Is it safe to remove an Artex ceiling?
The short answer
Not until you know what is in it. Textured coatings such as Artex applied before 2000 may contain a small amount of asbestos. If it is in good condition, the safest options are to leave it alone or have a plasterer skim over it. Get a sample tested before any sanding, scraping or drilling, and if it must be removed, use a contractor trained in asbestos work.
Key points
- Asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999, so coatings applied before then may contain it.
- Undamaged textured coatings are low risk. The danger comes from creating dust.
- A lab test on a small sample tells you for sure, and costs much less than a mistake.
- Never dry sand or power-scrape a textured ceiling that has not been tested.
- HSE task sheets set out how trained workers should drill, remove and clean up textured coatings.
Why Artex can contain asbestos
Artex is a brand name that became shorthand for any textured ceiling or wall coating, the swirls, stipples and patterns common in homes from the 1960s to the 1990s. Until the 1980s, many of these products contained a small amount of white asbestos to strengthen them. The UK banned all asbestos in 1999, so any coating applied before 2000 could contain it.
The amount is usually low and the asbestos is bound into the coating. It is only a risk when fibres are released into the air, which happens when the coating is sanded, scraped, drilled or broken up.
Step one: get it tested
A small sample can be sent to a UKAS-accredited laboratory for analysis. Many asbestos surveyors offer a sampling service, and some sell home testing kits with instructions. Testing is quick and inexpensive compared with the cost and risk of getting it wrong.
Highland Council's guidance on textured coatings says that coatings in good condition are best left in place and managed, and points to Health and Safety Executive task sheets for any work on them.
Your options
| Option | How it works | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leave and paint | Paint over the coating as it is | Lowest risk if it is in good condition |
| Skim over | Plasterer seals and skims the ceiling flat | Common, tidy result; no dust if the surface is not sanded |
| Overboard | Plasterboard fixed over, then skimmed | Drilling must follow HSE precautions if asbestos is present |
| Remove | Coating softened and scraped off by trained workers | Messy and slow; waste must go to a licensed site |
If the test comes back clear, any of these options is fine and a normal plasterer can do the work. See what it costs to skim a ceiling in Glasgow.
If asbestos is found
The HSE publishes "a26" to "a29" task sheets for work on textured coatings containing asbestos: drilling holes, fixing screws, removing small areas and cleaning up. Work on textured coatings usually does not need a licensed asbestos contractor, but it does need workers trained in asbestos work, using the right equipment and controls. Ask any contractor which task sheets they follow, and how they will bag and dispose of the waste.
Do not try to strip it yourself with a wallpaper steamer and scraper unless you have read the HSE guidance and have the right protective equipment. Most homeowners are better off skimming over.
Telling your other trades
Once you know whether the coating contains asbestos, tell everyone who will work in the room: electricians fitting new lights, decorators and plasterers. Painters in our Glasgow decorators table and plasterers in our plasterers table are used to working with older coatings, but they need to know the test result before they start.
If the textured coating is on an old lath and plaster ceiling, check that the ceiling itself is sound before skimming over it.
Questions
Can I paint over Artex that contains asbestos?
Yes. Painting a textured coating that is in good condition is generally considered safe, because it does not release fibres. Do not sand it first.
How do I know when my Artex was applied?
You often cannot be sure. Check home reports, past survey reports or ask previous owners. If in doubt, assume it may contain asbestos and test it.
Is it safe to live in a house with an Artex ceiling?
An undamaged textured ceiling is very low risk. The risk comes from damaging it and breathing in dust.
Who can test a ceiling for asbestos?
An asbestos surveyor, or a UKAS-accredited laboratory using a sample you take following its instructions.
Sources
This guide is general information about Glasgow and Scotland, checked on 3 November 2026. Prices and rules change, so confirm anything important with the organisation named before you act.
