🏠 Asbestos in Artex ceilings — UK guide

 What Artex is — and why it might contain asbestos

• Artex is a textured decorative finish used mainly on UK ceilings and sometimes walls.

• It was very popular from the 1960s through the 1990s.

• During that period, white asbestos (chrysotile) was commonly added to increase strength and fire-resistance.

• However, not all Artex contains asbestos — non-asbestos versions also existed.

• Asbestos in Artex became far less common after the mid-1980s and was banned completely in 1999.

👉 If your Artex dates from before 1999, assume it may contain asbestos unless laboratory testing proves otherwise.

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 Can you tell if an Artex ceiling contains asbestos just by looking?

No.
Artex with and without asbestos looks almost identical. Common patterns such as swirls, stipple, spikes, and fans appear in both types.

To confirm whether asbestos is present, laboratory analysis of a sample is the only reliable method. Rightway Environmental can help with this. 

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 How testing works (UK)

A typical asbestos Artex test involves:

1. A trained surveyor taking small samples from the textured coating under controlled, damp working conditions.

2. Samples being sealed and sent to a UKAS-accredited lab for microscopic analysis.

3. A written report confirming whether asbestos is present and at what percentage.

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 Health risks & why this matters

• If Artex remains sealed, intact, and undisturbed, the risk is generally low.

• The danger comes when fibres become airborne, which can happen through drilling, sanding, scraping, cutting, or damaging the coating.

• Inhaled fibres can cause serious long-term diseases including:

  • Asbestosis

  • Lung cancer

  • Mesothelioma

There is no safe level of asbestos exposure, which is why testing before renovation is so important.

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 If your Artex does contain asbestos — what are your options?

✔️ Option A — Leave it in place (if it’s in good condition)

• Safe if sealed, undamaged, and not likely to be disturbed.

• Regular inspection recommended.

• This is often the safest approach when no renovation is planned.

✔️ Option B — Remove it safely

If renovation or deterioration makes removal necessary:

• Use a licensed asbestos removal contractor such as Rightway Environmental

• Work should involve wet removal techniques to prevent airborne fibres.

• Waste must be disposed of as hazardous waste at approved facilities.

✔️ Option C — Cover it instead of removing

If the Artex is stable, sometimes it can be:

• Overboarded with new plasterboard, or

• Skimmed with fresh plaster

This avoids disturbing the textured coating.
However, if the Artex is loose or flaking, removal is typically safer.

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 UK legal considerations

• Asbestos handling and removal fall under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

• Work likely to disturb asbestos-containing material must follow strict safety procedures.

• Removal contractors must be licensed for higher-risk asbestos work.

• Homeowners are not legally required to remove asbestos — only to manage it safely.

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 Quick recommendations for homeowners