today DO NOT CONTAIN ASBESTOS.
For further info see the newspaper cutting image below, (2nd Paragraph)
As can be seen from this article that any asbestos content previously used in artex is minimal & blown out of proportion being unfairly categorised resulting in damage to the overall state of the artexing trade. Asbestos was & is still used throughout the building industry. it is used in insulation, piping, lagging, flooring & many other applications, these materials are of far higher risk to health than those used in artex. Due to ignorance people are lead to beleive that even today artex contains asbestos.
Copyright of sunday telegraph, displayed for educational purposes & guideance only.
