Artex

[MORELLO]

I'm planning on having an entire room skimmed - on the chimney breast there is some woodchip wallpaper that is yeeeaarrs old and despite hours of steaming won't budge.
Can this be skimmed over or does it REALLY HAVE to come off? Also the ceiling is patterned 'artex' - scored semi circles, and painted - any preperation needed?

[woodchopper]

To remove woodchip wallpaper you need to scarify the paper so that the water/steam can soak into the paper and so soften the paste.

[carrust]

As woodchopper says, scarify the wall, then mix-up a weak mix of water & wallpaper paste. Keep soaking the woodchip over a 2 to 3 hour period. Then try steaming it. The paste in the water stops the water evaporating.

[k8bailey]

artex can be plastered over quite sucessfull, i think you have to put lots of pva into the plaster of something, we ahd our ceilings done to get rid of artex and i dont remember any prep work being done

I can't believe anyone chose to use artex and woodchip its awfull and our house was covered in the stuff - good ridance!!!