Some Drywall/plasterboard advice sought (asbestos related)

Hi guys and gals.

I have just had my house rewired from top to bottom, and as part of the rewiring we have had cause to move all our sockets and light swtiches to new levels due to "new building regulations" or something. Anyway, as a result, we now have holes where the old points were, and a selection of peices of gypsum where the tradesman had to cut the holes for the new peices. We planned to fill the old holes with these offcuts from the new holes.

Anyway, in the process of resizing the offcuts to fit, I needed to cut one fo the peices in half, so I run my knife down the sheet and snapped the peice in half. When i broke the piece in half, I discovered the plaster inside was a pinkish plaster and was full of very fine glass-like fibres. My concern is that these fibres are the dreaded Asbestos and I have stopped all work on the walls until I get a definitive answer.

I can possibly post a picture of the plasterboard showing the fibres if required, but I am not sure how well the pictures would show up, due to the fact the fibres are so fine.


Thanks for any help.

xTaMx

reply to post by x TAM x


No need to post a picture. There is absolutely NO Asbestos in this plasterboard. The plaster in the board contains some minerals that assist the plaster to dry, it is NOT Asbestos.

Asbestos has been banned in all construction materials, so carry on and finish the job!! Best of luck with it!!

Originally posted by Cobaltic1978
reply to post by x TAM x

 

Asbestos has been banned in all construction materials, so carry on and finish the job!! Best of luck with it!!

I was just slightly worried due to the fact that the plasterboard used has probably been up since the house was built in the early 50's and never been touch and I wasnt sure what the materials used in its production back then were... And a goole search on the topic was less than helpfull

reply to post by x TAM x


regulations past and present do differ between scotland and england. fibres in gypsumboard are quite suspect from my point of view. it would be best to encapsulate the area as soon as possible. properties built around the fifties do contain asbestos. i know this because i am in the construction industry. there were as i recall many attempts at strengthening plasterboards to attain the desired rigidity by introducing fibers into the gypsum. it may well be nothing more than glass strands but i would err on the side of caution. can you possibly take a photograph of the fibers in question?
regards f

reply to post by fakedirt


Isn't plasterboard a relatively new product? When I say new I mean came about in the 1970's? I am not 100% certain and I too have worked in the construction industry and came across many suspect material in the fabric of buildings.

For example, I know that Artex has traces of asbestos in it and is impervious to water. Does the Asbestos make it impervious to water.

If the property is an ex-council house, then the council will be able to confirm your suspicions. What is concerning is that the Electricians have already cut into the board therefore disturbing any Asbestos if it were present.

reply to post by Cobaltic1978

last year i renovated a house built 1938. it did contain a gypsum based plasterboard which was original to the home. i believe the first manufacturing process to mass produce plasterboard was around the 1920's.
a frenchman (lafarge) came up with the concept of composite design,mass production in a factory environment with tolerances adhered to strictly. back to the house, this plasterbord was in imperial tolerances and the entire house had been untouched save for radiator/boiler installation/ ist generation double glasing upvc and a retro wiring job from the early eighties. lead plumbing and paintwork containing lead. it had the original kitchen.
still have a couple of the bakelite switches and the original door chime. diamonds!

i havn't heard of asbestos used in waterproofing, however when mixed with gypsum cement it became a popular roofing material known as asbestos cement sheeting. initial thought as to why it was mixed with artex was to give it strength and minimise cracking. it was mixed with many other bonding substrates and finishes to bind the finish much in the same way horsehair was used in lath and plaster finishes in days of olde.
there was an abundance of asbestos during and after the war. its fireproofing properties were well sought after and many buildings in the uk currently contain the stuff.
regarding tradesmen carrying out work on your property, they should have invesigated and produced a risk assessment on the property prior to alterations. if it is the case that they have exposed the occupier to this hazard, occupier has grounds for litigation if it is found that the contractor has failed in his/her duty of care.
if the owner is suspicious of the material, he should don up in ppe totally taped, obtain a number of samples from each area, double bag them in thick plastic sheeting taped and document them. he could ask local council for outsourced asbestos services and ask them to look at the material he has collected.
i have come across many different uses for asbestos over the years from heavy industry marine down to my blast furnace/foundry boots. lost count of the number of people i knew who have passed away through asbestos related illnesses.
f

reply to post by fakedirt


Thanks for the reply, very informative.

I agree that the contractor should have undertaken a risk assessment, maybe they did and found nothing untoward.

If they didn't then I would strongly recommend litigation on grounds of neglect. It's a nasty substance and I know of many ex-colleagues who have died as a result of working with it. I have been exposed due to working in a Nuclear Power Plant, so I just pray that I don't have don't start showing any symptoms of Asbestosis.

reply to post by Cobaltic1978


caught a whiff or two of it myself. no point in worrying too much about it. i guess the stress could make matters worse.a retired couple next door where i grew up had it. she would wash his overalls every week after work. he told me they used to throw it around like snowballs in the sixties. he wasted away quite quick whereas she lingered on for 10+years. not nice but then again there are a host of lurgies probably on a par or far far worse.
take care
f

Thanks for the replies guys, sorry I havent replied sooner but Ive been working.

I will try and get some photos posted ASAP... I am also planning to take the piece I have to the local Enviromental Heath officer at the council, and see if I can get it tested.

On a related topic... Just how much Abestos is actually in Artex?? My whole house is covered in the stuff...

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/2bef780a0c46.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/498183f0b049.jpg[/atsimg]

reply to post by x TAM x


You could of course go to the la farge website and pose the question to the technical department.

As a time served plasterer myself i would buy a 6 by 3 half inch plasterboard ( 1800 x 900 x 1/2 ) cost about £4 cut to size and fit, use drywall screws instead of nails or other.

Regarding your artex, do not try and sand it off or even scrape it, that product does contain asbestos if applied early in the buildings construction, ( not sure of dates ) but as a general rule if i think it is artex i only plaster over it using a bonding coat and then a skim depending on the thickness of the artex, sometimes if its really thin you can simply skim over it without bonding it.
Hope this helps feel free to ask if you need help, dont be shy.


Icanseeatoms.

reply to post by x TAM x


if i came across a piece of plasterboard like that on my travels, i would wet the fibres slowly with water and see if they became transparent (ish). this could be an indicator it is simply strand fibreglass.
if in doubt leave it alone and contact the testing facilities.
f