Am I being stupid or is there a quick fix for this artex ceiling?

[lloydupnorth]

Hi everyone,
So I have an artex stipple ceiling in the bedroom which has a big crack running down it from having being up in the loft.
I'd looked at getting it skimmed over but no plasterers will do it unless the room has been been emptied which isn't really practical.
Is there a way I can do a quick fix on it using a filler or something like that? It's an 80's house so could well be asbestos too which is causing me to worry.
Thanks

 

[Wayners]

That's not artex. It's polytex.
Has distemper behind to losing adhesion.
Scrape off.
Make good

Some will say overboarding and skim

 

[lloydupnorth]

That's not artex. It's polytex.
Has distemper behind to losing adhesion.
Scrape off.
Make good

Some will say overboarding and skim

Thanks, what sort of filler could you recommend to fill and would sanding it down after filling cause any issues as its polytex.

 

[Wayners]

I used to get the polytex off. Sometimes it just comes off in sheets really easy.
Wet your finger and rub the background. If its chalky. Any come off on your finger? If so it's distemper which was the first emulsion with no PVA/vinyl in. Unfortunately it is degrading and will continue to degrade .
You can seal it with products like Gardz then fill cracks with toupret powder filler but it's not a great way to tackle it plus in a few years it will be come away again. Maybe.
I used to dustless sand off the distemper then Gardz. Tape and fill ceiling or skim it.
Then paint.
Some just overboard and skim.
You really need to tape crack vs just filing.
To bodge just cut through polytex and peel back tidy along crack.
Seal with Gardz.
Fill with toupret
Paint

Won't look great though

 

[lloydupnorth]

I used to get the polytex off. Sometimes it just comes off in sheets really easy.
Wet your finger and rub the background. If its chalky. Any come off on your finger? If so it's distemper which was the first emulsion with no PVA/vinyl in. Unfortunately it is degrading and will continue to degrade .
You can seal it with products like Gardz then fill cracks with toupret powder filler but it's not a great way to tackle it plus in a few years it will be come away again. Maybe.
I used to dustless sand off the distemper then Gardz. Tape and fill ceiling or skim it.
Then paint.
Some just overboard and skim.
You really need to tape crack vs just filing.
To bodge just cut through polytex and peel back tidy along crack.
Seal with Gardz.
Fill with toupret
Paint

Won't look great though

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain that to me, we're looking at selling in the next few months so I'm tempted to do a fix on it and see how it looks. Once the room has been emptied, the new owners might just decide it's the best time to skim it. Cheers again!

 

[Wayners]

Selling.
Peel off the polytex.
Gardz
Fill
Lining paper and paint