Due to changes in interior fashion, it is now becoming less popular among homeowners with most choosing removal options. Note: If your home was built before 1979, the texture might contain asbestos, which can do serious damage to your lungs. A popcorn ceiling removal tool, or ceiling texture scraper, is used to remove popcorn and other acoustic ceiling textures.

Artex was originally created with small amounts of asbestos, the reasoning behind this was it would strengthen the product. You can find kits online, however it is recommended that you hire a specialist to come and collect samples from your home. I like to use a thinner consistency polyfiller (just mixed with a bit more water) for small holes and gaps, particularly when I know there’s going to be loooottts of filling involved. You could consider covering the area with plastic sheeting, as this sheeting traps air and forces the product down onto the surface. I find it easiest to paint the ceiling first, so its all one flat colour, which then allows you to properly see these little holes ready to fixing.You can remove texture that contains asbestos yourself as long as you carefully follow safe procedures. This way is MUCH easier, it’ll save your arm from going dead, it’s more likely to pull off some glue along with it and it will bring the polystyrene down in much larger chunks, making clean up a hell of a load easier too. On lath and plaster, this will come off in one smooth action, but be careful not too over-steam the ceiling, particularly in any cracked locations as the plaster will be at risk of completely dropping off!

Since one edge of the plastic sheeting already has tape attached, you simply need to peel and stick the plastic right along the top of your walls. It is strongly advised you don’t break off any of the artex to send as a sample yourself, as you could risk exposure to harmful fibres. Do not soak more than 16 square feet at a time, as areas may dry out before you can scrape them off.After graduating with a 1st class degree in Marketing, I worked as a marketing assistant for four years and now focus on freelance writing. I found your tip on first applying the first coat of paint to the plaster before filling the holes particularly interesting and will try that method myself as a coat of paint does also help to seal any bare plaster at the same time. Holding the steamer upside down onto the ceiling (15 seconds for lath and plaster, 30+ for plasterboard) will soften the glue. The thinner the polyfiller, the less tough it is – so it’s really only suitable for little holes, such as these.