Artex at top of walls only

hiace_drifter · Post by **hiace_drifter** » Sat Mar 15, 2025 9:32 am

Whilst steaming off wallpaper I discovered artex at the top of the walls (the skim coat fell off very easily when damp from the steam).

So... is it normal to have had a strip of artex (perhaps above a picture rail?) in a 1950s house? I'm getting a plasterer in to cover a bricked up fire place, so will get the artex re-covered too.

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Sat Mar 15, 2025 10:03 am

It may have had a picture rail and the Artex was finished to that line. Am I imagining it or is that a ghost outline of the removed rail? Just be careful with old Artex as pre 90s it had asbestos in it. Best to get it skimmed over.

DWD

hiace_drifter · Post by **hiace_drifter** » Sat Mar 15, 2025 10:18 am

dewaltdisney wrote: ↑Sat Mar 15, 2025 10:03 am It may have had a picture rail and the Artex was finished to that line. Am I imagining it or is that a ghost outline of the removed rail? Just be careful with old Artex as pre 90s it had asbestos in it. Best to get it skimmed over.

DWD

Yeah I think there is a ghost of a picture rail there. Good shout re the asbestos ... I only recently discovered that.

hiace_drifter · Post by **hiace_drifter** » Sat Mar 15, 2025 10:39 am

Is steaming the best way to move any of the old loose skim? It seems to work very well so far!

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Sat Mar 15, 2025 10:48 am

It does the job as the steam gets under and pops the surface off. The steam also dampens any potential dust from the Artex.

DWD