Some USG Corporation ceiling tiles contain asbestos:

Some but not all older US Gypsum Corporation ceiling tiles contain asbestos.

In this article series we discuss how to recognize & handle ceiling tiles that may contain asbestos.

We describe the appearance, ingredients, years of manufacture, history, and producers of various types of ceiling tiles & coverings as an aid in determining whether or not a particular ceiling covering or tile is likely to contain asbestos.

U.S. Gypsum Asbestos-containing Ceiling Tile Identification

Asbestos may have been used in the ceiling tile tiles and in lay-in ceiling tiles in suspended ceilings in the tile body or in paper facing or backing on the ceiling tiles; asbestos was also a common ingredient in some mastic adhesives used for glue-up application of ceiling tiles.

Asbestos-containing ceiling tiles are not considered friable but are soft enough that unnecessary sampling or disturbance may release asbestos dust and particles.

In addition, some ceiling tiles such as used in suspended ceilings may be holding a collection of asbestos-containing dust and debris (from other sources) on the hidden upper side of the tile.

In these articles we explain how to recognize and handle asbestos-suspect ceiling tiles or other ceiling or wall or building sheathing products.

Above and below, courtesy of an InspectApedia.com reader, US Gypsum Ceiling Tile identifying photos.

Our reader (anonymous by default) said

See attached photos. Does this look like an old, suspected asbestos USG branded product? Product made prior to 1991. I did not purchase them but found these tiles at curbside, someone was throwing out in 1991. They fit my empty 2x4 suspended ceiling frames in my garage. I didnt know about asbestos issues at the time.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Our opinion and reply:

That's a possible asbestos-containing product. You would either treat it as presumed to contain asbestos or have a sample tested.

United States Gypsum (USG) Ceiling Tiles - contained asbestos, 1967-1976 and possibly as late as USG ceiling tiles manufactured in 1981

- see the excerpts given below.

USG/CGC CEILINGS RECYCLING PROGRAM [PDF], US Gypsum Corporation, Website: https://www.usg.com, Retrieved 2017/11/05, original source: https://www.usg.com/content/ dam/USG_Marketing_Communications/ united_states/product_promotional_materials/finished_assets/usg-ceilings-recycling-brochure-en-SC2456.pdf

[USG Ceiling tiles containing asbestos are not acceptable for recycling in the program described below - Ed. ]

Excerpts:

The USG/CGC Ceilings Recycling Program helps preserve natural resources by taking back approved ceiling panels from any manufacturer and recycling them into new building materials.

With the goal of preventing jobsite recyclable materials from being discarded into landfills, this program is yet another way for USG/CGC to advance its strong commitment to safeguard our environment.
...
Before submitting the panels for recycling, establish and document the date of ceiling panel installation.

If you have any doubts about whether any ceiling panels contain asbestos or were installed or manufactured prior to 1981, you must obtain verification that the panels qualify for recycling.

Among sources you can consult are the asbestos-containing material survey for the building or other building records.

Research

• USG SOUND CONTROL PRODUCTS [PDF] (including Acoustone, Motif'D Acoustone, Auditone, Perfatone) US Gypsum ceiling tiles product description from 1952 including features and installation instructions.

 

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2023-10-30 by InspectApedia Publisher - what percentage of ceiling tiles contained asbestos

@Anonymous,

Good question. We haven't found an authoritative, researched answer, as you'd need sales volume data for every ceiling tile brand and product throughout its production and installation history.

Clearly some ceiling tiles are asbestos free, and all such ceiling tiles made of fiberglass or mineral wool would not be expected to contain asbestos either.

Other than testing a sample of your ceiling tile that isn't one of those, you can step through

DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS?

inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos_Ceiling_Tiles.php

On 2023-10-30 by Anonymous

did most of the ceiling tiles contained asbestos? or just a small percentage. What type of asbesots would primarily been used?

On 2023-08-14 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Paula Arlotta,

A USG ceiling tile made in 2019 is so far past the last use date of the mid 1980s that you would not expect that product to contain asbestos.

Of course you can check with USG directly as well - the contact information for USG is

USG Headquarters:
USG Corporation
550 West Adams Street
Chicago, IL 60661

Customer Service
To contact the customer service center,
please call 800.950.3839 between 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. CT, Mon - Fri.

