Artex Ceilings and Walls

Artex is still commonly found in domestic and commercial properties, as prior 1990 it was still commonly used.

It is impossible to tell by looking at artex, whether asbestos is present and the only way to be certain is to have the material tested.

The cost of testing artex for asbestos presence is £30 plus VAT per sample and we now offer online payment for this service.

If you would like to know if theer is asbestos present in your artex coated ceiling or wall, please follow the following instructions:

Wet the area you wish to sample prior to commencement – you can do this with a sponge or spray
Use a decorators breathing mask when sampling
Using a thin blade, scrape a small amount of the material into a resealable plastic bag – a sandwich bag is ideal.
Only a small amount is required – less than a teaspoon full.
Because of the nature of how artex is mixed, repeat this process in two or more areas of the ceiling or roof, placing all of the material in the same bag.
Seal the bag and place it inside another sealable plastic bag.
Wash the tool used for sampling in running cold water.
Add a label to the bag (or inside) containin your name, address, email and telephone number, along with a note of what it is you have sampled (e.g. artex ceiling).
Enclose a cheque made payable to Energy & Environmental Surveys Ltd for £34.50 (inc VAT) or make payment online using any major credit or debit card – this is secure and safe.
Send sample and payment or payment receipt to the following address:

Energy & Environmental Surveys Ltd
Unit 3 Radway Industrial Estate
Radway Road
Solihull
West Midlands
B90 4NR

Working With Artex & Textured Coatings

Artex is the trade name of a textured coating applied to internal and external surfaces from around the late 1960’s onwards.

The asbestos content of these materials varied depending on how the product was mixed, so in certian cases, a tested sample might not show asbestos being present, but another sample taken just a few feet away, might show large traces of asbestos.

For this reason, we recommend taking your sample from several locations. Only a very small amount of material is required for testing, since asbestos fibres are microscopic.

There is little or no risk of asbestos exposure from artex, but it should not be disturbed and under no circumstances should it be sanded.

There are a few useful publications concerning working with artex on the HSE web site and these can be found by clicking the links below:

Since 2004 it has been a legal requirement for all commercial premises to maintain an asbestos register. It is likely therefore, that if artex is present in the workplace, that it has aleady been tested as part of the asbestos survey.

If you not currently have an asbestos regsiter, we will be pleased to provide a quotation on 0121 711 7110, or complete the form below:

Asbestos Survey Quick Quote

All information is treated as confidential. We do not sell, rent or otherwise abuse your privacy.