How to Plaster Over Artex What you Need to Know

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

If you would like to support the channel you can make a donation HERE👇 www.buymeacoffee.com/alexmorley

[@gwynmorris5852]

once again - your time, knowledge, and generosity are very much appreciated - a lot!

[@eammonsully2740]

I spent 3 years artexing ceilings......and the next 10 years skimming over them!

[@zenganow]

Great Video mate. Thank you. do you have any vid on mixing the plaster? I mean the texture to use to plaster artex wall or celling

[@MarcusT86]

Wow, skimming over artex ceilings comes with added dog! Yes, I do want to go from A to B! Great video mate!

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

They were very annoying dogs. Very yappy.

[@matthewgaler6544]

Good vid… we’ve all got our own ways n tips. This presentation is defo the best.

[@hoodedstuntwoman8427]

Such a useful straightforward video, I've been a bit apprehensive of going over artex instead of just over boarding it but feel way more confident to give it a go after watching this! Good to know that it gives you more time too as I thought it would go off quicker! 😁

[@davidmcmanus1094]

All about letting the first coat pull right in

[@clarkey1977]

Another brilliant video mate.. 👏🏻

[@jb-78]

Lead with your left leg when skimming a ceiling, it opens your body up for a bigger lick and its easier on your back!! a wise old Jedi plasterer told me this 30 years ago!

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Nice tip. I will give it a go on my next ceiling.

[@jb-78]

@Alex Morley no problem pal, its a very common mistake, hope I didn't come across as a nob ed,🤣, just trying to save plasterers knees and backs, this technique alone got my back on the mend 👍

[@barrybruton4577]

I'm 6.5 don't need a hopup plus my stretch is over a metre pmsfl

[@paulmurphy5396]

Brilliant video Alex master craftsman at work

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Thanks Paul. It’s a great trade to be in which helps.

[@nss6348]

Alex you need to do a video of how to plaster around and under pipes, small areas such as above kitchen units

[@Danny-ql2ep]

Al you look absolutely shattered here! Some good tips here mate 👍👍👍

[@keilanodriscoll822]

To stop it going off so quick i add cream of tartar to the water and spin it round before I add the plaster. Don’t know how I found out about this but it works a dream!

[@manojchopra9431]

How much tartar do you add?

[@CheckFred]

Cream of tartar was ESSENTIAL back in the days of Siraphite in the 60's/70's or it went solid before you got it on the board - You might have heard about it from an Oldie-Goldie :-)

[@keilanodriscoll822]

@@CheckFred excellent stuff. Love hearing stuff like this! Good on you sir!

[@keilanodriscoll822]

@@manojchopra9431 sorry for the late reply. The cream of tartar usually comes in a little pack of 6 5gram sachets. We add about 25g per 25kg bag of plaster. So 5 little sachets.

[@georgeomalley6066]

Top video, 💪👍, Good detail, on how to tackle a stipple ceiling

[@dominicdurso3672]

Great shout about not scrapping the artex . See / hear so many who scrape it , just not worth the risk .. 👍👍👍👍

[@barrybruton4577]

I wear me mask But after 44 years to late to worry Also worked in asbestos factory 🏭 But had xrays lungs hunky dory

[@philipcrascall5860]

You make that look easy 👍cracking job

[@ianthompson9058]

Hi mate, I'm a plasterer in the UK and just wanted to say great advice, hardwall is a new one on me as almost never use it, put a 1/3 Rd bonding in with first coat when going over artex. Just use bonding for floating the odd wall now as it's so rare these days., notice you diddnt have the option of over board on that job coz of coving which worth mentioning to folk and I always knock off the high spots on artex before blinding it with the bonding and skim but never knew about the aspestos o you've thought me something there m8, don't know about you but just get multi now rarther than board, just that bit better I recon, is hardwall much different from bonding, know its an odd thing for plasterer to ask but never used it, when they did away with renervating plaster and renervating finish many years ago I just stuck with bonding as so versatile and used something simalar(not sure if it was hard wall) but found it diddnt take to board and when filling out arches or going from dabbed to where its to thin for dab so you have to float part of a wall that it just slipped on the plaster board, interested your insight, as you know we don't often rub dicks with other spreads on site, especialy as I only do private recomended work, oh and great video pal and great work

[@ianc9867]

Hardwall is very light on the board when mixed don't know if you remember carlite browning from yrs back...hardwall reminds me of this

[@ianthompson9058]

