How to tell if an Artex ceiling contains asbestos

When the term “Artex” is mentioned, something quite specific comes to mind for many of us: the textured coatings for interior decorating that have long been a common sight in domestic and commercial buildings alike.

If, however, you have responsibility for a particular property and you notice Artex decorative coatings on the walls or ceilings, you might have heard that these coatings were known to contain asbestos. This, in turn, might lead you to wonder how you can confirm or rule out the presence of asbestos in your property’s coatings, so that you can take further action if needed.

Below, our accredited and licensed asbestos consultants at Oracle Solutions have set out advice and guidance on how you can do exactly that.

What is Artex and why could it contain asbestos?

The term “Artex” has often been used in reference to the stippled and swirled effect coatings that appear on the ceilings and walls of many homes and business premises.

It is important to emphasise that “Artex” is a brand name, with the company Artex Ltd (now Okarno) having long produced these textured coatings. Artex is still a product in the company’s range today, although the firm ceased manufacture of asbestos-containing Artex in 1984. In late 1999, the importation and use of asbestos was banned altogether in the UK.

So, the Artex that is still used in the UK construction sector does not contain asbestos. This fibrous silicate mineral was added to Artex during the 20th century as a means of boosting its durability and fire resistance.

Even well into the 1990s, remaining stocks of asbestos-containing Artex were still being installed in UK buildings. Plus, other brands historically offered textured coatings that happened to contain asbestos, including the likes of Wondertex, Pebblecoat, Marblecoat, and Suretex.

If, then, you own or are otherwise responsible for a building where Artex or “Artex-style” decorative coatings exist, and the property dates from before the year 2000, there will be a strong likelihood of asbestos being present in these coatings.

Can I identify asbestos in an Artex ceiling by looking at it?

The short answer to this question is: no, you can’t. Artex decorative coatings are typically white, with a hard surface and a stippled or swirled effect. However, these visual characteristics are observable in both asbestos-containing Artex and versions of the product that do not contain the now-outlawed substance.

Even during the era when asbestos was being incorporated into textured decorative coatings, it only usually accounted for about 1% to 4% of the overall product. So, even if you closely scrutinise a particular decorative coating in your building, you can’t expect to see any obvious visual signs of it containing asbestos.

What role does the age of the building play in determining whether Artex contains asbestos?

Asbestos was first commercially mined during the mid-19th century, and it went on to be used in thousands of products. Asbestos-containing Artex was widely used from the 1960s until the 1990s – so, if your property dates from this era and features these decorative coatings on its ceilings, there will be a high probability of asbestos being present.

However, it is important to emphasise that an Artex coating being present in a building dating to this part of the 20th century isn’t a guarantee of it containing asbestos. Artex began to be offered in a non-asbestos-containing form in 1976, and manufacture of asbestos-containing Artex ceased in 1984.

There was, however, a period of transition; asbestos-containing textured coatings were still being installed in UK properties as late as 1999, as existing stocks were used up. If your property was constructed after the year 2000, there shouldn’t be any trace of asbestos at all in the building.

Relying on the building’s age alone is an imperfect way of trying to rule out or confirm the presence of asbestos. So, if you can find records of the property’s renovation history, this could be useful to your efforts to determine whether asbestos is likely to be present.

How can I confirm whether my Artex ceiling contains asbestos?

The only reliable method of determining the presence or absence of asbestos in an Artex ceiling, is arranging to have it professionally tested.

If there is a specific area within your property – for example, the ceiling in just one room – that concerns you, a sensible course of action is likely to be reaching out to a reputable asbestos management company, such as Oracle Solutions, to request asbestos sample testing. This process would entail a sample being taken from your Artex ceiling and subsequently analysed for asbestos under laboratory conditions.

Alternatively, there might be multiple areas within the building where you are concerned about the potential presence of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). In this situation, you may enquire about having an asbestos management survey or a refurbishment or demolition survey conducted.

We have previously written about the key stages of the asbestos surveying process, encompassing the sampling, laboratory analysis, and final asbestos report. The latter document will set out the asbestos situation in your building, along with recommendations on how to safely manage any ACMs that have been discovered.

Can I test the Artex ceiling for asbestos myself?

DIY asbestos test kits do exist that would enable you to take your own sample of your Artex ceiling and have it tested for asbestos. For several reasons, however, it is generally recommended that you arrange for a professional asbestos surveyor to take the sample and send it to an accredited laboratory for analysis.