Product Technical Support
For technical assistance please contact USG4YOU:

phone: 800.USG.4YOU (874.4968)
online: USG4You Technical Support Form

Web: usg.com/content/usgcom/en/about-usg/contact-us [dot] html

On 2023-08-14 by Paula Arlotta

how to know if usg omni CO91399 2019 CQ5 contain asbestos

On 2023-08-13 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Alex P,

Other than testing a sample, you can step through

DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS?

On 2023-08-13 by Alex P

I just bought a house built in the 40’s. Unsure if this drop ceiling contains asbestos. Any information would help !

The serial number is hard to see in picture. Below is the serial number.

032086 22 02505

On 2022-11-08 by InspectApedia (Editor)

@Breandan,

Please help me find a way to make these web pages more helpful to our readers by telling me how we could invite readers posting questions like yours to give us the help of a few surrounding contextual Clues such as the age of the building and the country and city of its location.

Having that context often lets us look at the numbers in a date code to confirm that our guess is a reasonable one, such as, for the numbers in your photo,

2002 day 252

On 2022-11-08 by Breandan

Hey Inspectapedia,

I have these USG ceiling panels I’m trying to decipher the potential date of manufacturing. Please let me know if you can help. Thanks so much!

On 2022-10-01 by InspectApedia (Editor)

@bc,

Thank you for the question and photo..

Your USG ceiling tiles are marked with the same ID stamp as shown at the start of this article where you'll see this comment:

Asbestos-containing ceiling tiles are not considered friable but are soft enough that unnecessary sampling or disturbance may release asbestos dust and particles.

On 2022-10-01 by bc

We recently bought a home and had some hvac ducts ran in the basement. Being new homeowners we didn't think about the possibility of ceiling tiles having asbestos in them.

These were some tiles that were removed to make room for run duct work by the contractors we were wondering if they could contain asbestos. The house was built in 1978 and we can't locate much information on if the house came with them or they were added later. Thank you for any help.

On 2022-02-17 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - US Gypsum Designer Series, R-3623(GR) ceiling tiles

@Bob W,

Searching I could not find any USG catalog listing the US Gypsum Designer Series, R-3623(GR) ceiling tiles.

If you see any patent numbers on the box that would be most-helpful as often patent registrations can help us bracket-in the date of production. If that data leads us to a U.S. production date past 1986 then the ceiling tiles would not be expected to contain asbestos.

Also look for surrounding clues that can date the material: records of home renovations, permits, changes, etc.

See details at

DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 6 Easy Steps to tell if CEILING TILES are likely to contain asbestos - https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos_Ceiling_Tiles.php#asbmaybe

IF you find patent numbers do post those here.

On 2022-02-17 by Bob W - USG tiles Designer Series

Recently bought a home built around 1972. It currently has a reveal edge drop ceiling in the basement. Might these contain Asbestos? Some packages of USG tiles were stored and look the same as those in use.

The package is marked Designer Series, a number R-3623(GR) which could be the product number. It has UL flame spread ratings and what I think is the UL file number, E-1362. The tiles themselves have no printed markings on the back, but there is a faint perforated arrow symbol and an 8 or infinity symbol. Help please.

On 2021-08-28 by inspectapedia.com.moderator

@Trevor Woodman,

From just your photos I don't know for sure what that ceiling material is; it does not look like ceiling tiles.

See if you can find and post photos of any identifying stamps or marks on the attic side of those sheets.

If the building is in the U.S. and built after 1986 you wouldn't expect asbestos materials to have been used.

I do see
- water stains on the ceiling
- water stains on the attic framing
- unexplained black debris on the attic side of the ceiling (what is that? not from a fire, right?)

On 2021-08-28 by Trevor Woodman

New farm house asbestos concerns. Please help.

We purchased a new property. I have concerns about the ceiling boards. I don’t know when the house was built. The valuation report says circa 1990. I think I may be earlier. All I have to go on for now is these photos. Once we settle I will send some material away for testing.

Please could you assist with any guidance from the photos. Thanks.

...

