# Artex Removal

> Artex removal and ceiling skimming across the UK: asbestos testing, safe removal or skim-over, and smooth ready-to-paint ceilings and walls.

Artex Removal provides Artex removal for homeowners, landlords, letting agents and property developers across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (250 towns and cities). Customers request a free fixed-price quote using the online form on any page.

## Key facts
- Service: Artex removal
- Coverage: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Typical cost: Skimming over Artex on a typical bedroom ceiling usually costs £300 to £550. Asbestos sample testing is usually £30 to £80 per sample. Full removal is usually £25 to £45 per square metre for non-asbestos coatings.
- How to get a quote: online form, replies usually the same day

## Guides
- [How much does Artex removal cost in the UK? (2026 guide)](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/guides/artex-removal-cost-uk/): In 2026, skimming over Artex on a typical UK bedroom ceiling usually costs £300 to £550, a living room ceiling £400 to £700, and a whole three-bedroom house £1,800 to £3,500. Full removal of non-asbestos Artex usually costs £25 to £45 per square metre. An asbestos test is usually £30 to £80 per sample.
- [Does Artex contain asbestos? What UK homeowners need to know](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/guides/does-artex-contain-asbestos/): Artex and similar textured coatings applied in the UK before 2000 may contain a small amount of chrysotile (white asbestos), most commonly in coatings from before the mid-1980s. You cannot tell by looking, so a sample should be lab tested before the coating is sanded, scraped or drilled. Undisturbed and in good condition, it is low risk, and skimming over it is a safe way to cover it.
- [Skim over Artex or remove it? Pros, cons and costs](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/guides/skim-over-artex-or-remove-it/): For most UK homes, skimming over Artex is the better option: it is cheaper, faster, creates little dust and leaves any asbestos sealed in. Full removal is worth it only when you need the original surface back, for example before rewiring, structural work or fitting downlights throughout.
- [How to choose an Artex removal contractor: questions to ask and red flags](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/guides/how-to-choose-an-artex-removal-contractor/): Choose an Artex contractor who asks about the age of the coating, recommends an asbestos test before any sanding or scraping, explains whether skimming or removal suits your ceiling, and gives a written fixed price covering protection, preparation, plastering and waste. Avoid anyone who offers to sand Artex off, dismisses testing, or cannot explain how asbestos waste would be handled.
- [Artex and asbestos: the UK rules for homeowners, landlords and contractors](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/guides/artex-asbestos-regulations-uk/): In the UK, work on Artex that contains asbestos is covered by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. HSE classes most work on textured decorative coatings as non-licensed, but larger scale removal with steam or gel is normally notifiable non-licensed work, which must be notified to HSE first. Asbestos waste must be double-bagged, labelled and taken by a registered carrier to a permitted site.
- [Having Artex skimmed: how long it takes and what to expect on the day](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/guides/artex-skimming-what-to-expect/): Skimming one Artex ceiling usually takes a single day: the room is protected in the morning, the surface is sealed, filled and finished, and the plasterer cleans up before leaving. A whole house typically takes three to six days. The new plaster then needs three to seven days to dry before you paint. You can usually stay at home throughout.
- [DIY Artex removal vs hiring a professional: risks, costs and results](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/guides/diy-artex-removal-vs-professional/): DIY is realistic for painting over Artex, taking a test sample with a home kit, or softening and wet-scraping a small area of coating that has tested negative. Skimming a ceiling to a flat finish is a skilled job that most people cannot do well first time. Never sand or dry-scrape a coating that has not been tested, and leave asbestos-positive removal to trained operatives.
- [Overboarding vs skimming over Artex: which is right for your ceiling?](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/guides/overboarding-vs-skimming-artex/): Skimming is right for most Artex ceilings that are sound and reasonably flat. Overboarding, where new plasterboard is screwed through the old ceiling into the joists and then skimmed, is better for very deep patterns, cracked or uneven ceilings, and old lath and plaster that is losing its grip. It costs more, but it encapsulates the coating completely and gives a fresh, flat surface.

## Services
- Artex ceiling skimming: The quickest and most popular option. High points are scraped back, the surface is sealed and bonded, then two coats of finishing plaster give a completely smooth ceiling without disturbing the coating underneath.
- Full Artex removal: Where you want the coating physically taken off, it is softened and stripped back to the board or plaster once testing confirms it is safe to do so, then the surface is made good.
- Asbestos testing: Any textured coating applied before 2000 should be sampled before it is sanded, scraped or drilled. We arrange a sample and accredited lab analysis so you know exactly what you are dealing with.
- Asbestos-containing Artex: If a test comes back positive, the coating is either encapsulated under a skim or removed by trained operatives following HSE guidance, with the waste bagged and disposed of correctly.
- Textured wall removal: Artex and other textured finishes on walls, stairwells and landings, skimmed or removed and left smooth for painting or wallpaper.
- Coving and ceiling repairs: Cracks, old fixings and damaged areas repaired, new coving fitted where needed, and the finish blended so the room looks completely fresh.

