Professional Plastering Services
Artex Removal & Covering
in Bournemouth
Swirls, stipples and dated textured ceilings turned into clean, flat surfaces. We cover most Artex without the mess of removing it, and check older coatings before anything is disturbed.
- Safe Methods
- Clear Quotes
- Local Service
The Service
From dated texture to a clean, flat ceiling
Artex was the finish of choice for decades, and plenty of lounges and hallways in Kinson, Northbourne and Wallisdown still have it. It hides cracks well, but it collects dust, dates a room instantly and makes lighting look flat.
In most rooms the best answer is to cover it rather than strip it. Shallow patterns are knocked back, sealed with a bonding coat and skimmed over. Deeper swirls and heavy stipples are scraped back or overboarded first, so the new finish sits flat instead of following the pattern underneath.
Textured coatings put up before 2000 can contain asbestos, so we check them before any dry scraping or sanding. Covering over leaves the old coating sealed in place, which is often the simplest and safest route.
- Artex ceilings and textured walls covered or removed
- Older coatings checked before any dry removal
- Bonding coat, scrape-back or overboarding to suit the pattern
- Smooth, modern finish ready for paint
How We Work
How Our Artex Covering Process Works
Covering Artex is about getting the prep right. The texture decides the method, so we look at it closely before we quote.
Look at the Pattern
We look at how deep the texture is, how well it is bonded and roughly when it went up. That tells us whether it can be skimmed, needs scraping back or should be overboarded.
Check Before Disturbing
Pre-2000 coatings are checked before any dry removal. Where covering is the right answer, the old coating stays sealed under the new surface and is never sanded.
Knock Back & Bond
Peaks are knocked back with a scraper, not a sander, then the surface is sealed and given a bonding coat so the skim grips a textured background.
Skim Flat & Clear Up
Two coats of finish plaster bring the ceiling flat. We light-check it for shadows, bag up every bit of waste and leave the room sheeted and clean.
Ready to Lose the Artex in Your Bournemouth Home?
Send us a photo of the ceiling or wall and tell us which room it is. We will explain whether it can be skimmed straight over and give you a written price.
01202 125594Or request a call back
Reviews
Artex covering reviews from local customers
Artex ceiling in the lounge was covered over and you would never know it was there. Huge difference to the room.
Skimmed over textured walls in our rental flat. You would never know what was underneath it now.
Lounge ceiling was crazed with hairline cracks. Now completely flat, and they explained exactly when we could paint it.
Skimmed our whole downstairs after we took the wallpaper off. Walls came up perfectly flat and they cleaned up every evening.
Quoted on the Monday, started the following week, finished on the day they said. No surprises on price.
Patch repairs in three bedrooms plus a hallway ceiling. Tidy work and genuinely nice lads to have in the house.
We manage several rentals and use them for all our plastering now. Reliable with dates, which matters to us.
Old lath and plaster wall replaced with plasterboard and skimmed. Explained the options clearly before starting.
Areas We Cover
Artex Covering Across Bournemouth & Surrounding Areas
Textured ceilings turn up in every part of the conurbation, from bungalows in Ferndown and West Moors to family homes in Kinson and Christchurch. We cover them all, usually within half an hour of the town centre.
- Bournemouth
- Poole
- Christchurch
- Southbourne
- Westbourne
- Winton
- Boscombe
- Ferndown
- Wimborne
- Ringwood
- Verwood
- New Milton
Bournemouth & surrounding areas — Typically within 20 miles of BH1
FAQs
Artex removal & covering questions
What people want to know before they book. If you are unsure what is on your ceiling, a clear photo is a good place to start.
01202 125594How much does Artex covering cost in Bournemouth?
It depends on the size of the ceiling, how deep the pattern is and whether it can be skimmed straight over or needs boarding first. We price each ceiling as a job, not by the hour, and put it in writing — usually within 48 hours of seeing it or clear photos.
Can you plaster over Artex ceilings?
Usually, yes. A light stipple or shallow swirl takes a bonding coat and a skim directly. Deep, raised patterns need scraping back or a layer of plasterboard first, otherwise the skim just follows the shape underneath.
Does my Artex contain asbestos?
Textured coatings applied before 2000 can contain asbestos, so they are always checked before any dry removal. Covering over means the coating is not disturbed, which is why it is often the recommended route.
Is it better to remove Artex or cover it?
Covering is usually quicker, cleaner and cheaper, and it avoids disturbing an older coating. Removal makes sense in fewer cases, for example where the texture is loose or the ceiling needs replacing anyway.
Will the Artex pattern show through the new plaster?
Not if the preparation is right. That is why heavy patterns are knocked back or boarded over first, rather than relying on the skim to fill the dips.
Can you cover Artex on walls as well as ceilings?
Yes. Textured walls are covered the same way, and we often do the ceiling and walls of a room together so the angles between them come out crisp.
Will you sand the Artex off?
No. We never dry-sand textured coatings. Peaks are knocked back with a scraper and the rest is sealed and covered.
Do you cover Artex outside Bournemouth?
Yes. We flatten textured ceilings in Poole, Christchurch, Ferndown, Wimborne, Ringwood, Verwood and New Milton too. Just outside that? Call and we will let you know.
Contact
Get a Free Artex Covering Quote
Send a photo of the textured ceiling or wall with the room size, or call and speak to the plasterer who will do the work. A close-up of the pattern helps us choose the right method.
- Phone
- 01202 125594
- Opening hours
- Mon–Fri 7:30am–6pm · Sat 8am–2pm · Sun closed
- Service area
- Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch & Dorset
Send an enquiry
Fill in your details and we will come back to you, usually the same working day.