Sanding ceiling

JuzaMum

I've had some good advice on here and would like some more please. (My shower plinth is now fitted without a trip hazard).  My bedroom ceiling looks awful. Although it was skimmed over the artex it is not smooth. It has either has paint roller marks or trowel marks. I got a plasterer to look at it and he said a good decorator would sand and sort it out.
My budget is DIY so what is the best way to go about it. Should I buy a decent sander (recommendations welcome), wear googles? Obviously I will empty the room and I think tapping the fitted wardrobes shut would be wise. 

plumb1_2

Buy a Pole sander and sheets of sandpaper.You can cut them to suit if you can’t get the right size to fit the pole.
But most Diy places sell them.

grumbler

Sanding a ceiling is messy job! Even on a tight budget I'd invest in electric telescopic sander that you can connect to a vacuum cleaner. I see Titan at Screwfix for £110 and some 'Excel' online for £73 delivered. And, to reduce the amount of sanding, try filling holes and marks first if there are any.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Can't offer any thoughts on sanding but can recommend Anti Reflex White (2) paint, it reflects very little light so doesn't show up imperfections as much.

Our ceilings were painted with Dulux Trade and looked awful, probably down to my painting skills than the paint, but having discovered this stuff the ceilings now look great.

https://www.tikkurila.co.uk/anti-reflex-white-2.html 

Well worth the money IMHO, but the manufacture might not be the cheapest place to buy. 

Gavin83

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Can't offer any thoughts on sanding but can recommend Anti Reflex White (2) paint, it reflects very little light so doesn't show up imperfections as much.

Our ceilings were painted with Dulux Trade and looked awful, probably down to my painting skills than the paint, but having discovered this stuff the ceilings now look great.

https://www.tikkurila.co.uk/anti-reflex-white-2.html 

Well worth the money IMHO, but the manufacture might not be the cheapest place to buy. 

I second this paint recommendation. As for a store I’d recommend decorating centre online. I buy all my paint from there. Great range, cheap and quick delivery.

https://www.decoratingcentreonline.co.uk/tikkurila-anti-reflex-white.html?&size=10L&gclid=CjwKCAjwm8WZBhBUEiwA178UnO8-pxu1UQKo54QwUQzZdndIBRX65tIHCaS8Uw3GFI9d8561n_VYBhoClOMQAvD_BwE

Bendy_House

JuzaMum said:

I've had some good advice on here and would like some more please. (My shower plinth is now fitted without a trip hazard).  My bedroom ceiling looks awful. Although it was skimmed over the artex it is not smooth. It has either has paint roller marks or trowel marks. I got a plasterer to look at it and he said a good decorator would sand and sort it out.
My budget is DIY so what is the best way to go about it. Should I buy a decent sander (recommendations welcome), wear googles? Obviously I will empty the room and I think tapping the fitted wardrobes shut would be wise. 

Goggles? Absolutely. And a well-fitting dust mask. And paper overalls.

Your call whether to do this by hand (ie a sanding pad on a pole) or go electric, especially if it's just one room. If 'hand', and it's tough going, then I think concentrate on the half towards the window, as this will show up more from that light source, and ease off - if you must - towards the far wall

Eldi_Dos

Op ,you mention Artex, do you know it is artex?

Has the ceiling had a coating which has been skimmed over and do you know the age of coating that has been skimmed over.
What if anything did plasterer say when looking at ceiling.

Ectophile

Something to check: if there is Artex under the skimmed surface, has it ever been tested for asbestos?  You might want to check before attacking it with a sander.

JuzaMum

I had a nasty textured pattern on it before skimming. I hadn't considered asbestos 😱. I wasn't thinking I would sand as deeply as to disturb the original artex but it is certainly something to think about. 
The skimming was done maybe 15 years ago.
The plasterer said that a good decorator would be able to sort it out. He had a quick look whilst doing other work in the house

JuzaMum

Thank you all for the advice. I hired a pole sander with extractor and have sanded the ceiling which looks so much better already. I was pleasantly surprised how little mess there was due to having the extractor. I was tiring though as the sander was heavy.