And another image that relates to the previous post. Check out that snake skin found in the roof. Hopefully a python and not a something poisonous like we get here in Australia.

On 2021-06-07 by mak.church (mod) - some but not all older US Gypsum Corporation ceiling tiles contain asbestos

@Tony,
Please see the below article:

DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 6 Easy Steps to tell if CEILING TILES are likely to contain asbestos -
https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos_Ceiling_Tiles.php#asbmaybe

As some but not all older US Gypsum Corporation ceiling tiles contain asbestos, I have to advise that unless you know the date of installation you have to either treat the tile as presumed to contain asbestos or have a sample tested.

Let us know if you have additional questions.

On 2021-06-06 by Tony

I bought a house and my whole basement ceiling are these . Are these bad ? It’s thick 2x2

 

On 2020-03-25 - by (mod) - date code on USG ceiling tiles

Mike

IMO that guess of 2001 is reasonable and would be well past the use of asbestos in ceiling tiles

Thanks for the question and the photo.

BTW, how old is the house? Is that old vinyl floor tile a candidate for asbestos?

If so leave it intact - or cover it over.

On 2020-03-25 by Mike H

I am in the process of demoing a poorly finished basement, which had involved removing drop ceiling tiles.

All of the tiles are USG brand, some foil backed, some paper backed.

All of them have numerical codes on the back.

Picture [above] is of one of the oldest - “05/08/01 W2 02:03”.

Am I correct in assuming this is the production date (I.e. in 2001), and it is extremely unlikely the tiles contain asbestos?

Question: does this ceiling tile have asbestos?

Keisha said:

I could use some help!

I am trying to determine is the following ceiling titles have asbestos.

The number on the back are:

A 0308111842 USG C0 (or possible a Q) 3 5. It also has a sticker that says Fifth Ave 280

This Q&A were posted originally at CEILING TILE IDENTIFICATION

Reply:

Looks like a US Gypsum product, Keisha.

Also you can make a reasonable guess at the asbestos question by seeing

DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS?

On 2019-08-06 - by (mod) -

John

From USG's own documents it' plain that the rep with whom you spoke was mistaken.

From the article above on this page:

United States Gypsum (USG) Ceiling Tiles - contained asbestos, 1967-1976 and possibly as late as USG ceiling tiles manufactured in 1981

On 2019-08-06 by John B

I purchased several boxes of USG ceiling tiles in 1970 the boxes remained sealed (never opened) I would like to donate the product, but I want to make sure that they do not contain asbestos. Spoke to USG Tech Rep 8/6/2019 and the best answer they could come up with - they did not use asbestos in ceiling tile, not very reassuring.

Info on the box is as follows:
Glacier, STD Kerf M.P.W sku 06104G594NS

On 2018-12-17 - by (mod) -

Dave,

As I cant decode that USG ceiling tile number, and as some but not all older US Gypsum Corporation ceiling tiles contain asbestos, I have to advise that unless you know the date of installation you have to either treat the title as presumed to contain asbestos or have a sample tested.

On 2018-12-16 by Dave

Old suspended ceiling tiles with usg 210 a091497 on backside. Does this tile have asbestos in it?

On 2018-11-15 by Al

B020613 0804 USG RADAR C/P C03 N. Can you tell me from the above imprint whether these tiles contain asbestos?

...

Continue reading  at ASBESTOS CEILING TILE REMOVAL PROCEDURES or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• ASBESTOS CEILING TILES
  • CEILING TILE HISTORY / DATES
  • CEILING TILE IDENTIFICATION
  • ASBESTOS-FREE CEILING TILES
  • CEILING TILE INGREDIENTS
  • CEILING TILE REMOVAL PROCEDURES
  • CEILINGS, DROP or SUSPENDED PANEL
  • DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 6 Easy Steps to tell if CEILING TILES are likely to contain asbestos -
  • ASBESTOS CEILING TILE ID REQUESTS
  • ASBESTOS CEILING TILE REMOVAL PROCEDURES
• ASBESTOS-FREE CEILING TILES
• ASBESTOS-SUSPECT CEILING COVEROVER
• ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST - certified asbestos testing labs

Suggested citation for this web page

US GYPSUM CEILING TILES at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to ASBESTOS HAZARDS

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