@@ianc9867 yeah remember carlite browning, we used to have so many options (and bigger bags) back then, they've really scaled things back since then

[@18lettermoney]

Can the bonding replace the hard wall, to hold the first coat back? Hardwall hard to find here in Ireland 👍

[@toppdargg2k9]

I’ve also noticed a lot of plasterers on KZbin are plastering walls and ceilings and just pulling their trowels outwards only to the centre and not running their trowels parallel down the edges of the wall or ceiling giving the edges of said wall or ceiling and early cross trowel ( edges only ) I do this to ensure the edges are flat if you get what I’m saying, I know as I’m a plasterer not doing so typically can cause dipping on the first inch or two of an outer edge of a wall or be it ceiling, I’m not criticising as we all have slightly and some times completely opposite methods, I’m just always interested in other plasterers methods and techniques. Also I hard trowel first and second pass with my marshaltown permashape then finish with my marshaltown permaflex on the third just to polish it off, jumping on a flexy trowel immediately I wouldn’t advise as you can’t bed and bind the layers together and just isn’t the purpose of that particular piece of kit, the make things look flat and smooth but rub you hand over it once it cured and you can feel the bumps.

[@coachjd3676]

Hi Alex, I like the trick with the bonding in the first coat, does that mean its possible to go thicker in areas with the first coat too?? how thick is acceptable usually if so?

[@AnthonyParryPlastering]

Nice job bud, finish looks great 👍

[@martindonaton3603]

Is right bud

[@paulneale3511]

cool vid i always use my 3inch filling knife for my edges on coving. personally i find my filling knives are my go to for everything

[@khansk36]

Excellent job mate Thanks 4 sharing

[@davidmcmanus1094]

Great video. And a great finish

[@Brick_dont_hit_back]

Great video love close up when finishing around coving I have coving in every room that I'm going to plaster(no artex luckily)learned a lot thanks

[@jonertime9249]

Nice job. I've been plastering for years and cant get as good a finish with the flexible towels till the last trowel. Definitely cant use it on first trowel. Find I'm filling in to much on my wet trowel.

[@brettkeepin808]

Always gave it a tight coat of bonding first myself👍

[@jamesmcclean9344]

Great job and very helpful 👍

[@joebruniges6478]

Great work and great vids as always mate, always tuning in 👌

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Thanks for the feedback joe.

[@michaelweeks5858]

If the artex is over 5mm, why does it need an overboard? Can you not use bonding and skim over this?

[@paultweedley2026]

I would think so, l guess he's just one man and can't think of everything!

[@witneydiggersrc3251]

Great presentation, previous video you show the timer, that’s really interesting. After pva, how long do you leave it, tacky or dry?

[@dcp6513]

Hi, is that spatula attachment compatible with any standard pole?

[@paulos78]

good knowledge!

[@barrybruton4577]

Hi Alex i done the same size yesterday on me own First when putting up pva Put a bottle of food dye in the pva This stops misses Yep I put first coat up with a Marshall metal float But then u should use the 18 inch ox plastic float man don't it makes things a lot easier Same again on the second And I polish with the ox plastic as well Any nicks in the plastic edge rub out with 600 sponge sandpaper Hope it helps Been at it 44 years now pmsfl

[@dcp6513]

Hi what do you mean by metal and plastic float ?

[@dcp6513]

Hi what do you mean by metal or plastic float ?

[@MichaelSmith-re2pg]

Great work - u made that look easy and it definately isn’t 👏👏

[@IanDavies]

Like that longer hop up you've got 👌🏼

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

We have just bought the extendable leg version. That thing is a beast.

[@IanDavies]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering nice going to take a look at replacing my fossilised one soon. Can't beat a new toy

[@peterkemp6266]

Hi Alex, just doing my house at the moment, working my way through the artex ceilings. They're quite deep artex, so have 2 coat bonded them and scratched them up then skimmed (same day). That's worked great for smaller ceilings, however I have 2 large bedroom ceilings to do, and don't think I'll manage to bond and skim the same day. I'm worried if the bonding drys out and I skim it the next day it'll pull all the suction out. Would you recommend damping the bonding with water? Or maybe even PVA it? 1:3 water? Cheers Pete. By the way I love your videos. I bought a Refina Spat thasnks to you and also really improved my DIY plastering having watched your videos. Really clear and helpful. Cheers

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Hi Peter How big are the ceilings?

[@peterkemp6266]

4.4m x 3.8. Maybe 5-6mm rise in the artex, which was why i put a tight coat of bonding on the others , then devil floated before skimming the same day.

