Asbestos in porch ceiling?

[Shesh222]

Hi all. So we have a 1930s house with an enclosed porch. last year i decided to replace the front door and remove the inner porch door and frame to create a bigger entrance hallway. I was just waiting on getting it all replastered and insulated. The door and framd we removed was one of those horrible full pane single gaze glass 1970s/80s doors. Once we removed it it left the porch ceiling panel exposed on the side where it was attached. Now noone at fhe time mentioned asbestos at all. But recently for some reason i had a thought and suddenly panicked that we had not considered this at all. Ive asked people and they all think it just looks like plasterboard. And to be honest it does look veey much like some of the old plaster in the house. It has brown fibres in it. But it also appears as if there's other materials up there too. Im worried sick that it contains asbestos and everytime weve used the front door we have disturbed the fibres. We have 2 kids and another on the way so this worrying isnt great right now.

 

[Deleted member 267285]

It does look like plasterboard, but only way for certain would be a sample test.

 

[Shesh222]

Thanks! Ive got hold of a company to come and test it for me so fingers crossed itll be ok. I just dont know why i completely overlooked it in the first place.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

If it's any help the brown fibres are probably sisal or horse hair - commonly used as a bonding agent in the lime plaster which was common up to the start if WWII.

Asbestos fibres are extremely fine (much thinner than a human hair) and cannot be resolved by the naked eye.

 

[noseall]

Hi all. So we have a 1930s house with an enclosed porch. last year i decided to replace the front door and remove the inner porch door and frame to create a bigger entrance hallway. I was just waiting on getting it all replastered and insulated. The door and framd we removed was one of those horrible full pane single gaze glass 1970s/80s doors. Once we removed it it left the porch ceiling panel exposed on the side where it was attached. Now noone at fhe time mentioned asbestos at all. But recently for some reason i had a thought and suddenly panicked that we had not considered this at all. Ive asked people and they all think it just looks like plasterboard. And to be honest it does look veey much like some of the old plaster in the house. It has brown fibres in it. But it also appears as if there's other materials up there too. Im worried sick that it contains asbestos and everytime weve used the front door we have disturbed the fibres. We have 2 kids and another on the way so this worrying isnt great right now.

I'd be more worried about those unsupported bricks falling on me 'ed. Much more worried.

 

[Wayners]

If that is 12.5mm thick and soft ish vs hard asbestos and if you can put some in water and goes soft plus crumbles it's plasterboard.
Will also have a paper surface both sides as plasterboard does

 

[Shesh222]

I'd be more worried about those unsupported bricks falling on me 'ed. Much more worried.

Haha yes i thought the same when some mortar came falling down recently. so stopped using said door and keeping well away from it. im getting it sorted pronto.

 

[Shesh222]

If it's any help the brown fibres are probably sisal or horse hair - commonly used as a bonding agent in the lime plaster which was common up to the start if WWII.

Asbestos fibres are extremely fine (much thinner than a human hair) and cannot be resolved by the naked eye.

Thanks! I think i just panicked because in my head i always think of asbestos as being in like artex and those other ceiling tiles they have in old public buildings like schools and hospitals. The corrugated iron looking sheet type things too. Think my primary school was full of the stuff. . It didnt really cross my mind it could be in this. So hoping it isnt.

 

[Shesh222]

I'd be more worried about those unsupported bricks falling on me 'ed. Much more worried.

Would it be easiest to make the bit under it into an archway instead of removing said bricks. It was a doorway anyway so would be obvious i guess.