old artex

[scanchas]

do i have to remove all the old artex well i think its artex paint as lumps of grit in it from my kitchen wall b4 i get it skimmed with plaster done by i hasten to add by aprofessional plasterer

[marden40]

I have answered the other post you have submitted on this subject but from your description above what you have on the wall is not artex, its a paint, artex is powder mixed with water where as what you have is a paint with grit added, the most popular one was called "Sandtex" however if the plasterer does his background prep properly the skim should be fine

[buildersmate]

Some old textured surfaces contain low levels of brown asbestos. There is nothing to worry about, but it means that these surfaces should not be removed by abrasion that would cause dust in the air. The plasterer will be able to refinish using the existing surface to create a smooth end-product.

[chas2008]

i have known plasterers refuse to work with old artex because of the asbestos content, a bit OTT but a fact.......

[The Builder]

Perfectly safe if left in "solid" form, or better still, covered up.
PVA sealer followed by standard 2-coat skim (MultiFinish). As always, any following coats depend solely upon the existing surface being sound. Give it a good poking, scraping, scratching etc to remove anything that wants to fall off.
Don't worry, your plasterer will advise.