The only problem with this approach is that the ceiling or wall in question should then really be labelled, to warn future occupants or builders of what lurks beneath. The coating can be left in place and skimmed over with ordinary multi-finish plaster, or a special coating called Artex Ceiling Finish, which is supplied by the current owners of the Artex brand name. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website () is a mine of information, and publishes free downloadable advice sheets on all aspects of asbestos removal. There is no statutory requirement for such coatings to be removed, and HSE advice is that as long as the coating is in good condition, it is usually safer to leave it undisturbed and in place, rather than risk releasing fibres into the air by removing it. Since the coating binds the asbestos into a solid material, and as long as the material is not damaged, there is little or no danger of the fibres being released into the air, and thence finding their way into occupants’ lungs. However, the view in the construction industry is that any asbestos product should be treated with caution, and the HSE insists that the chrysotile used in textured coatings has the potential to be a human carcinogen. Some experts even claim it is chemically identical to talcum powder, and that it has been unfairly tarnished by the “asbestos” label. The amount of chrysotile included in the mix was small, and there is still something of a debate over exactly how dangerous chrysotile might be. So textured finishes should not be drilled or dry-sanded, as the asbestos fibres could be released into the air and inhaled. The Artex brand itself was still being manufactured with chrysotile (“white asbestos”) as recently as 1984. The big problem with these textured finishes is that they may contain asbestos. Other brands are Wondertex, Suretex and Newtex, but they all tend to get referred to as ‘Artex’. Artex is a brand of textured paint used to make decorative patterns on plasterboard, or to cover up cracks in old ceilings (although this is rarely successful). Is there an alternative? A disguise even?Ī. Also, it can look odd because the edges of the coving disappear. I’ve heard that having them plaster skimmed is messy and expensive. My property has Artex ceilings throughout, which look very dated nowadays.
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