Questions and answers about the asbestos content of Armstrong Minatone ceiling tiles. The company says their ceiling tiles never contained asbestos.

This article series provides photographs and descriptive text of asbestos insulation and other asbestos-containing products to permit identification of definite, probable, or possible asbestos materials in buildings.

Armstrong Minatone Ceiling Tiles

These questions & answers about ceiling tiles that do, do not, or might contain asbestos were posted originally

at ASBESTOS CEILING TILE IDENTIFICATION - be sure to read that article.

[Click to enlarge any image]

In 1975 Armstrong described this ceiling product in a brochure offered on p. 114 in in Progressive Architecture, October 1975. Armstrong: 306 Watson St., Lancaster PA 17604 - retrieved 2019/08/10 original source: https://www.usmodernist.org/PA/PA-1975-10.pdf

Ceilings. Four-page brochure describes Minaboard ceilings which are made in acoustical layin panels for exposed-grid ceilings. A second brochure describes Travertone ceilings, includes product descriptions, and specifications for six patterns. A mineral wool in tile, regular lay-in and lay-m panel form, product is available in a variety of surface designs, sizes, and edged details. Armstrong.

Notice that the ceiling product in 1975 is described as mineral wool - not asbestos.

On 2019-02-09 by (mod) - Acoustic ceiling panels 734A Armstrong made in USA W 06/93/98

Marvin

RE: insulating or acoustic panels labeled 734A Armstrong made in USA W 06/93/98

"Behind the furnace" I take to mean on a wall, as a heat shield material? I agree that one might expect asbestos to be used in a material that was specifically designed for use as a heat shield.

However if the code is a date code it looks like on ewell after the mid 1980's, the last epoch in which US manufacturers were using asbestos in interior wall and ceiling products.

Currently Armstrong Designer 734 is a contemporary (modern) acoustic ceiling tile.

For example, shown above is the product description from Lowes, a large building supplier
"Item # 89091 Model # 734A

Armstrong Ceilings (Common: 48-in x 24-in; Actual: 47.719-in x 23.719-in) Designer 10-Pack White Textured 15/16-in Drop Acoustic Panel Ceiling Tiles"

Armstrong Ceiling tiles: according to the company, Asbestos, in any form, is not and never has been used in the manufacture of Armstrong ceiling tiles. - source: Armstrong U.K., "FAQs - OTHERS TECHNICAL SUBJECT" [PDF article] retrieved 2016/06/14, original source: http://www.armstrong.co.uk/commclgeu/eu1/uk/gb/FAQ_other.html

Details are at ARMSTRONG CEILING TILES

Our article 5 EASY QUESTIONS to ANSWER "DOES MY FLOOR CONTAIN ASBESTOS?"

would be helpful for your question about asbestos in any ceiling tiles, providing information about the age of the building and surrounding materials etc.

Watch out: if indeed the area in your photo is close to a heating appliance, so close that a heat shield was needed, the presence of what looks like wood paneling could constitute a fire hazard.

Armstrong has a current line of fire-rated ceiling materials and assemblies, such as described at https://www.armstrongceilings.com/commercial/en-us/performance/fire-resistant-ceilings.html

Complying with NFPA No. 255, ASTM E84, UL No. 723

Those would not be asbestos containing products.

On 2019-02-09 by Marvin@postnikoff.com - blue grey panels behind my furnace, 734A Armstrong

Labelled on back 734A Armstrong made in USA W 06/93/98
Installed behind furnace fiber is blue / grey
Asbestos?

On 2018-11-11 by (mod) - Armstrong Temloc 280C Asbestos?

Bob,

Armstrong, in its current encarnation (registered in the United Arab Emirates) says none of their ceilings ever contained asbestos. One could certainly choose to rely on that.

Frank answer: without an explicit lab test result from an independent source, currently we don't know about all possible ceiling tile asbestos risks.

At ARMSTRONG CEILING TILES we cite documents involved in Armstrong's asbestos litigation and bankruptcy filings that included the Minatone product name though some of those documents have currently (Feb. 2019) disappeared from online access.

On 2018-11-10 by BOB

DOES ARMSTRONG TEMLOC 280C HAVE ASBESTOS

On 2018-11-10 by (mod) -

George,

At the start of this page we do make a similar statement.

According to Armstrong, their ceiling tiles never contained asbestos.