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

@@peterkemp6266 hi Peter, assuming it’s bonding not hardwall I’d use watered down SBR

[@rebornlifeandlittlegizmo8991]

Hi, i have walls covered with artex. Its been tested and contains asbestos. Can i use a roller to apply the plaster? Ive never plasterd a wall before lol. Any help is much appreciated x

[@purelife1944]

Great vid. I have a couple of questions… 1. Paper layer - do you mean the paper that is backed onto the plasterboard sheets or something else? Paper backed plasterboard is current and common. But if not this then when was paper used? 2. If overboarding and there is standard coving round the edges then is it recommended to remove the coving as I think it might look a bit strange butting up to the coving at a lower level?

[@abahashwan7639]

How about skimming over silk painted artex can i just use pva

[@kevinlawes591]

The hardwall tip 👍👍

[@lukewood385]

Super flex should be for last pass

[@NiktheEnglishGreekCypriot]

Mate when I add some bonding to my mix it literally takes well over an hour to remotely go off, did a ceiling a few weeks ago, and no joke, from start to finish it was about 5 hours! Maybe I’ll try hardwall instead of bonding

[@ianthompson9058]

Just put a bit of cement in m8

[@NiktheEnglishGreekCypriot]

@@ianthompson9058 cheers mate nice one. I’ve heard of cement in bonding but not in a magic mix first coat

[@james00021]

Hi Alex. Just out of curiosity, is there a reason that you started laying on plaster from the middle of ceiling and not from one corner to another?

[@richierich4175]

Hi Alex. Can i add a few hand fulls of bonding to my first coat as i don't have hardwall. Tia

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Yeh you can do. Hardwall is much nicer, but bonding does work aswell.

[@petermilligan4359]

Hi Alex repeating DCP's question how much more time does adding Hardwall to multifinish give you? What kind of ratio are we looking at? 1 Hardwall to 4 multi? do you add Hardwall to the second coat of Multi or not? really good tip, eager to use it just for the added time working with multi. I use the magic mix (Multi + Bond) with Artex and blu grit primed backgrounds which gives you the thicker/bodied out mix but not the extra working time. This sounds like a good alternative to extra time. Cheers

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

So I just add 3-4 handfuls in regardless of whether it’s 1 or 2 bags. It probably gives you another 30min atleast on the gear. Only in the first coat. Never in the second.

[@petermilligan4359]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering Thanks for that tip Alex worked a treat. I had a large boarded ceiling to hit and I could have completed it with Multi or Board finish however I would have been "chasing the skim" and it wasn't feasible to split/blend/feather it over two hits. First coat was a bag and a third with two trowels of Hardwall mixed in and it took the pressure off nicely. I even added one handful for the second coat which also worked. Some day (yeah right) British Gypsum will release a Multifinish with a 45-60 minute set time to make big hits/areas more of pleasure to skim. Cheers again.

[@dcp6513]

How much more time does adding hard wall or bonding to your mix give you ?

[@jaythomas8572]

Great tip thank you 🙏🏾

[@greenz190]

Can you add extra time retarder to the hardwall-multi finish mix?

[@matty9007]

What was the reason for using the superflex 3 for the first flatten rather than the carbon steel?

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

I only used it as it was easier to clean up against the cove line, to bend the nose of the trowel, to cut out the old dry plaster. No other reason.

[@MszJosiie]

Does anyone offer this service in the London? Because I’m finding it difficult to find someone to do it

[@Participant616]

Great vid. Is PVA actually necessary when starting with a bonding coat?

[@NiktheEnglishGreekCypriot]

Unless you’re going onto new plasterboard then yes, it’s ALWAYS necessary

[@peterjones6226]

Cracking job and tips 👍. Are the plastic trowels worth buying? haven’t used one yet.

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Leaves a great finish on the final pass. Really crisp. 👌🤌

[@mattya5040]

hi alex, could you do vid on beading around window and show the correct way to plaster it please.

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Beading video kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHLSiWCAgZlol5o

[@MrWgoulding]

Question and I've been trying to get my head round this for years. What's the best dust sheets for our game. Laminate flooring is a nightmare for dust which drops through the sheets. Would like to hear anyone's views on this.

[@lewisriggs6596]

Laminate Yh annoying dust use a plastic tarp under the dust sheet

[@tobywarren2818]

R and J builders hardware sell a waterproof dust sheet (it’s a material sheet, not poly). They’re good sheets and very duct tapeable.

