Asbestos-containing ceiling FAQs:

Questions & answers about how to recognize ceiling tiles or other materials that may contain 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.

Asbestos-containing Ceiling Tile FAQs-set#2

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.

Also see DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS?

False ceilings and cracks started to form due to age and heat

Hi Sir, I have these false ceilings and cracks started to form due to age and heat, etc. May I know whether are these asbestos based? I was told it was gypsum or plaster. I have attached these pictures as references. Thank you and looking forward to your reply. 2021-10-29 by Chris

Reply:

@Chris,

Please see the section this page:

ASBESTOS CEILING TILE IDENTIFICATION

5 Easy Steps to make a guess at asbestos hazard from unknown ceiling tiles

This provides our best advice for determining an answer to your question.

Does my Russian-built pre-fab home in Northern Italy contain asbestos in these ceiling tiles?

Hello again - think fibre panels in a Russian pre-fab in Northern Italy and Swiss oven insulation!

This photo shows part of what was a ceiling tile (in the bathroom and kitchen of the pre-fab mentioned above) that i always assumed was a wood fibre panel. The colour is very much beige as opposed to tan in the photo. Some recent info suggests that beige is likely to indicate asbestos - ?

! thought perhaps only in a sprayed form. Information on these types of panels in this part of the world is hard to come by so that is why i am posting here to gauge your thoughts. I do agree that a test will eliminate all doubts and ponderings!

Secondly i was wondering what the white layer of what looks like icing could be as i always assumed it was paint?

Many thanks.
Mark 2021-09-19 by Mark

Reply:

@Mark,

Do please give us your "recent Info" source citation as we have no corroboration for that claim.

Follow up:

@inspectapedia.com.moderator, Here is the page i was referring to:

https://polludoc.ch/it/materiale/pannelli-controsoffitti-soffitti-ribassati-pannelli-acustici

It's a Swiss website and the 3rd and 4th paragraph refer to the colour distinction. It does also refer to a particular wood fibre panel producer that included asbestos between 1968 and 1971. My photo is of a panel in a house built in 1976.

Another citation can be found in page 69 of this pdf that shows what looks like wood fibre with the annotation that the asbestos content is variable (perhaps with reference to the fact that as mentioned in the website above, some manufacturers did incorporate asbestos to some degree).

Pg 64 also has an image of a ceiling tile that contains asbestos and mineral wool.

http://www.ausl.pc.it/sanita_pubblica/amianto/2020/FOTO%20Materiali%20Contenenti%20Amianto%205%2010%202019.pdf

This other website is interesting in that it shows some photos of asbestos that have the appearance of wood fibre - particular reference to the sample at the bottom of page 3 (Tabella.2). The translation does imply that it is a sample of a sprayed on substance.

https://www.inail.it/cs/internet/docs/atlante_fotografico_dei_materiali_contenuti_pdf_2443085410136.pdf?section=attivita

It took some digging to find them, though of course i do acknowledge that they refer to our region and not yours! Would be interesting to hear your thoughts though so i hope your Italian is ok, if not there's always good ol' google!
Mark

Reply: asbestos not found in wood-fibre ceiling tiles in Russian Pre-Fab home in Northern Italy

@Mark,

Thank you very much those are very interesting references and we will read them with care and comment further here. My Italian is modest but being fluent in Spanish helps.

Here is a closer look at the three references you offered and that you thought claim that asbestos occurs in some wood-fibre ceiling tiles

Reference 1: Pannelli per controsoffitti / soffitti ribassati / pannelli acustici

Your first reference has apparently caused a bit of confusion.

The article - Pannelli per controsoffitti / soffitti ribassati / pannelli acustici Stato della tecnica - or in English, Ceiling Panels / Low Ceiling / Acoustic Panels State of the art

ends with a clear statement:

In Italian:

A differenza dei pannelli a base di fibre minerali, quelli in fibra di legno tenero ("normali" pannelli pressati con trucioli di legno, della marca Pavatex) all'interno sono marroni. Essi possono essere considerati privi di amianto.

In English:

Unlike mineral fiber based panels, the soft wood fiber panels ("normal" panels pressed with wood chips, from the Pavatex brand) are brown on the inside. They can be considered free of asbestos.

