Artex is a building material utilised for surface decorating throughout the inside of homes. It is often used to apply a textured surface to ceilings. Artex remains popular as an alternative to smooth plaster ceilings, and a professional painter and decorator can apply artex in an assortment of different textured style finishes. Artex identifies a specific manufacturer, but there are more manufacturers who create equivalent materials. Older artex ceilings may be restored as well. There are a variety of products and applicators available for purchase to help make this method as easy as possible. There's a wide variety of different alternatives with regard to the varieties of texture that artex may be used to create. It may be applied in stipple, swirl, or shell effects, all of which can be completed as a DIY task fairly easily. Specialist painters and decorators will be able to review with you which texture would best go with your space, and ensure that artex is administered to create an excellent quality and uniform surface. Artex can also be painted over, and opting for a colour which suits the texture of the surface can refresh a tired ceiling and breathe life into an area.
How much your artexing project might cost depends on how big the area is, how accessible it is and your location. Different professionals charge different amounts, and may spend varying amounts of time doing the work. However, the typical cost for an artexing project in the UK is about £200.
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Requests for quotations in Middlesbrough in June 2026
Requests for Artexing quotations in Middlesbrough in June 2026. 0% change from May 2026.
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Northeast England hosts the large town of Middlesbrough, featuring a populace in excess of 138,000. The town can be found on the River Tee's south bank. If you're interested in property upgrades for your property, review companies in Middlesbrough to find the right price for the work you need completed.
Middlesbrough - TS6
Enquiry from: Aysha A
Start Date: Immediate
I am looking for someone to do artexing on my living room ceiling approximately 20m2
Darlington - DL3
Enquiry from: Natalie S
Start Date: 1 to 3 months
Customer is looking for quotes for Artexing from pros around Darlington. Please call to arrange appointment to discuss
Darlington - DL1
Enquiry from: Damian S
Start Date: Immediate
Have a two bedroom flat in Darlington. All rooms have artex in ten including the hall and landing. Would like the best soloution for this. I don’t like the look of it Are you the property owner: Ow...
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If your artex ceiling is looking tired or you just fancy a change, you can try plastering over your artex. You have two options when it comes to plastering over your artex: plasterboard or skimming.
Covering your ceiling with plasterboard is a good option if you suspect the artex may contain asbestos. If done carefully, it doesn’t involve disturbing the artex, reducing the risk of asbestos exposure.
You also have the option to skim over your ceiling. The first steps to this involve removing loose and flaking parts, cutting off stipples and sanding your ceiling down. So, if there’s a chance your artex ceiling may contain asbestos, this isn’t the right solution for you. However, if you’re sure there’s no asbestos in your ceiling, then sanding down and skimming over your ceiling can be a great way to create an attractive result.
It’s worth noting that both putting up plasterboard and skimming plaster can be difficult jobs. Although possible to DIY, you’re likely to get much better results if you hire a professional.
Artex was originally made using white asbestos to make it stronger. However, this stopped in the mid-1980s, and the use of asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999, due to its extreme health risks. So, any artex you buy today won’t contain asbestos.
If you have an artex ceiling or wall that was created before 1999, it may have asbestos in it. This won’t be a health hazard if you leave it undisturbed, so it’s not necessary to remove it. However, if you want to get rid of or alter your artex ceiling or wall, you must get it tested to check if it has asbestos in or not first. If it does, you’ll need to hire a qualified professional to work on it.
It’s possible to paint your artex ceiling if you want to smarten it up or make it a different colour.
If it’s never been painted before, you’ll need to paint it with a PVA-based solution or water-thinned paint layer to start with. You may want to scrape or sand off any loose or peeling patches beforehand, but only do this if you’re sure that the artex doesn’t contain any asbestos.
Once you’ve done this, follow with two coats of your paint of choice – ideally an emulsion. If your artex ceiling has been painted before then you can paint directly without priming. However, if you’re painting over a particularly bold colour with a lighter one, you might want apply a layer of white paint first.
Artex is a type of interior surface coating, similar to plaster. It’s used to create decorative textured finishes on ceilings and walls, so it takes longer to dry than plaster.
Artex is actually a brand name, but it’s used to refer to similar products made by other manufacturers too. It was particularly popular in the 1970s, but is still used to create attractive wall and ceiling finishes today.
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