How to Cover Artex Without Plastering
There are 3 main ways you can cover an Artex Ceiling or Wall without the need for plastering. If you have any further suggestions let us know in the comments below.
I will start with the easiest cheapest method to cover your Artex without plastering first.
It may require a little bit more elbow grease on your part, but you should be able to get the job done!
- Painting with a special type of filler coat (the most cost-effective)
- Filling and Painting (time-consuming, but leaves a smooth finish)
- Cladding (hides everything, but is often the most expensive)
I will discuss all your options below. But firstly a little bit of health and safety advice.
Warning: Artex walls and ceilings may contain asbestos, don’t panic! They can still be covered. Asbestos is only harmful in your home if you disturb it, turning it into fine dust and then breathing it in. So you should NEVER ever sand Artex or similar!
Painting (with a Filler Coat)
This can be done with regular old emulsion, but if you want to try and get the best results on a budget, then you could opt for something like a Filler Coat Paint.
It is thicker than regular emulsion paint and will help to disguise some of those lines and streaks in the Artex.
It might not cover up the Artex pattern completely, but it will help to blur the line and give you the impression of a smoother wall for relatively little expense.
Then you can start applying your coloured paint straight away, without the need for re-plastering.
It can always be plastered over if it doesn’t give you the desired effect. It is still water-based and can be applied easily with a brush or roller.
For the sake of £40, you might be able to vastly improve the surface of your wall, ready for your top coat of paint. It’s got to be worth giving it a try!
Filling and Painting
If you really want to hide those unsightly Artex lines and ridges then it will require a little bit more time, effort, and cost.
The reward could be well worth it and there is no need to get a plaster involved.
With this method, you will be filling in all the imperfections with a special type of filler, specifically designed to smooth over textured walls.
All you require is a smoothing knife and a tub of filler and you can get to work. I have included our choice of filler below.
The filler will need to be spread over the Artex with a wide jointing/smoothing knife or equivalent. The kit below provides all the tools you will need to apply and smooth off the filler.
It will need to be built up in layers, for the best results. Leaving 6 hours for the filler to dry between each layer.
Once you have built up the filler enough to cover all the ridges in the Artex, it will be ready to paint once it is dry.
Over cladding
The only other way to hide the Artex might be the most obvious and the most expensive, out of all the options. Including paying a professional Plaster to get it skimmed over. Just board over it, this can be done with plasterboard or even wall paneling.
If you are boarding over it with wall paneling then no further work is required. If you are over-boarding it with plasterboard then you will need to tape and fill the joints or get it skimmed by a professional plaster.
If you have any more ways of hiding Artex without plastering, let us know in the comment section below.
We also have a few more articles about Artex ceilings and walls that might help you with the rest of your project.
