written by boJohnson283 on 27/09/2018
Let me say from the outset that this product does remove artex, but, for me, at an unwelcome cost in time, mess and money. The tub is ludicrously overpriced and only covers a limited area. It was advised by the company who were very helpful when I rang them that I would do best to cover what I had painted with polythene and leave overnight. Sticking the polythene on proved to be a task in itself. Might be better with walls rather then ceilings? The scrapings are messy and rather like chewing gum! On balance, I achieved similar results with elbow grease and a sharp scraper. My third star is rather flattering to the product but at least it wasn't useless at removing artex. If you're strong a determined and your space involved isn't to large, avoid it!
written by ClarkRoberts on 08/10/2016
We purchased this product after watching videos which made it appear quite easy. We painted it on and covered with cling film left overnight and guess what it hardly moved any artex. £50 gone on what, back to square one. We bought a steamer which did the job.
Written on: 13/10/2016
I am very sorry to hear you are having problems using X-Tex.
We have thousands of happy customers using this product successfully to remove Artex and I can assure you if it didn’t work then we would not be selling the product.
£50 sounds like you purchased two tubs, but if the product had not worked then you would have returned the second tub? This also suggests that you did not try a small test area as stated in bold on the label?
Every job is different and never an exact science so we always stress to try a small area first to establish the dwell time before tackling the whole job.
The Artex you are trying to remove will be covered in emulsion paint so this has to be removed prior to removing the Artex. I am surprised to hear that it has had no reaction at all? If X-Tex has has no reaction at all then it cannot be emulsion or Artex.
The worst type of paint you can have covering the Artex is vinyl silk emulsion which is a tough finish, but X-Tex will still soften it.
Using a steamer can work but is very hazardous especially if the artex contains asbestos fibres.
written by Childers162 on 03/06/2016
Ordered some x-tex and missed the first delivery due to the amazingly efficient service. A bit Sceptical about this product but, toxic free, water soluble, no smell or irritants and does a great job , requires two coats as the Artex was a heavy texture. What's not to like. Will be ordering more.
written by Hubster65 on 05/11/2015
Bought this as it looked like an easy solution instead of boarding over hallway textured ceiling (boarding not an option as coving & spotlights in place etc). Covered wooden floor with plastic sheeting. X Tex went on ok, and waited about an hour. Started scraping off and it was hard work. Debris fell off scraper onto me, step ladder and floor. Worked in about 2ft square at a time. Moved ladder and slipped on the mess it was creating. Sheeting tore, debris ended up underneath it. Tried cloth sheets and this was just as bad. Trainer soles got coated....Carried on..... Come to clean up and this is as bad as Nitromors but luckily it's not caustic. Ended up scraping stuff off of the floor then plenty of hot soapy water, elbow grease and on hands and knees. And it fell everywhere, walls and doors needed cleaning but back to the floor... I'll now have to sand and re-varnish as the damp stuff started stripping the varnish off. If you've got carpet, then be prepared to buy a new one. It creates a real mess and doesn't really work as well as is advertised. 2.5ltrs covered 4' x15' just! So quite dear for what it is. Now, I'm a blooming good DIYer so would I recommend it? only if you're out of other options or you're a decorator who likes hard work and a lot of cleaning up...find another option. On a positive note, I've cleaned out the tub and will use it as a paint kettle in the future.....
Written on: 25/11/2015
I am sorry to some negative things about this product. Of course using a product that removes a coating will in fact remove any type of coating it falls onto! so covering these things would be common sense?
The best way is to cover with plastic sheeting, then cover with lots of layers of newspaper. Then as the softened artex falls to the floor wrap the newspaper up and then keep putting more newspaper down.
X-Tex encapsulates Artex (which in pre 1985 coatings contains asbestos fibres) so it keeps the coating damp at all times which prevent any asbestos fibres from becoming airborne, so it will be sticky and messy.
The coverage is an approximation based on two coats of artex, and we cannot give exacts as every coating is different. You will also find emulsion.
written by halleven on 14/07/2015
Purchased on the back of favorable reviews but it simply does not work. I have tried scoring the artex but it simply will not budge. I spent over £100 on this product and feel totally ripped off.
Written on: 08/09/2015
Very sorry to hear you were no happy with X-Tex, but if this was normal Artex it would have come off very easily. I think the problem you were having was trying to remove the paint that has been applied over the top.
The worst type of paint you can have is vinyl silk, and can prove to be a real pain. Did you call the technical helpline, or even try a small test area first as stated on the label?
