Does Artex contain asbestos?

Updated November 2026

The short answer: older Artex may contain asbestos. Many textured coatings were strengthened with a small amount of white asbestos until around the mid-1980s, and asbestos was not completely banned in the UK until 1999. If your Artex went on before 2000, you should assume it could contain asbestos until a test shows otherwise.

Why Artex contained asbestos

Artex is a brand name that became the everyday word for textured ceiling and wall coatings. For many years, these coatings were reinforced with chrysotile, also called white asbestos. A guidance note from ARCA, the Asbestos Removal Contractors’ Association, says the asbestos content of such coatings is typically between 2 and 5 per cent by weight.

When did Artex stop containing asbestos?

There is no single official date, and sources differ. Choice Housing says textured coatings were often strengthened with white asbestos until the mid-1980s. Homebuilding and Renovating quotes an expert saying most manufacturers stopped using asbestos around 1983, and another of its articles gives 1984. What is certain is that the HSE says asbestos was completely banned in 1999 and may still be present in buildings built before 2000.

In practice, that means a textured ceiling that is more than about 40 years old has a real chance of containing asbestos, and anything applied before 2000 cannot be ruled out without a test.

Is it dangerous?

Not while it is left alone in good condition. Choice Housing’s 2025 guidance says textured coatings containing asbestos are only harmful if they are disturbed or damaged, and pose no risk to occupants while undisturbed. Lambeth Council’s guide makes the same point, saying fibres are released where the material is in poor condition, disturbed or damaged.

The risk comes from work that breaks the coating up into dust. The HSE’s task sheet for removing a small area of textured coating is very direct:

• Never scrape through or sand down textured coatings or stripped surfaces.
• Do not use power tools to cut through textured coatings.

That rules out the most common DIY approaches to getting rid of Artex, which is why so many people choose to cover it instead.

What the HSE says about working on it

The HSE treats work on textured coatings containing asbestos as non-licensed work, and publishes four task sheets for it, numbered a26 to a29. These cover drilling through textured coatings, putting in and taking out screws, removing a small area of about one square metre, and cleaning up after a ceiling collapse.

For bigger jobs, the HSE lists large-scale removal of textured decorative coatings using steaming or gelling as notifiable non-licensed work. That brings extra requirements, including notification of the work, medical surveillance and record keeping. If the coating is on asbestos insulating board, the HSE says a licensed contractor must be used.

Even where a licence is not legally required, ARCA recommends using an HSE-licensed contractor because of their training, equipment and insurance. Sheffield City Council adds that asbestos waste must not go in a household bin or a builder’s skip.

How to get Artex tested

1. Choose a testing route. You can buy a sampling kit and send a small piece to an accredited laboratory, or pay an asbestos surveyor to take the sample for you.
2. Follow the instructions carefully. Kits explain how to dampen and seal the area so the sample is taken with as little dust as possible.
3. Wait for the result before any sanding, scraping, drilling or removal.

MyJobQuote’s September 2026 guide puts an asbestos sample survey at around £200 to £250.

Your options if it does contain asbestos

• Leave it and paint it. If it is in good condition, it can stay. Lambeth Council says sealed, undamaged Artex can be painted with regular emulsion.
• Cover it. Skimming or overboarding hides the texture without breaking it up. ARCA lists encapsulating or sealing coatings in good condition as non-licensed work. The HSE does not publish guidance specifically on plastering over asbestos Artex, so talk to your plasterer about how they will prepare the surface without sanding or drilling it.
• Have it removed by a specialist. If the ceiling has to come down or the coating has to come off, use a trained asbestos contractor.

Our guide to plastering over Artex explains skimming and boarding in more detail, and our Artex and ceilings page explains how we work.