1930's Semi Possible Asbestos

[xbot]

Hi,

I'm in the process of having a bedroom in my 1930's semi plastered, the builder was knocking some holes in the ceiling to find the joists and said he wasn't sure if the existing ceiling was asbestos or not which of course has got me panicked.

The builder did say though that he hasn't seen paper backed asbestos on a ceiling before, so could perhaps be an early plasterboard. I know a little history of the house and apparently in the 60's it is possible that the ceilings were changed which further confuses matters.

Was it common ro even possible to have asbestos used in ceilings of houses of this age, and more specifically paper-backed? I can provide photos if it helps.

The ceiling has now been boarded and plastered but I'm now not sure if I should drill holes for lights!

Thanks in advance,

Rob.

 

[wessex101]

Sounds like plasterboard. If you have mineral cement boards on the ceiling you tend to have exposed timber battens on the board joints as it cannot be scimmed.

 

[^woody^]

The problem is that you have hired a clown not a builder.

Ceilings are not made from asbestos, especially plastered ones.

 

[xbot]

Sacked in the morning then

 

[Nozzle]

Ceilings are not, but artex might be

Nozzle

 

[wessex101]

Ceilings are not, but artex might be

Nozzle

Actually that is a good point. It reminded of a job from years back. A fairly modern block of old peoples flats built in the early 80's. A tradesman working in the loft thought the ceiling looked suspicious and called us out. Turned out all the first floor ceilings were AIB with an artex finish so my suggestion about the timber battens is far from fool proof. Bizarrely all the ceilings to the ground floor flats where plasterboard. We summised at the time that the original builder probably found a job lot of old stock AIB sheets on the cheap as there was no reason for it to be there.

That was probably a very rare situation though and I still think the OP has got plasterboard.

 

[footprints]

If the finish was not textured (artex) and the ceiling is a sandwich of paper/card and plaster, often dark one side and light the other sounds like plasterboard.
AIB and AC board are solid boards not in my experience bonded to paper/cardboard.
Sounds like just plasterboard from what you have said.
What kind of wally builder bangs holes in the ceiling first and then thinks about asbestos!?

 

[^woody^]

The key thing is that plaster did not contain asbestos. If it's plaster board, or lath and plaster, then it's ok.

If there is a textured coating on the ceiling, then that may have some low asbestos content if it was done pre 1990, or close past it.

If it's not a plasterboard, and not wood, but a dense cement type board with a plaster skim, and again is pre 1990, then it's worth a closer look.

Anyone, especially a tradesperson or firm working on any building, should be aware of the potential for asbestos containing material (ACM) and do the necessary checks before working on the material - not while or after cutting it. Checks are predominantly visual, then proceed with caution, with precautions, or get the material tested and proceed depending on the results.