I am sorry to think that you have been "ripped off" but I can assure you we are in the business of coatings removal, and if our products didn't work we would not be in business anymore.
Removing Artex® using Eco Solutions X-Tex® WORKING WET SYSTEM
One of the quickest and easiest ways that we have found to remove artex® is with this amazing product. Simply paint over the artex®, on a horizontal or vertical surface, and scrape off when softened. Called a working wet system – this means that the artex® is kept wet at all times which results in no asbestos fibres becoming airborne, and when scraped will fall directly to the floor (we recommend to cover the floor with lots of old newspapers and just wrap the artex® up in the paper, bag and dispose of at your local council recycling centre. Most refuse sites now take asbestos waste).
Most artex® has been painted over the years with various coats of emulsions and this does need to be removed before you can start removing the artex®. The most difficult of these is vinyl silk which contains plastic polymers, and once softened by any type of paint remover can turn it into a gooey mess!
The answer to this problem is to remove with a long handled blade scraper which helps to lift it from the surface rather than spreading it around the wall, which usually happens when using a standard steel scraper. If you suspect the emulsion to be vinyl silk then a very light scoring with a Stanley knife prior to applying X-Tex® will enable the product to penetrate below the surface and lift it from the substrate and make removal much easier. (Only a light scoring of the surface is required- as you do not want to disturb the artex® coating underneath)
Another great tip is to apply X-Tex® and cover with foil or plastic film and leave overnight. The foil prevents the X-Tex® from drying out and also forces the product down and in most cases softens both the emulsion and the artex® in one application. This is highly recommended to obtain the best results and to save you product.
written by 1887wwfc on 25/02/2015
I went with reviews on here with over 60% recommending to a friend. Are these all employees or owners of the company? The artex on my bathroom isn't thick and I had got some of it off already with the X-Tex. I am sure that applying this stuff made it worse to get off. After applying I left overnight fully expecting it peel off just like it did in the video. I'm afreaid it just didn't work. Spent about 6 hours trying to get the artex off and acheived patchy removal of an area around 4 foot by 2 foot. I tried further applications but just seemed to soak the paint without touching the artex. I advise you not to waste your time, effort and money and just go straight for replastering as I am doing now.
Written on: 04/03/2015
Really sorry to hear you are not happy with X-Tex and that you think that we waste our time placing reviews on websites to get business. We simply wouldn't be in business if our products weren't effective!
I think you have to look at what you are trying to take off as the problem and not the product trying to remove it (this is always the case sadly). It sounds like the paint you are trying to remove (which is over the top of the artex) could have possible been a vinyl silk (kitchens & bathroom paint) which is particularly difficult to remove as they can turn glory or rubbery when a paint remover is applied (that is the same for all paint removers)
Also the artex could have been a bonded type textured coating which has adhesives in it making it even harder again to remove. Original artex (BPB UK Ltd) will soften very quickly if not covered with emulsion, so once you have got through the paint the artex will come away quickly and this is not the case in your situation.
Not one job is the same and removing anything that has been designed not to be removed is one of the hardest jobs you can undertake in DIY.
You are always going to get poor reviews on even the best products on the market, and ours is one of the best selling and safest products on the market today to remove artex.
Again I am sorry to hear you are not happy, and hope you finally remove the coating.
written by Malikj146 on 14/01/2015
Having decided to remove all our artex from our hallways I thought I would give X-tex a go. To be perfectly honest I am astonished at the results. If applied in the correct manner (As recommended on tub) and sufficient time left after application the artex comes off a treat. I use both a 4" razor tipped and a double handed 6" razor tipped scraper to do the work and providing you keep the blade at a shallow angle the stuff flies off. Put it this way, I managed to get about 250 ft sq done in about four to five hours, including application and soaking time . Our artex was a very heavy bark effect and after a bit of trial and error found that a soak time of about 90 minutes was ideal. As easy as stripping some wallpapers .The hallway will be replastered afterwards so a wash down will be done to eliminate any residue . If users have had bad experiences I can only guess they may not have used sufficient gel or possibly not given it enough time so soak in. Anywhoo, it certainly works for me. Just a pity it is not available in 10 litre tubs :)
Written on: 16/01/2015
Hi
So pleased you liked X-Tex and had great results with it. I am assuming that you purchased this product in 2.5 litre containers?
We do actually have it in a 15 litre tub if you need larger quantities in the future. We have a list of stockists on our website that carry the larger tubs.
