Asbestos - Artex?

[Carano]

Hi there...

I'm currently looking to get my house - the whole of downstairs plastered. However, every single wall is covered with this tripe! Can't even hang pictures up because it looks terrible!

I pretty much grew up in this house, been here about 22 year, and the artex was already here well before we moved in...

My dad is a pretty decent plasterer, which I'm opting for, as I can't afford a professional. He did a great job in the back bedroom anyway.

However, I also have dado rail in both downstairs rooms. My dad pulled a length of it off the wall today with a claw hammer, obviously bringing part of the wall and artex with it.

Now, I'm pretty paranoid about the whole asbestos thing. I've taped a bin bag over the crack (I know this won't do much, lol) And was looking to get somebody to take a sample before I let him do anymore.

Question is, is it really that harmful? I've heard about the white asbestos isn't really that bad. And that companies 'up' the risks, so you pay a lot of money for them to remove it.

We were just going to fill in the large crack/hole, that pulling the dado rail off left, then just going to chip the top of the artex that stick right out and just skim over it. So obviously, we're not stripping the entire walls of it.

So I was wondering if it's really that harmful to get it tested? The wall beneath the dado rail isn't artex, so It's not like I'm being exposed to alot...I think?

Any advice would be great,

Thanks.

 

[merlin50]

In years past, it was common for asbestos artex. In fact, it was common in many building materials right up until the early 1990s. Generally, artex has been free of asbestos for around 20 years now so if you’ve got a newish home then you’re in the clear. However, if you’re uncertain it’s best to get it checked out by specialist asbestos removal contractors.

If you are planning an asbestos artex removal project it is important that you do not scrape or dry sand the material. This can cause asbestos fibres to be released into the air, which, if breathed in or swallowed can over time cause such diseases as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Nasty stuff.

Instead, using a wallpaper steamer you should get the artex as wet as possible and steam it off carefully. While artex contains only a small amount of asbestos anyway, keeping it wet will help minimise the risk of asbestos fibres becoming airborne and you breathing it in.

While removing the artex, you should place it into thick plastic bagging. Each bag should be sealed with strong adhesive tape when it is around one-third full. This will help minimise the risk of the bag breaking. Once sealed you should mark the bag as containing asbestos waste. It is important you use proper asbestos bags for this and not typical garbage bags. You can buy these from any good supplier of construction equipment or safety gear.

Bags containing asbestos cannot be dumped in with your regular garbage. You should call your local authorities and find your nearest landfill site that accepts asbestos waste.

We do not recommend attempting asbestos artex removal yourself. A qualified asbestos specialist should be used for asbestos removal work. If you do plan on doing the work yourself it is important that you wear the correct safety gear, including an approved asbestos respirator, overalls, hat, boots and goggles. It is also important that you seal off the area you are working in with plastic and strong adhesive tape.

 

[Carano]

Thanks so much for the reply.

Although that was sort of the dilemma I had... I didn't want to strip the entire wall of the artex. I was looking to just remove the highpoints of the artex, then skim over with plaster.

Surely this would be much less a risk as opposed to stripping the entire walls?

The main concern, being the holes and cracked artex left behind from prising the dado rail's from the wall's. Which I planned on re-filling said holes, to make it level to the wall, before skimming.

Where as getting removal specialists, wouldn't that mean removing the entire walls of the artex? If this is the case, the doorframes, skirting boards etc, would look too deep? Yet more importantly, very expensive.

So basically, we're looking to leave the majority of artex undisturbed, whether this would make the slightest bit difference if it contained asbestos anyway, I have no idea? I'm kinda hoping that it doesn't contain any, but as I say, being here for 22 or so years, I have no idea how long the previous owners had the artex.

Thanks again.

 

[Richard C]

You can never bee over careful with asbestos but Merlin 50 is being a little over cautious. Artex containing asbestos is classified as low risk & doesn’t need a license to strip. If you really want to remove it, you can use a steamer & scraper but wear a decent filter mask; you will not be at any risk as long as you don’t start attacking it with a sander. You need to dispose of the waste at a registered council depot.

I used to remove Artex before plastering but no longer do so as covering it up is far more sensible & much safer. Depending on the pattern, all you need do is knock off the high spots (I use a flat bladed spade on stipple) &, with the correct preparation, any half decent plasterer will know exactly how to prep it & plaster over regardless of how deep the pattern is.

 

[Carano]

Thanks alot.

Yeah, my dad knows what he's doing, as you say, just going to knock off the high spots and skim. (Certainly not sanding them down)

I had no concerns about him doing this, until the dado rail cracked the artex when removing it. He did say he was going to fill the hole in properly, though.

My main worry being my cat. I guess I should stick her upstairs for a few hours next time he hacks away at the walls?

Thanks again!

 

[ivixor]

My main worry being my cat. I guess I should stick her upstairs for a few hours next time he hacks away at the walls?
!

 

[Carano]

My main worry being my cat. I guess I should stick her upstairs for a few hours next time he hacks away at the walls?
!

Fantastic advice, great help. Thanks alot...

 

[Nige F]

Should you be called caTano the poor moggy is @ greater risk from Cat Flu and Cat aids than Artex

 

[gasbanni]

Artex steams off, first steam off the old emulsion paint not too much steam and not too long then it peels off it long bit pieces. too long and it peels off in smaller pieces.

Once youve got the paint off use the steam stripper again on the artex then it softens and can be scrapped off with a wallpaper stripping knife.

Bit time consuming but if you stick to it you can end up with a virtually new wall good enouigh to line with lining paper.

 

[Richard C]

Artex steams off -- too long and it peels off in smaller pieces.

If you leave the steamer in one place for too long, it’ll overheat the finish skim & it’ll “blow” off the base coat or plasterboard; cause too much damage & you’ll be forced into repairs & a re-skim anyway

Bit time consuming

As I said, I used to strip before re-plastering but that & disposal were the main reasons I stopped doing it.

if you stick to it you can end up with a virtually new wall good enouigh to line with lining paper.

That might be difficult to achieve in older properties where the Artex was probably applied to cover a multitude of sins & damage in the first place. Far easier & quicker to call in a decent spread & get it re-plastered, you’ll end up with a much better job. IMO lining paper is a mistake & once you stick that stuff on, you’ll never be able to replaster without stripping it all back again.

 

[mikric]

If you do decide to strip it make sure it is on plasterboard and not asbestos insulated board which is licensed. Artex typically only contained 3-5% Crysotile (white) asbestos. Oh and wear a P3 mask and type 5 overalls.