[@CheckFred]

@@tobywarren2818 If you can price a roll/rolls of Building Paper into your quote, that'll stop it ALL in it's tracks :-)

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

We occasionally use this if the room is clear. It’s pretty cheap and reusable. www.plasterers1stopshop.co.uk/product/eze-floor-protection-1-3m-x-50m/ Otherwise it’s plastic drop sheets and cotton sheets over the top.

[@lewisriggs6596]

Oh Yh we used them on last rendering job to protect the new block paving 😬

[@mattytomkins7362]

I use boning its great why hardwall?

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Hardwall is a slightly finer aggregate. So there is less risk of it coming through on the top coat. I also think it’s a nice product to use. That’s just my preference though.

[@mattytomkins7362]

Have you tried bonding?

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

I have. We used bonding on the “how to plaster over rough walls” video. Just not my preference for this type of application

[@robertgemmell1485]

How long roughly does it take per coat for a room that size mate?? That would take me ages. 😂

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

I think that took about 20-25 to put on. A big hop up make a big difference. Longer stroke.

[@peternelson8048]

How happy was the clients you standing on the sofas

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Couldn’t care less if it meant they didn’t have to take it out the room. 😉 checks and balances my friend. 😂

[@scorpionnetherrealm8937]

Hi mate daft question if the ceiling looks like sharp icicles on a ceiling but i can see a brown colour like the plaster could that still be artex?

[@petermilligan4359]

Can you post a photo? Is the brown color on the icicles?

[@crouchingtiger5431]

Most likely even artex paint type cn contain asbes best to pvc it then plaster

[@jonesconrad1]

Presumably thats in date hardball, presumably out of date hardwall will make it go off quicker ?

[@dcp6513]

I’d like to hear the answer to this.

[@peterfido8735]

I've just skimmed a small artex ceiling and it's been an absolute nightmare of a job , I applied two good coats of pva the day before and left it to dry as I've done many times previously . Applied the first coat and all was going to plan until it started to drag and pull apart in certain areas , no matter what I tried every time I run the trowel over it was pulling apart like stretchy cheese. I've decided to leave it for now and let it completely dry before re bonding and give it another go . Would wickes bonding agent be ok on top of dry plaster or should I use diluted pva ? Any suggestions will be massively appreciated.

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Hi Peter Was this tearing apart on the first or second coat?

[@peterfido8735]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering it happened on the first coat , decided not to proceed anyfurther because the more I tried to flatten it the more it would tear apart .

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

That sounds like the PVA has become wet again and the plaster is sliding on it. That’s the only thing that looks like it’s “tearing apart” on the first coat. This can happen when you put too much PVA on even if it’s the day before. If your applying 2 coats really it needs to be watered down.

[@peterfido8735]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering I did wonder if that may be the case , do you think it will be ok if I let it completely dry re PVA then try again ? I always usually dilute my PVA to at least 3/1 but only slightly diluted it this time just enough to make it workable . I'd seen another you tuber that only ever applies neat PVA so thought I'd give it a go , it was to thick to apply straight from the tub so I gave it a small splash of water.

[@jayhopkins6755]

If the ceiling is only small just overboard it save messing about

[@LiamMetcalfe]

Got some artex that is about 5mm thick, would this method work for this? First time plastering.

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Definitely. Much easier

[@tormundwolfsbaine3606]

What size Refina bucket you use bro

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Mainly 50L 75L 100L

[@tormundwolfsbaine3606]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering 👍 Thank you

[@phils3631]

Merry Christmas Alex. What’s your ratio for pva for that ceiling ?

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Thanks Phil. Probably 70/30 ova water.

[@phils3631]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering Thanks pal. Happy new year.

[@therachaeledit]

Hi Alex. Do you only cover East Sussex?

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Hi Rachel Depends what the job is.

[@therachaeledit]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering Thanks for your reply! We need various artex ceilings covered in my house. I'm in Lincolnshire so it may be a bit far for where you operate. My main issue is I'm trying to find someone who knows what they are doing, since I really don't want to disturb the artex itself.

[@CheckFred]

Can't believe you didn't run your trimming brush around the edges to keep it all nice and tidy on your first coat, considering you took a 20 minute break ?? ..... You don't smear wet plaster if you keep a small bucket of clean water in the other hand...... and if you use a Painters radiator brush you can do it from the floor :-)

[@ianthompson9058]

Oh and don't know how you can do that without stilts, it would drive me mad, got the same benches as me, they are great, best I've ever had

[@kevinshutler3501]

You can wash distemperd paint off with water if need be

[@LN2Poachers]

Do you have to prime the ceiling with pva first?