Thank you very much
written by slartibartfast14 on 03/03/2014
Bought some of this to do a bathroom ceiling. Getting in on was an absolute nightmare with the stuff going every where except on the ceiling (thank god for dust sheets). Finally managed to cover a 1 metre by 2 metre area and left it for and hour and a half to work. Removing it was even worse than putting it on, yes it does remove the artex, but it requires arm muscles like the Hulk and leaves lots of semi liquid spotches all over the floor and I had to scrap the dust sheets as trying to clean the gunk of them proved near impossible. I will be hiring a plasterer and I suggest you do too.
Written on: 14/03/2014
Sorry to hear you experienced problems using X-Tex and our product is thick enough that it shouldn't drip and can cling to ceilings.
Leaving for the length of time you mentioned would not have been long enough to penetrate through both the emulsion and artex in one application.
Also we do say on the instructions to cover the area prior to removal. When you are scraping softened artex from a ceiling it is bound to fall to the floor, and is a messy job like all types of removal.
We do recommend using a long handled blade scraper which does make removal easier but if you had applied and covered with plastic film and left overnight it would have softened through the entire substrate and made removal much easier.
written by katfra50 on 20/02/2014
Bought this product after getting a few quotes to skim over the two rooms I have covered in awful artex, and the cost was too expensive. I searched the internet and came across X-Tex on Twitter @homestrip and saw an interesting article on the safest way to remove this lovely stuff! I did a test area first and covered it with foil and left overnight. I then removed the foil and the surface was soft. I was not convinced until I scraped the surface and it came away quite easily and left what looked like a thin coating of artex, or thicker areas of artex (this was a swirl pattern) I re-applied and left for two hours and it came off leaving the original plaster surface. This was a big removal job so I set to remove the artex from a wall at a time. I pasted two walls and covered them with whatever I could get my hands on really. Foil, plastic bags and cling film all seem to work well. The next day I set to remove the covering on one wall and remove. One thing I would say is once you have done a test area you know how this product works for you, and how this product works on that particular surface. Both rooms were different and I guess that was down to the type of paint that was applied over the artex. Essential tools: Long handled blade scraper, foil, plastic bags, cling film, latex gloves, disposable paper suit, lots of newspaper to put down on the floor (I put four layers of newspaper and as I scraped the artex off it dropped onto the newspaper. I then wrapped the top layer of newspaper up and bagged it, putting a fresh layer down afterwards) large paint brush (4inch) and wet sponge and water(this I used to clean the walls after removal) Most important make sure you cover areas that are painted, as it can remove paint from your skirting boards or window sills. I noticed quite a few negative reviews on here but was not put off, as there are more positive ones and after looking at the replies from the manufacturers it is clear these customers weren’t using it properly, as I am far from the best DIYer and it worked for me. Both rooms now clear of artex at a fraction of the cost to re-skim. However, this does take work, and it does not fall off in front of your eyes!
written by on 22/10/2013
Persuaded by the video and a series of good reviews I bought this. It is ok to apply but does not work! Left it 2 hours...nothing, overnight...nothing, reapplied another coat....nothing. Have resorted to using a steamer. I feel like I have wasted 25 pounds and made a whole load of mess too. Im half way through and losing the will. Wish I'd just had it skimmed over. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Written on: 01/11/2013
Really sorry to hear you have had problems using X-Tex, but after reading your comments are you really sure it was artex, or of course the coating that was over the top of artex (all artex has been painted over the years usually with emulsion, but the worst one is vinyl silks)
It was not the artex you were having problems with, it would have been the paint. X-Tex will remove the paint but its not designed for this. DID YOU DO A SMALL TEST AREA FIRST! as is stated on the label?
It also states on the label to cover the area with plastic film if leaving overnight as the product can dry out and stop working. You have not mentioned this.