Here is the entire text:

In passato, i pannelli a base di fibre minerali, denominati anche pannelli acustici o pannelli pressati, in alcuni casi potevano contenere fibre di amianto (concentrazioni tra l'1% e il 3% circa, per lo più amosite). Di solito questi si trovano posati sui soffitti, ma anche sulle pareti.

La ditta Pavatex, che commercializzava tali pannelli a base di fibre minerali con il nome di Pavaroc, ha aggiunto l'amianto ai pannelli solo per un periodo di quattro anni (1968-1971) e già nel 1972 è ritornata alla produzione degli stessi senza amianto. Non è noto in quali periodi altri produttori siano passati alla produzione senza amianto.

I pannelli a base di fibre minerali sono relativamente morbidi (ma più duri dei pannelli in fibra di legno tenero, vedi sotto) che possono essere facilmente rotti o tagliati. Il loro colore varia dal grigio al beige.
A differenza dei pannelli a base di fibre minerali, quelli in fibra di legno tenero ("normali" pannelli pressati con trucioli di legno, della marca Pavatex) all'interno sono marroni. Essi possono essere

considerati privi di amianto.
—
in English for other readers:

In the past, mineral fiber-based panels, also called acoustic panels or pressed panels, could in some cases contain asbestos fibers (concentrations between about 1% and 3%, mostly amosite). These are usually found on the ceilings, but also on the walls.

The Pavatex company, which marketed these panels based on mineral fibers under the name of Pavaroc, added asbestos to the panels only for a period of four years (1968-1971) and already in 1972 returned to the production of the same without asbestos. It is not known when other manufacturers switched to asbestos-free production.

Mineral fiber-based panels are relatively soft (but harder than softwood fiber panels, see below) which can be easily broken or cut. Their color varies from gray to beige.

Unlike mineral fiber-based panels, soft wood fiber panels ("normal" panels pressed with wood chips, from the Pavatex brand) are brown on the inside. They can be considered free of asbestos.

Reference 2: Repertorio fotografico delle principali tipologie dei Materiali Contenenti Amianto - no asbestos

Your second reference, REPERTORIO FOTOGRAFICO DELLE PRINCIPALI TIPOLOGIE DEI MATERIALI CONTENENTI AMIANTO, [PDF] by A cura di Anna Bosi e Alessandra Pompini, published under the aegis of Servizio Sanitario Emilio Romagnana,

p. 69 includes photographs labeled:

Asbestos Content, and a photo labeled Fammenti di intonaco - fragments of plaster.

I agree that SOME, but certainly not all plaster contained asbestos.

And a second photo labeled Frammenti di ccontrosoffito or in English: Fragments of a false ceiling

showing what is plainly a brown wood- or plant- fibre material from an acoustic ceiling; there is no evidence, no test report, nothing such as a lab test report or an historical document from a manufacturer supporting an assertion that these fragments contained asbestos.

I suspect the authors erred, or we are missing appropriate identification and lab testing results; this is particularly the case as the photo and labels contradict the greater body of evidence on ceiling tiles made of plant or wood fibre.

Readers can also download a PDF copy of this report at https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Materiali -Contenenti-Amianto-Bosi-Pompini.pdf

Reference 3: Atlas of materials containing asbestos

Your third reference is more-helpful:

Atlas of materials containing asbestos

1. Introduction

The document contains some images proposed as comparison elements for the identification of fibrous materials in industrial hygiene investigations.

The first diagram shows typical products containing fibrous materials, while in the second some fragments of such materials have been photographed to facilitate their recognition and discriminate the fibers contained in them.

The data on the composition of the materials are validated by analyzes in DRX and SEM.

(Document extracted from the “Internal Instruction Manual for the collection and transmission of samples for fiber analysis: optical and electron microscopy ". Contarp INAIL 2003, by Emma Incocciati and Stefano Massera, edited by Giuseppe Gargaro)

or in Italian:

ATLANTE DEI MATERIALI CONTENENTI AMIANTO [PDF]

1. Introduzione

Il documento contiene alcune immagini proposte quali elementi di confronto per l’individuazione dei materiali fibrosi nelle indagini di igiene industriale.

Nel primo schema sono rappresentati dei tipici prodotti contenenti materiali fibrosi, mentre nel secondo alcuni frammenti di tali materiali sono stati fotografati per agevolarne il riconoscimento e discriminare le fibre in questi contenute.

I dati sulla composizione dei materiali sono convalidati da analisi in DRX e SEM.

