Asbestos question

[Jim the Sunderer]

Dear internets,

I'm just looking for some free advice on if this grey stuff around the old coal fireplace is likely to be on the asbestos persuasion, the property was built around 1950 (on the cheap).




Warmest regards

[Jonesy23]

Are their any fibres in it?

[PH5121]

That looks like plaster.

[battered]

Doubt it. No need for asbestos there, just brick and render.

[Dogwatch]

"Domestic" asbestos in the 50's usually came in sheet form, flat or corrugated, i.e. near harmless asbestos cement. This house (1956) has plenty of both.

As said, no need for asbestos there. However it seems they did have plaster which wouldn't have been out of place on the outside of a tank laughing off incoming fire.

[Mr GrimNasty]

That texture is typical of boring old backing plaster.

[Buzz84]

Just because there was no need doesn't mean it wasn't put in. it was the wonder material of the time and got used for everything. Mixed into other materials it was used as a binder (like the glass in fibreglass)

I've recently moved in to a old house that needs doing up, even the lino on the kitchen floor has white asbestos in it!

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

..even Artex had it back in the day.

[Grandad Gaz]

That's a bonding coat of plaster.

Not all plaster is pink, it depends on where it was mined which determines its colour.

[Ynox]

Black plastic toilet seats, cisterns, water tanks, under sink bitumen pads, floor tiles, guttering, facia boards, bath panels, ceilings of integrated garages etc etc etc (wrote some asbestos surveying software a few years ago for a company - pretty much anything built pre 1990 or so will probably have some somewhere).

It's sodding everywhere. Fortunately if it's in good condition it's safe (enough).

[stewjohnst]

Looks like bog standard old plaster to me but I'm not an expert.

Our house is yonks old and every room had a different style of artex or plaster on the walls or ceiling when we moved in. There was so much and with no idea of dates, the only sensible thing to do before taking it off was to shell out £200 for an asbestos survey from samples in each room.

It came back clear so we smashed it all off, if it had any in - it would have been a part and plaster over job - it's fine if undisturbed.

[Simpo Two]

Could be worse, might have been made out of carrier bags. They're REALLY dangerous.

[g7jtk]

Jim the Sunderer said:

Dear internets,

I'm just looking for some free advice on if this grey stuff around the old coal fireplace is likely to be on the asbestos persuasion, the property was built around 1950 (on the cheap).




Warmest regards

If that was asbesdos it could already be too late

[Simpo Two]

Too late for what? To save his life?

[g7jtk]

Simpo Two said:

Too late for what? To save his life?

If it was asbesdos fibres could have been disturbed already and breathed in. As its only browning plaster there is no problem.