The other important item on our label is our technical helpline telephone number. Did you call?
written by CraigFearn on 26/08/2013
I used X-tex on my lounge and though messy it worked for me, remember it gets artex off and not paint!! The ceiling was a stipple effect approx 5mm thick with emulsion on so test an area 1st to see what suits. Cover the floor with cloth and tape down plastic covering on top, use a safe platform to give a safe working height. Use a shed paint brush or a paste brush to hold sufficient x-tex and liberally paint the surface area while wearing protective eye wear, be aware if splash / drips on a wall it takes paint etc off. I had emulsion on it and left it for an hour and sprayed it with a water mist sprayer to keep it damp so no need to cling film etc so can't comment, I used a stiff blade wallpaper stripper type or 4" filler type tool, remember not bendy re gentle pressure required to take it off. I used 2.5l tubs and it covered approx 3.5m a time though its not cheap it's safer than steaming. I did it over a few days as it is hard work / messy and not being able to close the room off from the family etc. it comes off in a soft paste material that's sticky until dry thus cover carpets etc as required. I hope to have a bit left so I can do the garage door as it may save a lot of rubbing down and a good hose off lol!! Hope this helps but be advised its artex remover and not paint remover!!! Emulsion ok vinyl silk etc takes longer and gloss try overnight and cover it. Try tool station at £24 a tub and medium plastic floor covering. Hope it helped Craig.
written by on 20/06/2013
Followed. The manufacturers instructions but just didn't work - no way does it scrape off like the u-tube clip. Just buy a steamer which is a bit messy but does the job instead and you can always use it for paper later! Beware this stuff does take varnish off though and if a drop of it splodges on you doors it takes the paint off them instead. Don'T waste your money
Written on: 29/07/2013
Really sorry to hear you experienced problems whilst using X-Tex. Our technical helpline number is on the product label and a call to speak with out technical department could have given you the answers you were looking for.
Most artex has been painted over the years, and this requires an overnight application as stated in our You Tube video. Vinyl silks can also be difficult to remove and tips to this can be found.
The problem with using a steamer is that the artex can dry out once it has been removed and if it contains asbestos fibres then you have a health issue
X-Tex keeps the artex wet at all times preventing any dust becoming airborne.
We also advise to cover the surrounding area with dust sheets or newspaper to prevent floors or painted or varnished areas becoming marked. Surely a common sense precaution when doing any kind of DIY.
written by stevewonderwhere on 09/11/2012
Got this today and applied it straight away. After a few hours I attempted to scrap but it took longer than that to sort the artex. After a few more hours I tried and this seemed to work ok. It's a 50/50 whether I'd do it again or get a professional in I guess.
Written on: 13/12/2012
Hi Steve
Sorry to hear that X-Tex didn't work as well as you originally thought, but would like to explain that X-Tex is designed to removed artex and textured coatings and of course these coatings have mostly been painted over the years with many coats of emulsion.
This makes the removal time longer and as suggested on our label that this can be done overnight using plastic film to force the product down through the substrate. An overnight process can remove all of the paint and soften the artex in one single application.
written by wardrobeman on 22/10/2012
Brilliant ! Did small bathroom in a day. Leave on as long as possible, thick Artex will take two goes. Get a sharp rigid scraper then its just physical effort to scrape off melting Artex. So pleased I found a local supplier in Tool Station as well. The jelly like substance will drop on floor as it is being applied so sheet out areas otherwise go for it.
written by on 27/05/2012
I never write reviews, Honest i dont. I recently bought a new house where ALL the rooms had artex on the ceiling and there was artex on the bedroom walls too. I have kids, so artex on a wall had to go. I was quoted well over 500 pounds to have someone come in and remove it, this seemed excessive, but ive since been told this was reasonable. However having just moved home, i dont really have that kind of disposable income lying around. I seen this particular review site and decided that for 22 pounds i really should give the product a try. If it didnt work then i didnt lose a huge amount and was still in the same position. It arrived next working day. I had read the reviews previous to purchasing and i used the method of scoring the artex first with a blade and then i pasted on the gel and covered with cling film. I left it overnight. I had my 3 kids in the house at the time of use. The gel was easy to use, and didnt have a strong odour. It didnt drip and i got it on my hands and it didnt burn or even irritate my skin. I went to the house again the next day, i didnt have high hopes but boy was i wrong. THIS PRODUCT (XTEX) IS FANTASTIC. I used a long armed scraper with a blade and the artex came off in one single stroke with minimal effort. I think leaving it overnight helped, I didnt find it sticky or gluey. It was dry and skimmed the artex off with ease. It does leave a mess on the floor but thankfully i dont have carpets or anything down yet so it was easily swept up. I will shortly be ordering another tub to finish off the job. I cant reccommend this product highly enough. If you follow the instructions and leave for more than the one hour stated then it really does do exactly what it says it will. Im thrilled that im going to save so much money! thanks for a great product!
written by on 24/03/2012
I had artex on landing hall and stairs, I have just started using this product and was a bit sceptical about it after reading reviews, however painted it on left for 30 mins and couldnt believe it off came the artex, it is very messy and have now decided not to use the cheap plastic floor covering as it gets everywhere and can get easily trodden in, so delighted ordering another tin - although expensive would definately recommend it.
written by pissedoff12 on 17/03/2012
I tried this product and to be honest it was a waste of time and I ended up skimming the ceiling with plaster.
