Paint a textured or woodchip wall

Prep, fill and paint a textured or woodchip wall safely, checking older coatings for asbestos before you start.

TW-01Clear the room and protect surfacesMove furniture away from the wall or out of the room. Lay dust sheets over the floor and any furniture left in place. Open a window for ventilation, especially before any filling or sanding.

2 each · Dust sheets

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TW-02Check the coating's age and conditionLook closely at the texture. Woodchip and heavily textured coatings (often called Artex) applied before around 1999 can contain white asbestos. Do not scrape, sand or gouge an old textured coating if you're not sure of its age or history.

RULES

KNOW THE RULES

HSE guidance: textured coatings applied before 1999-2000 may contain asbestos. If in doubt, don't disturb it — paint over it intact, or get it tested by a specialist before any scraping or sanding.

TW-03Deal with loose or lifting texturePress down any lifting woodchip edges or flaking texture with a damp cloth rather than sanding. If a patch is loose and won't stick back down, cut it away carefully with a filling knife rather than sanding it flat. Wear a dust mask if you must disturb any texture at all.

1 each · FFP3 dust mask

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1 each · Filling knife

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TW-04Fill cracks and holesFill any cracks, nail holes or gaps with a flexible filler, pushing it in with the filling knife. Smooth level with the surrounding texture rather than perfectly flat — you're matching the wall, not making it smooth. Leave to dry fully, usually 2-4 hours, before touching it.

1 each · Flexible filler (tub)

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TW-05Wash the wall downWash the whole wall with sugar soap solution on a sponge to remove dust, grease and nicotine staining. Rinse with clean water on a separate sponge. Let the wall dry fully before painting, usually a few hours.

1 bottle · Sugar soap

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2 each · Sponge

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TW-06Mask up edges and fittingsRun masking tape along the skirting board, door frames, window frames and around any sockets or light switches. Press the tape down firmly along its edge so paint can't creep underneath.

2 rolls · Masking tape (low-tack)

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TW-07Cut in the edgesUse a small brush to paint a band around the edges of the wall — into corners, along the ceiling line, and around the masked skirting and frames. This gives the roller a clean line to work up to.

1 each · Angled sash brush, 50mm

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TW-08Roller on the first coatUse a medium or long-pile roller (18-25mm nap) so it can get into the texture without skimming over it. Load it well and work in overlapping W-shapes, going in several directions to push paint into the crevices. If the wall is bare plaster or unpainted woodchip, use a mist coat (emulsion thinned about 10% with water) as this first coat.

1 each · Roller sleeve, 25mm nap

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1 each · Roller frame and tray

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1 tin · Matt emulsion, 5L

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TW-09Let it dry, then apply the second coatLeave the first coat to dry fully, usually 4-6 hours, longer if you used a mist coat. Check the texture in raking light from a lamp — any pale or thin patches show up clearly. Apply the second coat the same way, working paint well into the recesses.

TW-10Remove tape and tidy upPull the masking tape away slowly at a shallow angle once the final coat is dry to the touch, so it doesn't lift any paint with it. Wash rollers and brushes, or wrap them tightly in cling film if you're painting again the next day. Fold dust sheets carefully to keep any dried texture debris off the floor.

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