Firstly, there is the simple fact that if you attempt to break off a section of your Artex coating to use as a sample, you could be running the risk of inadvertently exposing yourself – and/or other occupants of your property – to asbestos. The inhalation or ingestion of asbestos fibres can drive up the risk of the exposed individual going on to develop a potentially fatal asbestos-related condition, such as mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer, in later life.

The reality is, although asbestos Artex is regarded as a lower-risk asbestos product by the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), any improper handling of the material could still result in an exposure event.

Furthermore, it can be tricky to capture a sample of asbestos Artex, given the need to physically chisel or scrape pieces off. It can also be very easy to inadvertently take an unrepresentative sample of the material – for example, by taking it from an area of the ceiling where the asbestos concentrations are too low for the laboratory to detect.

In the grand scheme of things, then, we would advise you to leave this task to HSE-licensed and skilled asbestos professionals.

What happens if my Artex ceiling contains asbestos?

Asbestos-containing Artex is not believed to pose as severe a risk of exposure as some other ACMs. This is partly due to the relatively small proportion of the overall product that consists of asbestos, as well as its heavily bonded and non-friable nature. The term “friable” refers to the degree to which a given material is liable to crumble if hand pressure is exerted on it.

With all this in mind, provided that your asbestos-containing Artex ceiling is in good condition, you shouldn’t have reason to be greatly concerned, as it will pose negligible risk to health. If, on the other hand, you do see signs of damage to the ceiling, we would advise you to immediately contact a trustworthy asbestos consultancy firm for advice and guidance.

In terms of how to deal with your asbestos Artex ceiling, you will likely be choosing one of three options: leaving it in place, having it “encapsulated”, or arranging for it to be removed from your property. The decision that you make will depend on such factors as the condition of the ceiling, and whether it is likely to be disturbed in the future.

Should I be worried if the asbestos-containing Artex is undisturbed?

As we explained above, the mere fact of asbestos being present in your Artex ceiling should not be a cause for you to worry, presuming the ceiling is undamaged and unlikely to undergo disturbance at any foreseeable point.

If, though, you do decide to leave the asbestos Artex ceiling in place, you are advised to follow certain safety practices. These include taking care to avoid drilling, sanding, or otherwise disturbing the surface.

Some owners or managers of buildings with asbestos-containing textured ceilings may intend to renovate or make other substantial changes to the property in the future. If this describes your situation, you will need to consider whether it will become necessary to remove the ceiling at some stage to minimise risks to residents or occupants’ safety.

What are my options for managing or removing asbestos Artex?

To reiterate: there is no automatic requirement to have an Artex ceiling removed from a UK property simply due to asbestos being present. Working alongside an asbestos surveyor and consultants, you might decide to simply manage and monitor the ceiling over time, so that you can take action at a later stage if required.

If, however, you decide that such action needs to be taken immediately due to such factors as the condition of the material and the risk it is judged to present, you may opt to have the ceiling:

• Encapsulated – in other words, effectively “sealed” to prevent any future escape of asbestos fibres. You might elect to cover the existing coating with a layer of plasterboard, or to skim over it with a new plaster layer. You may arrange for encapsulation if the Artex is in good condition, or for cost reasons – encapsulation is typically around 25% as expensive as having asbestos removed.
• Removed, which is typically recommended in situations where the given asbestos product is severely damaged or deteriorated, as well as if renovation or demolition work is set to take place at the property. While – as we referenced above – asbestos removal can be expensive, it will also be the best and safest course of action if the ceiling is already damaged and at high risk of being disturbed in the future.

Conclusion: should I be concerned about my Artex ceiling?

If you have read this guide from start to finish, one of your key “takeaways” from it will hopefully be that the presence of an asbestos-containing Artex ceiling in your property should not automatically be a cause for concern. Such ceilings are believed to pose practically zero risk to health if they are in good condition and do not stand a high chance of future disturbance or damage.

By arranging for your Artex ceiling to undergo professional testing, and acting on the evidence that emerges from such testing – instead of being guided by fear or speculation – you can help ensure the sensible long-term management of your ceiling.

Do you have any further questions about the process of determining whether a textured decorative ceiling is or is not asbestos, and the subsequent management actions you should take? If so, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our trusted team at Oracle Solutions.