## Areas by region
- [Artex removal in London](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/london/): Croydon, Bromley, Barnet, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, Uxbridge, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond, Twickenham, Wimbledon, Sutton, Romford, Ilford, Bexleyheath, Orpington, Greenwich, Lewisham, Islington, Camden, Hackney, Walthamstow, Wembley, Battersea, Fulham, Chelsea
- [Artex removal in South East](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/south-east/): Brighton, Hove, Eastbourne, Hastings, Crawley, Worthing, Chichester, Horsham, Bognor Regis, Guildford, Woking, Epsom, Redhill, Reigate, Camberley, Farnham, Staines, Weybridge, Esher, Maidstone, Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells, Ashford, Dartford, Gravesend, Sevenoaks, Margate, Folkestone, Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham, Reading, Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead, Bracknell, Newbury, Wokingham, Oxford, Banbury, Bicester, Abingdon, Henley-on-Thames, Witney, Milton Keynes, High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Amersham, Southampton, Portsmouth, Basingstoke, Winchester, Andover, Farnborough, Fareham, Eastleigh, Havant
- [Artex removal in East of England](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/east-of-england/): Cambridge, Peterborough, Ely, Huntingdon, St Neots, Norwich, King's Lynn, Great Yarmouth, Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Lowestoft, Colchester, Chelmsford, Southend-on-Sea, Basildon, Brentwood, Harlow, Braintree, Luton, Bedford, St Albans, Watford, Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Welwyn Garden City, Bishop's Stortford, Hitchin
- [Artex removal in South West](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/south-west/): Bristol, Bath, Taunton, Weston-super-Mare, Yeovil, Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Barnstaple, Truro, Falmouth, Newquay, St Austell, Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester, Weymouth, Swindon, Salisbury, Chippenham, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud
- [Artex removal in West Midlands](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/west-midlands/): Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield, Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, Lichfield, Tamworth, Burton upon Trent, Worcester, Redditch, Kidderminster, Bromsgrove, Hereford, Shrewsbury, Telford, Warwick, Leamington Spa, Nuneaton, Rugby, Stratford-upon-Avon
- [Artex removal in East Midlands](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/east-midlands/): Nottingham, Mansfield, Newark, Derby, Chesterfield, Leicester, Loughborough, Hinckley, Northampton, Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough, Lincoln, Grantham, Boston
- [Artex removal in North West](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/north-west/): Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Bolton, Wigan, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Altrincham, Liverpool, Birkenhead, St Helens, Southport, Warrington, Chester, Crewe, Macclesfield, Preston, Blackpool, Blackburn, Burnley, Lancaster, Carlisle, Kendal
- [Artex removal in Yorkshire](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/yorkshire/): Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Halifax, Keighley, Dewsbury, Harrogate, York, Scarborough, Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley, Hull, Beverley
- [Artex removal in North East](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/north-east/): Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, Gateshead, South Shields, Durham, Darlington, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool
- [Artex removal in Wales](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/wales/): Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Bridgend, Barry, Wrexham, Bangor, Llandudno, Aberystwyth, Carmarthen
- [Artex removal in Scotland](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/scotland/): Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness, Stirling, Perth, Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston, Ayr
- [Artex removal in Northern Ireland](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/northern-ireland/): Belfast, Lisburn, Newry, Derry

## Optional
- [Full FAQ and content](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/llms-full.txt)
- [All areas](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/areas/)

## Service pages
- [Artex ceiling skimming](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/services/artex-ceiling-skimming/): Artex ceiling skimming covers a textured ceiling with a bonding coat and two coats of finishing plaster, leaving a smooth surface without removing or sanding the original coating. It suits most homes with swirl, stipple or comb Artex, including coatings that may contain asbestos. In the UK a typical bedroom ceiling usually costs £300 to £550.
- [Full Artex removal](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/services/full-artex-removal/): Full Artex removal strips the textured coating off the ceiling or wall, usually by softening it with steam or a chemical gel and scraping it away, then making good the surface underneath. It suits jobs where the original surface needs to be exposed. In the UK it usually costs £25 to £45 per square metre for non-asbestos coatings.
- [Asbestos testing for Artex](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/services/asbestos-testing/): Asbestos testing for Artex involves taking a small sample of the textured coating and having it analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory to confirm whether asbestos is present. It is recommended for any coating applied before 2000 before it is sanded, scraped or drilled. In the UK a test usually costs £30 to £80 per sample.
- [Dealing with asbestos-containing Artex](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/services/asbestos-containing-artex/): When Artex tests positive for asbestos, the options are to leave it undisturbed, encapsulate it under a plaster skim or new plasterboard, or have it removed by trained operatives using HSE-approved wet methods, with the waste disposed of as hazardous waste. Encapsulation is usually the cheapest and safest. Removal in the UK usually costs £50 to £100 per square metre plus disposal.
- [Textured wall removal](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/services/textured-wall-removal/): Textured wall removal takes Artex and other textured finishes off walls, stairwells and landings, or skims over them, to leave a smooth surface ready for paint or wallpaper. It suits hallways, chimney breasts and feature walls with dated texture. In the UK skimming a textured wall usually costs £200 to £450 per wall depending on size and access.
- [Coving and ceiling repairs](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/services/coving-and-ceiling-repairs/): Coving and ceiling repairs fix cracks, holes, old fixings and loose plasterboard, and fit or replace coving, usually alongside an Artex skim or removal so the room is finished in one go. They suit ceilings with damage or a dated edge detail. In the UK fitting new plaster coving usually costs £10 to £25 per metre, fitted.