(Documento estratto dal “Manuale interno di istruzione per la raccolta e la trasmissione di campioni per analisi di fibre: microscopia ottica ed elettronica”.

Contarp INAIL 2003, di Emma Incocciati e Stefano Massera, a cura di Giuseppe Gargaro, INAIL, Instituto Nazionale per L’Assicurazione Contro Gli Infortuni Sul Lavoro, P.le Pastore 6, 00144 Roma (RM) Tel: +39 06.6001 Web: https://www.inail.it/cs/internet/home.html [Eng.: National Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work]

See the photo of p. 3 given above.

Don't confuse spray-on fire-retardant samples with ceiling tiles

However, here, too, it would be an error to confuse spray-on fire-retardant insulation such as is shown in the third photo on the bottom of page 3 with ceiling tiles or panels.

Those are completely different products.

This third reference, then, as a more-authoritative atlas of asbestos-containing materials in Italy, does not contain an indication that acoustic ceiling tiles like that in your photo are an asbestos-containing material.

In this article series, we do cite some reports of asbestos-contamination of non-asbestos wood-fibre panel products when those were manufactured at the same U.S. site where asbestos was stored and used in different products.

While a few asbestos products can be identified by certainty by visual inspection alone, the final, most-authoritative answer to most asbestos questions is by lab test.

Image: Asbestos-containing-Materials-INAIL.png

Bottom line: some ceiling covering products contained asbestos but we have not found any corroboration in North America nor Europe nor Asia of brown or tan wood fibre acoustic ceiling tiles that contained asbestos.


We welcome your content questions, criticism, suggestions, and contributions and welcome polite helpful argument on any point found here.

Follow up:

WOW! Just seen your reply and what a fantastic job you have done of working through and deciphering the information contained in the references cited above.

Your Italian has certainly eclipsed mine! Need some time to read through your findings.

Many thanks, what a fantastic resource and help you are, have been and continue to be. Bravo! @inspectapedia.com.moderator,

Reply:

@Mark,

Thank you very much for your generous comment.

Indeed, we have worked hard on this material for many years, so we are always very grateful when readers find it trusted and useful.

Did mobile home small square ceiling tiles contain asbestos?

The ceiling was not square tiles but a large sheet like size of the whole ceiling,so in 50s and 60s mobile homes,would asbestos only be in the small square tiles?

would asbestos be in a 1950s mobile home ceiling.the ceiling is not tiles,it is a panel or board material 2021-08-29 by Julie

Reply:

@Julie,

There were some large-sheet ceiling and wall covering products used in the 50s and 60s, varying by country. We recently added documentation asbestos-board ceiling and wall panels, sold with beveled edges, used in Australia and other U.K. areas in those decades.

Follow up:

My mobile home was in the United states not the u.k.

Reply:

@Julie,

I'm having a tough time making a useful guess about ceiling materials I haven't seen; if you can get a photo of the material, especially showing an edge or back surface, that'd be helpful.

Otherwise to be safest treat the material is presumed to contain asbestos. That's not a reason to be panicked to just being such a don't want to tear it up or do demolition or create a dusty mess.

Follow up:

@inspectapedia.com.moderator, I don't have the mobile home anymore the ceiling has done been torn out and repaired a couple years ago and was told by the person working on it that it may be asbestos after it had been torn into and I saved a piece in a outbuilding and then the building gets burned on my property and ashes covered up in dirt

so now I don't know whether my yard may contain asbestos so that's why I'm wondering what they made these old mobile home ceilings with and if they were known to contain asbestos or not

Reply: possible asbestos in 1970s mobile home ceiling panels of unknown material

@Julie,

Some 1950s ceiling materials including those used in mobile homes might have contained asbestos. That includes at least some ceiling tiles or panels as well as some drywall and drywall joint compound.

There is really nothing more we can say about your specific home that would be useful and not wildly speculative, given now knowing that its ceiling was removed, you don't own the home, and the building where you saved a bit of the ceiling burned down.

Follow up:

Ok so the ceiling large panel or board im referring too was like particle board,fiberboard,something that looked like that and not drywall material or small tiles or drop ceilings so my question is would asbestos be found in the fiberboard type ceiling boards from the 50s.

I have known of it to for sure be in mobile home ceilings with the small square tiles

Reply:

@Julie,

Using the on page search box to search this website for "asbestos in fiberboard"

finds

SHEATHING, FIBERBOARD ASBESTOS CONTENT

https://inspectapedia.com/structure/Fiberboard-Sheathing-Asbestos.php

Please take a look.

