Project Guide Overview: We’re going to be looking at how to make Artex walls look nice by offering you 2 practical decorating tips including re-plastering and using a flat matt paint to make the Artex much less visible.
Can You Make Artex Look Good?
In recent years Artex has fallen out of favour with interior design aficionados so if you’re still in the stone age and have got Artex walls you’re probably wondering if you can make Artex look good or even remove it.
Fortunately, there are some ways you can achieve a good look with Artex, although one of the methods we’ll be suggesting today involves covering it up!
How to Make Artex Walls Look Nice (2 Ways)
We’ve had plenty of decorating jobs over the last 5 – 10 years where customers want to either cover up their Artex walls or at least make them look good. With that in mind, here are the methods I would suggest if you’re preparing to redecorate your Artex walls.
Plastering (Artex Easifix Smooth-it)
The most obvious way to make your Artex walls look nice and get them up to speed with modern interior design is to simply plaster over them. When it comes to plastering over old Artex you have 2 options; either pay a plastering to skimcoat over the Artex or do it yourself using Artex Easifix Smooth-it.
If you’re not comfortable using a smoothing kit then it makes sense to hire a professional for this although this of course is going to be costly.
If you’re feeling confident then I’d definitely recommend trying Artex Easifix Smooth-It which can be bought from B&Q and other decorating outlets. The Easifix Smooth-It comes ready-made along with a spatula to help you smooth out the product by hand although I would recommend using a regular trowel to guarantee a smoother finish.
As the product costs around £15 I would say it makes sense to give it a go and if you can’t achieve a smooth finish then go to the effort of hiring a plasterer as they will be able to easily rectify any shoddy work.
Use a Flat Matt Paint to Paint It
Taking away the need to hire a plasterer or go through the stress of attempting to smooth out the walls yourself, your best option could well be using an ultra-flat matt to paint the Artex walls.
Flat matt emulsions have the lowest sheen level of any emulsions. This means they reflect less light than other emulsion types. The benefit of using flat emulsions is that they’re incredibly adept at hiding surface imperfections and this extends to Artex to some degree.
If you’re keen to go down this route then I (and many other professionals) would recommend using Johnstone’s Perfect Matt. Whilst the Artex on the walls will still be visible, it will be much less obvious especially if viewed from a couple of metres away.
Top tip: Choose a darker colour to paint your walls with – this will go even further in hiding the Artex.
Does Artex Walls Devalue a House?
Artex walls can devalue a house as it’s simply not a desired look anymore. This means that prospective buyers will factor in the cost of removing the Artex walls and redecorating them before making an offer.
Final Thoughts
Artex walls are certainly out of fashion so it’s a good idea to give them a good makeover. My preferred method would be to simply use a skimcoat of plaster over the top of the Artex to cover it before applying a few coats of paint.
Of course, you can always use a flat matt emulsion if you’re not feeling uneasy about the prospect of using a DIY plaster on your walls.