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Yes either PVA SBR Blue Grit Green Grit Will suffice.

[@toppdargg2k9]

Why don’t you use carpet tape if it’s a carpeted surface and surface tape if it’s a hardened surface like tiles, laminate flooring etc I never use dust sheets as if you have an incidental spill it soaks right through where as surface tape is 100% waterproof and also brushing the sika SBR on is fine as long as you don’t over dunk your brush head and apply steady controlled strokes and don’t flick the brush at the end of a stroke it’s really simple as long as you aren’t throwing the brush about like a mad head, but yeah 100% agree with the method of the magic mix I use bonding for the first coat never used hard wall but yeah it makes the plaster a lot more cohesive when getting over the artex and helps loose the pattern underneath.

[@JohnMCdaid-vy2db]

Oil based undercoat paint is as good as any for killing the suction.

[@richardnicholls3427]

You have literally put me off plastering anything myself. Call in someone else to do it.

[@brettkeepin808]

Can’t understand why u scoop from a bucket rather than tip it onto a spot, so much quicker to load your hawk.

[@barrybruton4577]

Horses for courses mate we're all different bazz

[@michaelodonnell3793]

Everybody is different, But the last time I put plaster on a spot the stand collapsed, 🙈 So I never did that again 😊 My tub of plaster is raised off the ground in fact it's on a hop up So there's no bending I suppose we all work differently and we all learn from our experiences my experience tells me that the tub raised up is the best way Good luck anyway👌

[@horserider9578]

How come you start in the middle of the room .

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

As it was so long it so one end doesn’t dry faster than the other.

[@horserider9578]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering Your videos are some of the most informative but that doesn't make sense the middle part you put on first is going to dry faster than the last bit you put on, so the middle now has 2 different times and that's before you put the second coat on yes I'm probably being a bit anal but i was always shown one end to the other start on a edge finish on a edge.

[@TheRichardgomm]

Some people thought it was a good idea to artex the walls. Aaaargggh!

[@barrybruton4577]

Remember guys there's 1 to 2 per cent asbestos in old artex Though when it's floating on me coffee no taste at all pmsfl

[@barrybruton4577]

Guys always always use evostick pva it's the very best the rest is pisswater lols

[@dilligaf2386]

I ripped down my kitchen ceiling then found out by accident that it probably has asbestos in it was built in 1985. Why not just bond it out first before skimming it.

[@toppdargg2k9]

It’s a more labour intensive method best method is the magic mix like he has explained

[@barrybruton4577]

Do 44 years and see how your rotor cuff feels dude I'm looking to 70 before I pack up lols

[@dilligaf2386]

@@barrybruton4577 ahahah oh no

[@georgeatkins6414]

Get someone else to do it!?

[@richardpaulkirk3500]

Use bonding to create zombie myself .

[@HSilver341]

The old zombie mix from the forum

[@marksearle513]

Never put harwall over artex , not good advice

[@kirksturips8629]

Why bro?

[@leedrummond164]

He's dosen't lay hardwall he puts a few handfuls in the mix to bulk it out and stop it from drying so fast. That's hardly hardwall over artex is it.

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

There is nothing wrong with using it as an additive. There are some who feel it’s essentially one coating etc.

[@s4eedm]

Neither was it in 2000

[@s4eedm]

Don’t overboard get rid and pay a removal company.

[@LongNThickWithEase]

Artex was a brand like for example British gypsum is a brand that make thistle and other types of plaster, or Sony there a brand but just coz it says Sony doesn’t mean it’s a tv, when Infact it a hoover for example, artex was just the name of the brand that made TEXTURED COATS, like fan pattern or stipple, it’s called a textured wall, not artex, artex is just a brand like, NIKE , you get it now???

[@paulmcdonald8055]

And your point is????

[@paulmcdonald8055]

I’m gonna go and Artex my carpet as Hoover is a brand name! Get a life if this is the best you’ve got to comment on a guy who’s trying to Educate people! What’s your Agenda? Keyboard Warrior perhaps??? 😉

[@paulrumbold2436]

Easy as feck , reboard it ffs . Simples

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

Sheesh, you talk and talk without saying anything useful, worse than my wife. Get to the point man. 6 minutes in, I lost the will to live and left.