# Any builders or any help artex I think maybe just plaster



## Rollinlow (Sep 25, 2013)

Hi any help would be great our house was built 99/2000 the ceilings all have artex style ceilings it's very chalky an crumbles easy I think it's just plaster that's been textured. My wife's worried as were buying a new house that's 70s with artex that we know could be asbestos an no she's worried about our old house as it was on the cutoff cheers


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## graham1970 (Oct 7, 2012)

Aftex can contain small amounts of white asbestos,the fibres arnt barbed as with others so it isn't dangerous per say.
If the ceiling is solid (just flaky on surface) get yourself some pva and use a roller to lay a nice thick coat or two onto the ceiling,this will stop any loose from falling.

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## MDC250 (Jan 4, 2014)

Can get it tested for very little money, think it was less than £100 for my entire house. The lab sends the results out as a certificate so you've got that for any trade coming in and/or when you sell on.


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## Rollinlow (Sep 25, 2013)

Yeh were moving to the new house next month it's just the house were in we never thought it was as its right on the edge of the ban date but wife's worries now as its always just crumbled over everything an kids toys as its on the sloping part of ceiling


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## Rollinlow (Sep 25, 2013)

I'm also wondering if it is just plaster as its so soft if you push it it will dent/crumble


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## Gav147 (Mar 20, 2011)

graham1970 said:


> Aftex can contain small amounts of white asbestos,the fibres arnt barbed as with others so it isn't dangerous per say.
> If the ceiling is solid (just flaky on surface) get yourself some pva and use a roller to lay a nice thick coat or two onto the ceiling,this will stop any loose from falling.
> 
> Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk


White asbestos isn't exactly safe either if you start disturbing it... I will agree with you that in an Artex ceiling the amount's will be very low if it actually has any at all in it (as above get a sample to your local lab, £30 a sample here). But to say it is not dangerous is a little blase, untouched it is fine but if some one decides to get a scraper, sander or god knows what out to try and remove it... You really do not want to be breathing that dust in.


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## DrEskimo (Jan 7, 2016)

Recently bought an old victorian terraced that we are doing a lot of work to, and it didn't even occur to me that asbestos could be all over....

Am I worrying unnecessarily, or is it worth getting it tested before I crack on with major work (knocking down walls, moving stairs, taking down ceilings, knocking down old extension and rebuilding slightly bigger one)?

I guess the issue is not knowing when certain parts of the building were replace/built?


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## graham1970 (Oct 7, 2012)

Gav147 said:


> White asbestos isn't exactly safe either if you start disturbing it... I will agree with you that in an Artex ceiling the amount's will be very low if it actually has any at all in it (as above get a sample to your local lab, £30 a sample here). But to say it is not dangerous is a little blase, untouched it is fine but if some one decides to get a scraper, sander or god knows what out to try and remove it... You really do not want to be breathing that dust in.


Agreed,if breathing it in for 8 hrs a day,5 days a week...but for one ceiling??

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## Clancy (Jul 21, 2013)

Get the house tested mate, can speculate till we are blue in the face but at the end of the day you won't know till its tested. Gives you piece of mind then and you know where you stand 

Whilst one ceiling may not really do any harm, it's not worth the risk especially with kids around and so on


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## Rollinlow (Sep 25, 2013)

Yeh we Been here 9 years so hope not as everything's been covered in dust off it it looks more like filler an we though the house was 2000 built but it's 99


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## Gav147 (Mar 20, 2011)

graham1970 said:


> Agreed,if breathing it in for 8 hrs a day,5 days a week...but for one ceiling??


I have pulled down plenty of asbestos ceilings, buildings etc before asbestos was taken as seriously as it is now and I'm still here I agree, but given what it is linked with nowadays I'm a little more cautious... and certainly wouldn't want to breath any more of the crap in nor would I recommend any one else does, especially in a family home with children around.