Two kinds of suspended ceiling tiles Canadian house built in the 50s

Hi, thanks so much for this site and helpful resources.

Canadian house built in the 50s. There are 2 kinds of suspended ceiling tiles in the basement and after going down an asbestos rabbit hole I'm honestly too nervous to even touch them :) I'm wondering how likely it it that they contain asbestos. Thanks! 2021-07-21 by Doug

This second picture is of the 2nd type of ceiling tile nearby:

Reply: guessing at asbestos in two kinds of suspended ceiling tiles

@Doug,

I don't have a really good look but in one of your photos I think I see the edge of what looks like a fiberglass panel. Perhaps you can take a closer, better lit photo.

Don't let it frighten you, that could be a worse hazard than the ceiling itself.

Even if a ceiling tile contains asbestos, if it's intact and you're not demolishing it or creating a dusty mess it's not likely to be a measurable or detectable hazard.

Follow up:

@inspectapedia.com.moderator,

Ah you're so right, and frankly the anxiety I created for myself might be worse than the risk...

My worry is that we intend on renovating this area and removing the ceiling tiles. I did find what seems to be backups of the first set of ceiling tiles and, like you said, it does seem to be fiberglass from the looks of it.

I am still concerned about the 2nd set of ceiling tiles (there are 2 types in adjacent sections of the basement) because of what seems to be this grayish looking material on a slightly 'damaged' portion that shows part of the cross-section - I'm attaching an image of the 2nd tile below.

Thank you!

Reply:

@Doug,

That looks like a suspended ceiling in which case the tiles probably lift out intact.

Follow up:

Thanks so much! Think it's worth testing beforehand or should we just wear a respirator just in case?

Reply:

@Doug,

As long as you're not having to create a dusty mess (such as by demolition that chops saws grinds) wear appropriate gear, control any dust, damp wipe, HEPA vac whatever falls.

Fiberglass is not asbestos;

Other materials in ceiling tiles are less certain; treat with care or test a sample.

Follow up:

Thank you, I sincerely appreciate all the helpful info and advice on this page.

Does this tile have asbestos?

This 60cm x 60cm x 1.6cm ceiling tile in my room has a crack showing a hard, grey, cement like substance with unidentified fibers. Could it have asbestos in it? 2021-07-15 by Levi

Reply:

@Levi,

With no information but size, your best guess, short of having a sample tested, is given as some simple questions above on this page.

Meanwhile, based on your brief description, treat the material as presumed to contain asbestos.

That does not mean it needs to be removed.

 

24" square ceiling tiles stamped 3099A

Just purchased a house that has a fully finished basement that was done in early 1990s. The basement has drop ceiling tile 24x24 inch with “3099A” stamped on the rear of the tiles. Could you identify this tile? Haven’t been able to find anything regarding this stamp/number so far. 2021-06-21 by Nick

Reply:

@Nick,

I'd refer you to the steps on this page:

DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 Easy Steps to tell if CEILING TILES are likely to contain asbestos -

Unfortunately the number that you give is probably a lot number or possibly a date code; without more information we don't have a translate key for it. Even looking at photos of ceiling tile patterns is tricky because there are a lot of ceiling tile patterns that look quite similar.

So our best advice is to leave the material alone, in which case even if it contains asbestos it's not considered a hazard unless it's being damaged or demolished so as to produce dust and debris.

If circumstances require that you disturb or damage the tile so that it's not possible to avoid making a dusty mess, then the choices are to be treated as presumed to contain asbestos or have a sample tested. If you do decide to have a sample tested, please give us the result as well as that may help other readers.

Test results show no asbestos

Just purchased a 1950s house, and was pulling down some ceiling tiles until I realized it might have asbestos. Any thoughts here? I couldn't find any extra tiles or identifying information on the tile itself. 2021-06-10 by Mehmet

Reply:

@Mehmet,
Unfortunately we can't make a reliable "asbestos or not" guess on ceiling tiles from exposed-surface appearance nor building age alone, though the age of your home means that asbestos was common in products like ceiling and floor tiles when the home was built. Please see the above section on this page:

DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 Easy Steps to tell if CEILING TILES are likely to contain asbestos

will let you make the best guess you can pending actually testing a ceiling tile sample.