## Glossary
- [Artex removal glossary](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/glossary/)

## Blog
- [Can you paint over Artex? Best paint, rollers and technique](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/blog/how-to-paint-over-artex-ceiling/): Yes, you can paint over Artex, and it is the cheapest way to freshen up a textured ceiling. Use a matt emulsion, a long-pile roller and a brush for the deep parts of the pattern, and expect to use noticeably more paint than on a flat ceiling. Do not sand or scrape the coating first unless it has been tested for asbestos, and remember that painting keeps the texture rather than removing it.
- [Drilling into Artex: fitting downlights, alarms and fixings safely](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/blog/drilling-into-artex-ceiling-safely/): If an Artex coating was applied before 2000 and has not been tested, assume it could contain asbestos before you drill or cut it. HSE treats small jobs such as drilling holes or removing a small area of textured coating as low-risk, non-licensed work, but it should still be done with dust-control methods and suitable protection. For several downlights, testing first or skimming the ceiling before fitting is usually the simplest route.
- [Selling a house with Artex ceilings: does it put buyers off?](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/blog/selling-a-house-with-artex-ceilings/): Artex ceilings will not stop a house selling, but they can make it look dated and may prompt questions from buyers and their surveyors about asbestos. Surveyors commonly note that textured coatings in older homes may contain asbestos and recommend testing. Having the coating tested before you list, and skimming the most visible rooms if budget allows, often makes the sale smoother.
- [Artex in flats: leaseholders, communal areas and who is responsible](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/blog/artex-in-flats-leaseholders-communal-areas/): In a block of flats, the person responsible for the communal areas has a legal duty to manage asbestos there, including any textured coatings on stairwell and hallway ceilings. Inside your own flat, you are responsible for any Artex, but the ceiling itself may belong to the freeholder under the lease. Check the lease, ask for the building's asbestos records and get permission before skimming, overboarding or removing anything structural.
- [Artex and asbestos myths: what is true and what is not](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/blog/artex-asbestos-myths/): Not all Artex contains asbestos, you cannot tell by looking, and coatings in good condition are low risk when left undisturbed. Skimming over Artex is legal and widely used, and most textured coating work does not need a licensed asbestos contractor. The real risks come from sanding, scraping or power-tool removal without knowing what the coating contains.
- [Cracked or damaged Artex ceiling? Causes and what to do next](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/blog/cracked-artex-ceiling-causes-and-fixes/): Most cracks in Artex ceilings follow the joints between plasterboard sheets and are caused by normal movement, so they are cosmetic. Cracks that are widening, a ceiling that is sagging, or damage from a leak need prompt attention. Do not scrape or sand damaged Artex until it has been tested for asbestos, and where the coating is breaking up, have it assessed rather than cleaning it up yourself.
- [Artex asbestos test results explained: what your lab report means](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/blog/artex-asbestos-test-results-explained/): An asbestos test report for an Artex sample will usually say either no asbestos detected or name the type found, which for textured coatings is almost always chrysotile, or white asbestos. The test tells you what is present, not how much. Use a laboratory accredited by UKAS for asbestos analysis, test each different coating separately, and choose your next step based on the result.
- [How to save money on Artex removal and ceiling skimming](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/blog/how-to-save-money-on-artex-removal/): The biggest saving is usually choosing skimming over full removal, which is often half the cost or less. After that, grouping several rooms into one job, doing the work while the house is empty, clearing and decorating yourself, and testing only where needed all reduce the price. Typical guide prices are around £300 to £550 to skim a bedroom ceiling and £1,800 to £3,500 for a three-bed house.
- [Artex patterns explained: swirl, stipple, comb and what they mean](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/blog/artex-patterns-swirl-stipple-comb-explained/): The most common Artex patterns in UK homes are swirl, stipple, comb or fan, bark and broken leather. Pattern makes no difference to whether a coating contains asbestos, but it does affect the work: deep, sharp patterns take longer to prepare and need more plaster to skim, while shallow stipples are quicker. Describing the pattern and its depth helps a plasterer give an accurate price.
- [Disposing of Artex waste: what to do with old coating and debris](https://artex-removal-uk.pages.dev/blog/disposing-of-artex-waste-uk/): Artex debris that has tested negative for asbestos can usually go with plaster and rubble waste, for example in rubble bags to a household waste recycling centre or in a skip. Debris that contains asbestos is hazardous waste: it must be wetted, double-bagged in heavy-duty polythene, labelled and taken only to a site licensed to accept it. Some councils accept small amounts of household asbestos waste by appointment, but many do not.