Planex and textured ceilings

[rxe]

A while back we moved house and I'm reaching the point where I'm going to get stuck into decorating.  The state of the walls is "OK" - they're not bad enough to need an expensive re-skim with plaster, but they need a go over with a sander.  The ceilings are similarly OK, but have been covered in "Artex".  I don't know if this is unique to the UK, but it is a hideous textured plaster,  and the guy who used to own the place seemed to like it.  A lot. 

So my choices are:

- live with the artex.  Ugh.
- Get a guy in to replaster the entire house - expensive.
- Get a planex, blow over the walls, and do the ceilings to get rid of the texture.  £800 + some muscle work! 

So my question is - has anyone used a Planex for smoothing Artex...and did it look good afterwards?  I have a CT36, so I'd be getting the planex head on its own. 

 

[jonny round boy]

Artex is the devil's work, and people who put it up should be lined up and shot, along with the people who put up woodchip wallpaper!!! [mad] [mad] [mad]

I don't have a Planex, so I can't comment on whether it would work well, but I don't see any reason why not.

What age is the house you're in? I ask because it may be relevant - in older houses (100+ years) the plaster on the ceilings often breaks down & becomes crazed with cracks. Artex is often used to cover this & hide the cracks because it's easier (and cleaner!) than taking the ceilings down & replacing them with plasterboard. If this is the case, then sanding the artex with the planex may uncover some problems. The planex is designed to 'suck' itself to the ceiling to take the weight off the user's arms. If the ceiling isn't secure that *could* result in the planex removing small sections of the ceiling for you!

If it's a newer house, then that won't be an issue!

 

[ajones]

there is a more important question about the age of the house or the age of the artex as it had aspestos in it in the early days, and I would not want myself or family exposed to the dust.

 

[jonny round boy]

there is a more important question about the age of the house or the age of the artex as it had aspestos in it in the early days, and I would not want myself or family exposed to the dust.

That's a very good point Footstool, I forgot about that. Thanks!

 

[rxe]

The house itself is 1800s - but they had an extension put on in the 80s and redid the ceilings then - they're all plaster board underneath, so it isn't Artex over lath and plaster!  When did they stop putting asbestos into Artex?

Artex is the devil's work, and people who put it up should be lined up and shot, along with the people who put up woodchip wallpaper!!! 

The last house was infested with woodchip.  I hate that stuff. 

 

[jonny round boy]

The house itself is 1800s - but they had an extension put on in the 80s and redid the ceilings then - they're all plaster board underneath, so it isn't Artex over lath and plaster!

That's good, then! I would think the Planex would do a decent job of removing the Artex, however:

When did they stop putting asbestos into Artex?

According to Wikipedia:

Until the mid-1980s, the Artex coating was made with white asbestos to strengthen it. This means that only old artex manufactured by Artex.Ltd will contain asbestos and most probably any artex applied within the last 25 years will not contain any harmful material whatsoever.

So that's right at the point yours was installed, which probably doesn't help.

A very quick search also found this site, which states that some manufacturers (other than Artex Ltd) used asbestos until as late as 1999.

It may be worth getting someone in to test it. If it's clear, then sand it off. If it isn't, then your options are either to get an authorised contractor in to remove it, or get a plasterer in to skim over it.

 

[jonny round boy]

Just looked into it a bit more, and you can get asbestos testing kits from as little as £35, so you can test it yourself rather than get a professional surveyor in.

 

[rxe]

Thanks for that - worth getting it tested, as you say it is right on the cusp of the changeover. 

That artex site is horrific:

Your home may be one of the biggest investments that you are likely to make. Therefore, it deserves a stylish decorative treatment of the highest quality. Nothing can match the decorative quality of Artexing for ceilings and walls. 

    [scared] [scared] [scared]

 

[Michael_MA]

Thanks for that - worth getting it tested, as you say it is right on the cusp of the changeover. 

That artex site is horrific:

Your home may be one of the biggest investments that you are likely to make. Therefore, it deserves a stylish decorative treatment of the highest quality. Nothing can match the decorative quality of Artexing for ceilings and walls. 

    [scared] [scared] [scared]

Just an additional word about your CT36..
i would certainly NOT use the "L" version of the CT36 for handling of hazardous material.  If you have the "M" version, this could be used for hazardous stuff.
The SRM45 Vac, which is included in the Planex package is not only an "M" version, but also has a extremly effective self cleaning mechanism for large amount of dust, AND has a huge Filter is for large volumina of debris and stuff.
I have the SRM45 as my Shopvac - it was an ebay bargain i couldn't resist [grin] - i never had seen something similar befire, as this Vac is a Tornado in a box.. dont get to near to it though..
It uses large bags, which can be re-used, because they can be covered by disposable over-bag's for hazardous stuff - neat feature. Maybe you have a chance to get it on display somewhere and can give it a try. I would vote for the SRM45 to be used with the Planex also cause it has enough extraction volume to hold the Planex in place..

kind regards, Mike

 

[FulThrotl]

The issue with having asbestos in the product parallels the US, where we had "cottage cheese" acoustic ceilings sprayed
With asbestos... Abatement is to bag the room, get an approved respirator, wet the ceilings and scrape them, and then shed the bunny suit, and fold up the room bag and dispose of it.

Then seal the surface with an approved encapsulent, which is like shellacing a surface to seal it

If you scrape or sand it dry, you will never be rid of it.