Written on: 28/03/2012
Really sorry to hear that you were not happy with the product, but an explanation of what problems you encountered would have been nice, so that we could have given you some tips and talk you through the process.
It is not nice getting negative feedback by someone who wont explain why or how they had problems, and to have a user name like you have is not very clever either.
written by on 06/07/2011
I really wished I had discovered this product as after having a room skimmed over costing a small fortune i could have saved alot of money with X Tex. Okay yes its messey but what isnt and its sure cleaner than using a steamer! I had to leave this on overnight to soften the paint that was coated over the artex but it did this no problem at all, but after doing a small area first soon realised I had to cover it with plastic film. This then just came right off with a blade scraper right back to plaster, and after an overnight coating it only took me just under two hours to scrape off all four walls and a ceiling... I bought a 15 litre from Decorating Direct and to also mention what a great company they are. Thank you to X-Tex
Written on: 22/08/2011
After the artex has been removed, what kind of state is the ceiling left in? Would it need a slight re-skim?
Many thanks
Written on: 08/03/2012
Is this product available in Canada? Or can I get it shipped to Canada? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
written by on 08/04/2011
In the past I used X-Tex on several ceilings and walls in my house. I found the best way was to paint on the gel then cover the area with sheets of polythene to keep the gel moist and leave as long as possible. The thick areas of artex I left like this overnight then removed the artex relatively easily using a six inch, very sharp bladenext day. Yes, it is messy, expensive and time consuming but it certainly did the trick for me and was the most effective of all the other methods I used.
written by on 26/03/2011
I am currently half way through removing the Artex from the kitchen ceiling. I have come to the conclusion that removing Artex from a ceiling is a job from hell and that X-Tex is a Devil's must. A Devil's must because of its stupidly expensive price tag.
The idea to remove the Artex was a daunting prospect but would like to share my views and idea to make it more bearable. Measure the ceiling dimensions and split into a grid of equal sized areas; tackle the ceiling square by square, it might take two weeks-ends or during longer dayllight hours, one square an evening. I split my ceiling area into 12 equal sized squares of about 90cm x 90cm, drawing onto the ceiling with a pencil to outline them: work on one area at a time working this way will let you complete areas of a room and so leaving the room available to live in until the next available time when you can remove more (over 2 x 4 hour sessions in one weekend I have removed 60% of the Artex.) Using masking tape I masked off on the walls under where the ceiling meets wall because X-Tex will remove any paint on the walls. Apply the X-Tex to the ceiling generously with a good sized brush (I used a 1 inch brush) and leave for 30 minutes or more. Using the edge of the scraper gently score into the softened Artex in a grid pattern so when you scrape the Artex it comes away square "bite-sized" pieces rather then one contiguous piece, doing this is particularly useful if the Artex is painted.
Applied to virgin Artex X-Tex softens the Artex and makes it very easy to remove using a scraper tool and it does so without making fine dust. When applied to Artex painted with matt emulsion paint the paint comes away very easily leaving the Artex underneath slightly softened but still dusty; I scrapped the whole lot off dust and all so you may wish to use a dust mask for this job, not that X-Tex has an unpleasant smell. I used a large paint roller tray in one hand to catch the removed Artex while scraping with the other. That said, using plastic protective sheet is a must and you should use sheets to protect anything in close vicinity of the Artex being removed.
After scraping away the Artex use a damp rag to clean the ceiling and to wipe away any excess Artex that may remain on the ceiling. Repeat.
Tips. Remember to turn off power to the light circut if you remove ceiling light fittings ans mask off the bare wires. Wear a hat. Get someone else to do this job!
Now to get the ceiling plastered flat!
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As rated by our community of reviewers
Andrewchivers's Comment
Written on: 05/03/2020
really sorry to hear you have had issues whilst using X-Tex. What it sounds like is you had vinyl silk emulsion paint on the surface which is not easy but also not impossible to remove.
Scoring the surface after applying X-Tex usually helps lift the vinyl silk from the surface making life a lot easier.I would also advise to do a ceiling in smaller sections rather than trying to do the whole thing at once which can be difficult.
X-Tex is expensive but used properly is good value for money.