Citations provided at ARMSTRONG CEILING TILES.

I need to do some further research. It's probable that the asbestos litigation was confined to a flooring issue.

But it was surprising to me today to find the ceiling tile product named in the asbestos claim related bankruptcy hearings that I cited.

Minatone™ is an acoustical tile trademark registered by Armstrong:

MINATONE ACOUSTICAL TILE

Owned by: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.

Serial Number: 71601589

On 2018-11-09 by George

Thanks again for your assistance. Was hoping you'd reaffirm my search findings at other web sites that stated Armstrong never used asbestos in their ceiling tiles. Guess we better get it tested.

On 2018-11-09 by (mod) - Armstrong Minatone ceiling tiles - Asbestos?

Thanks George. I guess we're not so lucky as to find a date stamp any where on the box, right?

The fact that Armstrong's Minatone product name appears in documents associated with a bankruptcy court filing pertinent to asbestos litigation claims is not an absolute confirmation that that product line contained asbestos (we need other references), and in fact the Armstrong Minatone product name appears in more recent-documents as a specification for installation in schools (Waltham Mass 2014) which should make clear that at least that version did not contain asbestos; nevertheless for ceiling tiles of unknown age it would be prudent to either treat the product as assumed to contain asbestos, or have a sample tested.

Details:

Minatone™ is an Armstrong trademark, in use as per this Armstrong World Industries SEC Form 8K document describing bankruptcy proceedings in response to asbestos claims - files.shareholder.com/downloads/AMDA-1WNMSB/0x0xS909518-02-874/7431/filing.pdf - [Note: these files had been removed from internet access as of 2019/02/09 - Ed.]

Excerpt

As previously disclosed, on December 6, 2000, Armstrong World Industries, Inc. ("AWI"), the major operating subsidiary of Armstrong Holdings, Inc., filed a voluntary petition for relief under chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the "Court") in order to use the court-supervised reorganization process to achieve a resolution of its asbestos personal injury liability.

Also filing under chapter 11 were two of AWI's wholly-owned subsidiaries, Nitram Liquidators, Inc. and Desseaux Corporation of North America, Inc. The chapter 11 cases are being jointly administered under case number 00-4471 (RJN). On November 4, 2002, AWI filed its Plan of Reorganization (the "Plan") with the Court.

Waltham Mass request for bid on FORMER BRIGHT SCHOOL, PHASE III RENOVATIONS 260 GROVE STREET, WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS (2014)
https://www.city.waltham.ma.us/sites/walthamma/files/rfb_bright_school_phase_3_renovation_final_2.pdf

Excerpts specifying that Armstrong Minatone ceiling tiles should be used in schools: (p. 104)

2.1 ACOUSTICAL CEILING TILES

A. Provide 24"X24"Xe" tegular non-directional Minatone Cortega acoustical ceiling tiles as manufactured by Armstrong World Industries, Inc. or equal.

B. Provide 24"X48"Xe" lay in non-directional Minatone Cortega acoustical ceiling tiles as manufactured by Armstrong World Industries, Inc. or equal.

Armstrong asserts that their ceiling tiles never contained asbestos - as you'll see in detail at ASBESTOS CEILING TILE IDENTIFICATION

On 2018-11-09 by George - Photographs of Armstrong Minatone ceiling tiles

Edge. Thanks for your help

On 2018-11-09 by George

Back

On 2018-11-09 by George

Face

On 2018-11-09 by George - Armstrong Minatone acoustic ceiling tile information

Carton

On 2018-11-09 by George

Broken piece

On 2018-11-09 by (mod) - Asbesgtos in Armstrong Minatone 12x12 ceiling tiles?

George:

Armstrong asserts that their ceiling tiles never contained asbestos - as you'll see in detail

at ARMSTRONG CEILING TILES

If you have a very large supply of spare ceiling tiles and want to be able to use them safely, and if you're uncertain about the company's claim, it's worth the $50. U.S. (or less) to have a sample tested. If you decide to do that, it'd be pertinent to know the age of the tiles and of course the lab results.

I'd like to see a photo of the ceiling tiles front, edge, back, and packaging. Use the Add Image button - one image per comment.

On 2018-11-09 by George

Our church has Armstrong Minatone 12x12 ceiling tiles. We have some old stock from the original installation. Do these contain asbestos. Some in place are damaged from water leak and need replaced

...

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