Is There Asbestos In Plaster?

Question

I live in 70yr old house which was plastered in the traditional way using two coat plaster system firstly a coat of `browning` then a `skim`. I am cosidering removing it back to brickwork and wish to enquire if asbestos was ever added to the mix?

Answer 1

Love Angel got it right.

Old plaster can contain asbestos - it increased the strength and workability of the plaster. It really took off as a "wonder material" during the 1920's and through WWII. So the house age is definite risk.

I find it even in drywall joint compound used the 1960s and 1970s, (but in that use, it typically composites to less than 1% when you factor in the drywall sheets themselves).

In small quantities, a lab test (using a polarized light microscope) is $30. You want to send them the full thickness of any material so they can look at the individual layers. I've most recently been using NVL in Seattle 206-547-0100.

For drywall/sheetrock, you should sample at the taped joints because that is the worst case. In two-coat plaster, sample whereever is it easy, convenient and safe (below your breathing zone is better than above).

Mist the area down with a soapy water solution when collecting the sample (to minimize dust). DON'T dry sand or dry sawcut it. Ideally, break off a corner rather than use any power tools.

If it comes back as containing asbestos, you should plan your work with that in mind - minimize dust creation, breathing protection, barriers to keep the dust from spreading beyond the work area, wet mop clean-up, etc.

Asbestos is not a huge deal in small exposures - most clinical cases of asbetos-related disease were from massive exposures in un-protected industrial settings. But there are simple steps that can reduce 99% of the exposure, the first one being indentifying the material as asbestos-containing material (ACM) or not.

Answer 2

Asbestos In Plaster

Answer 3

Im an estate agent and get to see loads of old props that are packed full of asbestos. I have never come across any in plaster.
Normally asbestos comes in board form or corrugated sheets or tiles. you might even find it attached to the back of the door next to a boiler. If it was in plaster it would have to be in a powdered form and that would have been highly dangerous at the time. I dont think they would have bothered. The house you are talking about may have lead paint used on the walls but I'm pretty sure that the plaster would just be "lathe and plaster". If you are concerned pay for a building survey and ask them to specifically look for asbestos.

Answer 4

There is no asbestos in browning or finish, these plasters were made at about the time when it was forbidden to use it. These two plasters contain gypsum which is OK. I'm assuming that you are in the UK In USA asbestos may have been more widely used as the largest asbestos mine in the World is in Northern Quebec in Canada.

Answer 5

The answer is, Yes. In a house of that period there could be asbestos in the plaster. The answer also is yes for sampling it. Typically the percentage of asbestos is fairly low in this kind of material (anywhere from trace amounts to 5% is common). According to federal regulations, if it comes back less than 1% asbestos in the sample, it is not considered a regulated asbestos containing material.

If you do a google search on asbestos sampling or testing you will find plenty of labs willing to analyze your sample and take your money (plan on spending $30 + per sample). Hope this helps.

Fortress Environmental Solutions
www.fortressusa.com

Answer 6

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Is There Asbestos In Plaster?
I live in 70yr old house which was plastered in the traditional way using two coat plaster system firstly a coat of `browning` then a `skim`. I am cosidering removing it back to brickwork and wish to enquire if asbestos was ever added to the mix?

Answer 7

I presume you are wtithin the bounds of UK and Ireland, which means I cannot understand why Americans give answers. I don't know what they used over there but British plasters do not contain asbestos, and, to my knowledge, never have.

Answer 8

There is a good possibility there is you need to get it checked out by someone registered. If they find it does contain asbestos fibres you then have the headache of getting it removed and more costly disposed of as i have found out from experience. you can not just dump it in a skip. Unless you are a cowboy and do not give a monkees about where it is dumped

Answer 9

You went to school for twelve years with asbestos in the building, you aren't dead yet, ( you aren't are you?). A job the size you are describing is not an asbestos worry. The dust and other crap will probably kill you first. But, if you would like to have it tested go ahead, then what? Maybe EPA will visit you cause the testing company was required to tell them, and you can get a professional to come in and haul it away to the river, or where ever.

Answer 10

Yes in a fiber form mixed in as a bonder and also an insulator. You would need to hermetically seal other areas of your house if you want to disturb the plaster.