The Dreaded Artex - How best to Cover?

[reynoldo]

I have a lounge which has an artex ceiling which looks as if has been applied with a trowel...we are talking thick here, and i mean thick!! I have had a couple of plasterers in to have a look at it, (both gasped when thay walked in the room) one has suggested plastering over it, the other boarding it. Either option involves removing the ridges, of which there are many, up to half an inch thick in places, more like stalagtytes or mites can never remember which! Either way this is going to be a messy and dusty job. Coincidentally both guys have given me more or less the same price...The question is whether it might be better to batten the ceiling and then board, minimising the removal of the artex, rather than nailing to the existing ceiling. I guess i could live with the ceiling being another inch or so lower.....I am tending to go for the board/skim option rather than plaster as bonding could be an issue.Either way it's not a job i would attempt myself.

 

[JohnD]

An extra layer with a gap might give you an improvement on sound insulation.

 

[reynoldo]

Thanks hadn't really consider the insulation aspect....the artex is so thick it probably deadens any sound anway!

 

[simon_t]

It's easy to remember -tytes come down, -mytes go up!

I would opt for batten and board, at least I could get that part up in place myself and leave the final finish to the pros. Don't know how close the battens would need to be to stop any sag, I would guess every 400mm like a joist. Might be worth adding some cross battening to help.

simon

 

[Greatest Dancer]

tytes hang on tight, mytes might just reach the ceiling one day...