Repairing crack in combed Artex ceiling.

[amfisted]

Fairly simple query, I hope.

In my kitchen, the ceiling has been finished with Artex in a combed pattern, with swirls and flowers and all that malarkey. I quite like it and intend to keep it, but the surface is rather spoiled by a 2m long plasterboard crack.

My plan at present is to stabilise either side of the crack by drilling holes at intervals and inserting screws through the plasterboard into the joists (edit: providing I can locate the joists because the loft above is boarded out) then applying a coat of Artex followed by plasterboard tape, a further coat of Artex then blend into the existing pattern with a combing tool.

Does that sound about right?

 

[roughcaster]

You have 3 options here.
Number 1,, (If you can live with it)
Leave the Artex ceiling as it is with the crack in it, because you will make it look FAR worse trying to patch it up, (impossible).

Number 2,, (Best Option, Best Finish)
Strengthen the ceiling with screws as you said,, tape over the cracked plasterboard, then pva the whole ceiling, have it re-plastered, then re-artex to original pattern or leave plain/emulsion.

Number 3,, (probably not necessary in your case)
Overboard with new plasterboard, tape the new ceiling, then artex, or leave plain/emulsion.
Artex is not fashionable nowadays either, although some still want it, but as I said earlier in the post, it really is "impossible" to patch it up, it'll look 10 times worse and stick out like a sore thumb.

 

[amfisted]

Thank you. My missus also regards the patch-up option as unwise, following my attempts last year to deal with a similar crack in a plain surface which ended in my plastering the entire ceiling (and not doing too bad a job, considering my inexperience).

I've made contact with someone else who appears to be experienced in applying textured finishes and who thinks that a repair is feasible, but I'll certainly bear your advice in mind. I might try mocking up a combed Artex pattern similar to the actual ceiling on a piece of board, let it dry then see whether I can make a decent fist of taping and repairing an imaginary crack in that surface.

 

[amfisted]

In the end, I applied a bead of flexible filler along the crack and then painted the entire ceiling to ensure a match. The crack is no longer visible in daylight, although you can see a "step" in electric light. No doubt I'll need to apply another splash of paint when the crack inevitably reappears, but for now it looks OK.