Slightly cracked Artex.

[amfisted]

I have what I consider to be a very attractive Artex ceiling in my lounge. Unlike in my last house, its not the rather random stipple that people once slapped on to conceal damaged old ceilings, but the real deal, with swirls and flowers and stuff.

Thing is, there are a couple of plasterboard cracks. Not terribly obvious to the casual visitor, but obvious to me. Now, I don't want to start digging out the cracks and filling them, thus messing up my nice patterns, but the cracks are too narrow to accept caulk (I've tried it). I could just paint over them but they would open up again. Could anyone suggest another, perhaps more permanent solution which would cause minimal disruption to the surface either side of the cracks?

Thanks in advance.

Edit: I know, I know...Artex went out of fashion decades ago. However, I like this stuff and want to keep it. Maybe the feeling will pass when I try to paint it.

 

[WabbitPoo]

have you tried flexible paint? i am sorry I dont remember the brand right now but i got some for repairing hairline cracks in a plain ceiling. It works well for very thin cracks like yours. Got it from builder's merchants, IIRC

 

[emilybronte]

You can also get cognitive behavioural therapy for Artex attraction.

 

[Grenage]

There's nothing wrong with Artex patterns, I quite like the fan pattern we have in our place.

I think brands like Polycel have flexible offerings, but I've never used them.

 

[emilybronte]

I know! Dark glasses. Then you can't see the cracks. Or even better, the Artex itself.

 

[amfisted]

Flexible paint: an intriguing suggestion, thanks.

Cognitive therapy? Dark glasses? Very droll, but once the tittering subsides, hardly constructive.

In this case I believe that the aesthetic value outweighs the anachronistic nature of the covering; not to mention that it seems such a terrible waste to pay hundreds to render flat something that someone else probably paid hundreds to have textured; and textured very well, I might add.