Can you plaster over Artex?

Updated November 2026

The short answer: yes, you can usually plaster over Artex, as long as the coating is sound and well stuck down. It needs a suitable bonding coat first, and if the texture is very deep, loose or cracked, fixing new plasterboard over it is often the better option. Either way, check whether the Artex could contain asbestos before anyone prepares the surface.

Step one: check for asbestos

Textured coatings applied before 2000 may contain asbestos, and the HSE warns that you should never scrape through or sand down textured coatings, or use power tools to cut through them. Covering Artex is popular precisely because it avoids breaking the coating up, but the preparation still matters. If there is any doubt, get a sample tested first. Our guide to Artex and asbestos explains how.

Skimming over Artex

Skimming means applying a thin coat of finishing plaster over the texture to leave a smooth, flat surface. Homebuilding and Renovating says skimming is only an option where the Artex is in sound condition, with no sections falling away, and that where the texture stands 5 to 10mm proud, a bonding coat goes on before the skim.

How it is done

1. Check the surface. Any loose or flaking areas are dealt with, without sanding or scraping.
2. Apply a bonding agent. British Gypsum makes Thistle Bond-it for smooth or low-suction backgrounds. It contains fine aggregate and dries to a textured surface, which gives the plaster a mechanical key. British Gypsum warns that PVA can re-emulsify under wet plaster and weaken the bond.
3. Fill the texture. On deeper patterns, a bonding coat fills the hollows to level the surface.
4. Skim. A finishing coat, usually about 2mm thick, is trowelled smooth.
5. Let it dry. The new plaster then needs to dry before it is mist coated and painted.

When skimming is not the best idea

One expert quoted by Homebuilding and Renovating warns that the bond between the skim and the Artex can fail over time. That is more likely where the Artex is already loose, where the ceiling is cracked or sagging, or where the texture is very heavy. In those cases, overboarding is usually more reliable.

Boarding over Artex

Overboarding means fixing new plasterboard directly over the old ceiling and then skimming the new boards. It gives a perfectly flat result, hides deep textures and cracks, and seals the old surface in. Homebuilding and Renovating suggests simply overboarding with plasterboard and getting it plastered as an alternative to skimming.

The board has to be screwed through the old ceiling into the joists, so if the Artex may contain asbestos, it is worth discussing this with your plasterer first. The HSE publishes task sheets for drilling through textured coatings and for inserting and removing screws through them.

Skimming, boarding or removal: costs compared

Method	Per m² (no asbestos)	Typical job (no asbestos)
Plaster over the Artex	£14 to £47	£250 to £700
Board over the Artex	£22 to £67	£400 to £1,000
Remove by steaming	£14 to £47	£250 to £700
Asbestos sample survey		£200 to £250

Figures from MyJobQuote’s Artex removal cost guide, updated September 2026. MyJobQuote gives higher figures where asbestos is confirmed, for example £17 to £97 per m² for plastering over. BestBuilders puts skimming over Artex at £10 to £25 per m², or £200 to £450 per room, including VAT.

Can you just paint over Artex?

Yes. If you are happy with the texture, or simply want to freshen it up, painting is the cheapest option. Lambeth Council’s guide says Artex that is sealed and undamaged can be painted over with regular emulsion. It will not make the ceiling smooth, but it does not disturb the coating.