Follow up:

@mak.church, Thank you. Your note on exposed-surface appearance and age has been well noted. I've retried posting the image here just in case. I will be sending it out to get tested. Thank you again.

Reply:

@Mehmet,
When the interior of the ceiling tile looks gray like this it might still be harmless - paper based - but our OPINION is that with this appearance there's a bit more risk that it contains asbestos.

Our best and most-complete advice is still on this page. I'm glad you have reviewed the above information and are taking appropriate steps.

Let us know if you have additional questions, and we'll be interested in hearing the results of your testing.

Follow up:

@mak.church, just got the test results, no asbestos thankfully. I've attached the test results.

Reply:

@Mehmet,

Good news on the "no asbestos in ceiling tile" lab report. Thank you so much for adding it here - as that will be helpful to other readers.

1920s house ceiling tiles question

Just purchased a 1920’s house, no info on when this ceiling tile was installed, but hoping for clarification on whether it’s likely to contain asbestos?

Reply:

@James,

Without knowing the age of the tiles and short of having the material tested, I would recommend going through the steps listed

at ASBESTOS CEILING TILE IDENTIFICATION

In fact if the ceiling tiles did contain asbestos but are undamaged and not being disturbed, they're not shedding asbestos and you wouldn't detect an airborne asbestos hazard in the building from that source.

The risk comes instead if the ceiling is being demolished or disturbed or damaged. Advice from experts agrees that it's better to leave such materials in place then try to remove them.

Let us know if you have additional questions.

 

Do 1960s Simpson acoustical ceiling tiles contain asbestos?

Basement ceiling tiles were installed in mid-to-late 1960's. Recently I decided to replace three tiles that have been damaged. I found a leftover box of the tiles in a box in the garage. The box indicates they are Simpson acoustical ceiling tiles, made by Simpson Timber Company in Seattle, WA.

From reading your website it these tiles likely have asbestos. Can painting over them mitigate asbestos exposure? Is it terribly expensive to have the tiles removed if they are, in fact, made with asbestos? 2021-06-02 by Becklyn

Reply:

@Becklyn,

Thank you for helpful question about encapsulating asbestos-containing ceiling tiles in order to reduce the asbestos risk.

In fact if the ceiling tiles are undamaged and not being disturbed, they're not shedding asbestos and you wouldn't detect an airborne asbestos hazard in the building from that source.

The risk comes instead if the ceiling is being demolished or disturbed or damaged.

Advice from experts agrees that it's better to leave such materials in place then try to remove them.

Nevertheless there may be other reasons that you want to paint the ceiling including its General age and appearance. And you certainly can do that. There will be a slight reduction in the acoustical sound deadening properties of the ceiling tiles.

1970s tile looks like wood or paper pulp

Hi, what are the chances this tile contains asbestos? It's probably from the mid 70s and has no identification. To me if looks like it is made up of a wood or paper pulp.
Thanks! 2021-05-24 by Mike J

Reply:

@Mike J, I agree with your reasoning. To make a better guess take a look at

DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 Easy Steps to tell if CEILING TILES are likely to contain asbestos

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos_Ceiling_Tiles.php#asbmaybe

Safetone and USG ceiling tiles

Drop ceiling that appears to never have been popped. Lots of dust above tiles. Building and ceiling likely mid 60s. Brand name of tiles appears to be Safetone, and USG. Does this look like asbestos

Reply:

@Joe,

Apologies but nobody can reliably state that that light-coloured ceiling tile does or does not contain asbestos just by eyeballing it.

While some materials might be recognized as not-likely to contain asbestos (like wood and paper products or some fiberboards), whitish or gray material of unknown substance are not so easily categorized.

Asbestos in mobile home ceiling materials?

would a 50s model new moon mobile home ceiling have asbestos? 2021-05-18 by julie

Reply:

@julie,

What's on the ceiling? I wouldn't expect there to be ceiling tiles.

But over the life of a seventy-year old mobile home various remodeling and changes could have used asbestos-containing drywall, joint compound, or something else.

To make even a wild guess at the asbestos ceiling question we'd need to have some idea of what ceiling materials are installed.

Do USG Plateau 425 ceiling tiles contain asbestos?