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## DrEskimo (Jan 7, 2016)

Well I've been round and what I thought could be artex is just textured wallpaper. Rest of the house is just wood, brick, lath and plaster and painted plaster....

Guess the insulation in the loft could be, but heard that's rare?

Just checked and its yellow and almost certainly just the standard (fibre glass?) insulation. Thankfully looks like I am all clear..

Good luck to the OP getting theirs sorted!


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## Rollinlow (Sep 25, 2013)

Cheers been tested today as wife's worried so let ha all know it looks more like pollyfiller bloke said it seems to crumbly to be artex but will test so hopefully it's all good. The house we buying is 76 an we know we have got to have that tested as its right at the bad time an need to knock bits about.


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## Will_G (Jan 23, 2012)

I've been looking at removing artex on a ceiling and came across this product:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Pai...+Water+Based+Textured+Coatings+Remover/p83638

It claims to remove artex without causing harmful fibres to escape. Obviously this is what they claim and nothing to do with me!


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## DLGWRX02 (Apr 6, 2010)

Will_G said:


> I've been looking at removing artex on a ceiling and came across this product:
> 
> http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Pai...+Water+Based+Textured+Coatings+Remover/p83638
> 
> It claims to remove artex without causing harmful fibres to escape. Obviously this is what they claim and nothing to do with me!


Anyone tried this ? just wandering as it could save me a fortune if its as good as the hype, My whole house is artexd, walls and ceilings! So far kitchen, hall way and bathroom have been either skimmed or tiled, just lounge, dinning room and 3 bedrooms to go!


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## Rollinlow (Sep 25, 2013)

All tested and all clear I thought it would be as its near 2000 build so at the cutoff point an it looks like filler not artex. Just the new house to get tested before I smack walls through to fit a toilet


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

My parents house was built in 1912 and someone in the 70s converted the loft and then Artexed nearly every room and all the hallways in the Asbestos containing stuff.

I was a kid and I guess he didn't know and dad scraped a small wall of it off, I say scrape, it was so hard he hacked at it with a paint scraper and it just came off in really hard bits. 

As I was only a kid at the time, as years have gone on, it always plays on my mind and I hope nothing bad comes of it. Seems to contain a very small amount.

So I am now always always very cautious of it.

As I got older and had my suspicions and all the work I helped with on the house, I freaked out that other stuff contained it as well, so mum and dad got a full survey done to find out and put my mind at rest as much as it could.

I know of people who have had Asbestosis where it blocks your lungs, I know of people being exposed due to demolitions and having pay outs and I know a couple of people who have tore lots of the stuff out before they realised how bad it was and are still here, so far.

I believe the 'white' asbestos which is the stuff usually found in homes is a spiral shape so our bodies can to some extent, get it out of us, unlike the brown and blue which is barbed/hooked and stays forever. Then I guess it's down to pure luck or genetics if anything bad happens.

Everyone says about 3,000 people killed in 9/11 many more thousands have died since due to the Asbestos in the buildings.

Glad your test came back clear, get a full survey done on your house you're buying, get peace of mind, it'll only be a couple of hundred and you can find a registered person the councils website.


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## Rollinlow (Sep 25, 2013)

Yeh were going to, artex from what I've read is not as bad as there's not much asbestos in an it remains glued unless you sand it so should be ok. What we had was so week turned. To powder if you touched it but it's all ok.


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## DrEskimo (Jan 7, 2016)

Starbuck88 said:


> Everyone says about 3,000 people killed in 9/11 many more thousands have died since due to the Asbestos in the buildings.
> .


You know this had never even crossed my mind...

Honestly did find it genuinely interesting so Googled it (not on the spot fact checking you ), but just to clarify about 50 people have died from Asbestos related illnesses, but they estimated that nearly 1/2million have been affected. Probably be another 20 odd years before the effects start being fully realised?
There was something like a 20% increase in cancer incidence amongst firefighters that were stationed at ground zero....

As if the devastation wasn't enough...


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