Do USG Plateau 425 ceiling tiles contain asbestos? I have a UPC of 8109800024. I can’t find a date on them. 2021-05-15 by Sam

Reply:

@Sam, Please see what info we have at

US GYPSUM CEILING TILES

1965 Ranch house ceiling tiles

This are the tiles in the basement

1965 Ranch house has ceiling tiles on top floor in picture below, unsure if asbestos.
Basement tiles appear to be 1970's Armstrong non asbestos tiles. 2021-04-28 by Courtney

Reply:

@Courtney, Unfortunately we can't make a reliable "asbestos or not" guess on ceiling tiles from exposed-surface appearance nor building age alone, though the age of your home means that asbestos was common in products like ceiling and floor tiles when the home was built.

DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 Easy Steps to tell if CEILING TILES are likely to contain asbestos

at

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos_Ceiling_Tiles.php#asbmaybe

will let you make the best guess you can pending actually testing a ceiling tile sample.

Will the disturbance of roof repair make 1960s ceiling tiles unsafe and an asbestos risk?

Hello, I have a 1959 home with what I am going to assume are asbestos ceiling tiles throughout most of the house.

They are in good condition so I have not bothered to have them tested or done any kind of remediation.

However, I am having my roof replaced and the banging from the re-roofing process has caused some small particles to fall to the ground. So while the tiles themselves are not being cut, etc. is this enough to "disturb" them and release airborne fibers? 2021-04-06 by Courtney

Reply:

@Courtney,

With the apology that no one can speculate reliably based on some text, it seems unlikely that your ceiling tiles are sharing materials that are not being cut, chopped, ground, etc.

Follow up:

Well, it was meant to be a somewhat speculative question since it I don't have a good sense of how much vibration is necessary to cause asbestos ceiling tiles to release fibers assuming no other structural damage to the tiles themselves.

The roofing above the tiles is definitely being cut and chopped causing dust inside, but I'm also finding very small white bits that look like the ceiling tile which concerned me. Thanks for your time.

Reply:

@Anonymous, right but beyond the answer I've given you as a best reasonable effort, I hope you'll agree that to speculate further about someone's life, health, safety, without a shred of information is in my opinion unsafe and a poor idea.

Follow up:

Of course. Thank you.

Reply:

@Anonymous, thanks back; stay safe.

London U.K. 12" square tiles

Hi folks. These site seems a great resource. Any idea about these ceiling tiles? They're 12 inch square. I'd guess 1980s at the earliest, but I'm only renting, so not sure. This is in London, UK. 2021-04-03 by Joe

Reply:

@Joe, that looks like a cellulose- or wood- type ceiling tile and of course if it's after 1986 it's not likely to contain asbestos in any case.

Short of having the material tested

DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 Easy Steps to tell if CEILING TILES are likely to contain asbestos

can help make a better guess.

For a small area of damage like shown in your photo, you might consider simply sealing the surface with a close-matching spray paint.

Follow up:

Thanks that's very reassuring and much appreciated.

A few Qs:

- Is 1986 the cut-off for asbestos tiles in the UK as well as the US?

- If I did want to take a sample do you know how I'd manage that without releasing fibres?

- Should I be worried about fibres already released into the house?

Thanks again!

Antique acoustic ceiling tile in 1940s Canada cottage

Hello,

We have purchased an old cottage/home that was built in 1940. In the back is has what was once used as a guesthouse. I am guessing that we will be best off following the advice given in steps 1 to 6 above. Not sure when the "guesthouse" was built, but it feels quite dated.

Looks to me as though the yellow tile resembles the acoustic tiles you mention as containing asbestos. This is in Canada, btw.

Thank you for your help! 2021-03-28 by Adam

Reply:

@Adam,

I agree that that looks like an antique acoustic ceiling tile and that some of those contain asbestos. Unfortunately to know unequivocally whether or not there is asbestos you would need to have the material tested or to find a manufacturer as identification stamp including both brand and product model.

Follow up:

Thank you so much for your reply, and for the ongoing work on this site!

Reply:

@Adam, thank you for the nice note in for taking the time to write it. I've been working hard on this material for over 20 years so I am especially grateful when readers find it useful and trustworthy.

 

Armstrong tiles with date code of 2017

Started renovating a home built in 1967. One bedroom had Armstrong tiles with date code of 2017. These ones (pictured) have what appears to be a partial date code. Tile measures 10inx10in and 1in thick. They are dense and not easily broken.

When removed from the ceiling the mastic was still out gassing a sweet smell. With a date code of “6W10318” Could these be USG tiles from March of 2018? It almost seems like there is a portion of the date code missing.

Any thoughts? 2021-03-28 by Rob C.

Reply:

@Rob C., that's a reasonable guess

Canadian home has possible wood fiber tiles

I live in a Canadian home of somewhat indeterminate age (older than 90s) but it's hard to be sure when the basement that uses this tiles was converted into an inlaw suite. I found this spare example of the ceiling tiles so I could take some photos. Should I be concerned about asbestos mixed in? 2021-03-01 by Kaj

Reply:

@Kaj, that looks like a wood fiber product but of course unfortunately anyone answering questions like this has to say the only certain answer you kind obtain when you don't have a manufacturer's product identification stamp is by having representative samples tested for asbestos.

 

Question: is it likely that this ceiling tile has asbestos?

I'm removing some ceiling tiles in my upstairs bedroom, I've read in multiple places that asbestos ceiling tiles come in 2'x2' or 2'x4'.

My tiles are 16"x16". Is it possible they have asbestos or is it unlikely?

Here [above] is a picture of my tile, I think I'm a safer than I I originally thought, but your opinion is very welcomed.

No manufacturer info on the back.

Thank you very much. You and this page are a great source of help and information. by Al · Mar 10, 2021

Moderator reply:

At the article ASBESTOS CEILING TILE IDENTIFICATION we give 5 Easy Steps to make a reasonable guess at whether or not your ceiling tiles contain asbestos - the best one can do short of actually having a lab test performed.

You cannot assume that based on dimension alone (in your case 16" tiles) that a ceiling product is asbestos free.

Like floor tiles, asbestos-containing ceiling tiles were produced in a broad range of sizes and patterns, though it's true that some were more-common than others.

Does this ceiling contain asbestos?

@Kieran,

Hello. I have a little room that I want to renovate. The house was built in the 1960s and we want to know if the walls and ceiling looks like it contains asbestos. Thanks 2021-02-24 by Kieran

and this is a picture of the ceiling

Reply: Textured ceiling and wall paint often contain asbestos, depending on when made:

Textured ceiling and wall paint often contain asbestos, depending on when made:

see CEILING PAINT TEXTURED / POPCORN ASBESTOS

Drywall and joint compound often contain asbestos - depending on when made: see

ASBESTOS in DRYWALL

Worries about 1965 house ceiling tiles

I recently bought a house built in 1965 and i concerning if the ceiling tiles have asbestos or not. They do not have manufacturer’s ID. 2021-02-23 by Richard

This is another pic of the same ceiling tile...

Reply:

@Richard, while I cannot say for certain from simply photographs that looks to me like fiberglass suspended ceiling tile

Does this fiberglass panel contain asbestos?

Hi, my ceiling tiles look just like this picture above on your site: https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Fiberglass-ceiling-panel-383-BobB.jpg.

Here is a cross section. I can't find manufacturer info on the back. It is definitely fiberglass, but could it contain asbestos? House was built 1964-66. 2021-02-21 by Fiberglass 2X4

Reply: 1960s fiberglass suspended ceiling panel not likely to contain asbestos

@Fiberglass 2X4,

One would not expect a fiberglass ceiling tile to contain asbestos unless it's by cross-contamination. I've seen cross-contamination, for example, when a non-asbestos suspended ceiling was installed below asbestos spray-on roof insulation or asbestos pipe insulation that were themselves disturbed by workers.

1950s plant/wood fibre ceiling panel?

Any thoughts? Drop ceiling tile in the shop if a garage built in ‘50’s. No insulation anywhere in garage, just wooden roof. 2021-02-11 by Kent

Reply:

I guess that you're asking me if your photo is of an asbestos-containing material: that looks like a wood-based product; regrettably to be absolutely certain you'd need to either find a manufacturer's product ID that could be researched, or you'd have a sample of the material tested for asbestos IF you are facing a costly demolition or cleanup job.

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Continue reading  at DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS? or see ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST for access to certified asbestos testing labs, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see ASBESTOS CEILING TILE FAQs-3 - more-recently posted pictures and questions about asbestos-suspect ceiling tiles

Or see these

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• DOES THIS MATERIAL CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 easy questions to tell if a BUILDING MATERIAL probably contains asbestos -
• HAZARD vs RISK - what's the difference, why you should care

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ASBESTOS CEILING TILE FAQs-2 at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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