This article identifies US Gypsum drywall, gypsum board Sheetrock® products that contained asbestos and provides supporting research and hazard management advice.

We also include notes about Sheetrock & USG & Sackett board history that help identify the years during which USG Sheetrock may have or would definitely have included asbestos.

Page top illustration: this shows contemporary end-tape identification markings found on US Gypsum's Sheetrock® brand gypsum board. These products do not contain asbestos, but older gypsum board often did.

Asbestos in USG Sheetrock / Drywall to 1976

Note that while USG owns the Sheetrock™ trademark the use of that term is also widespread as a generic term for gypsum board or drywall. The image of a 1920's Sheetrock Ad shows the US Gypsum company's information.

Also note that USG Sheetrock and related products currently sold around the world do not contain asbestos.

[Click to enlarge any image]

At ASBESTOS PRODUCING COMPANIES & TRUSTS we note that United States Gypsum, US Gypsum, now USG, or U.S. Gypsum, or USG - asbestos cement products produced between 1920 - 1976, USG, founded in 1901, produced a wide range of building products that contained asbestos between 1920 and 1978.

These included USG gypsum board products, among them U.S. Gypsum fire-resistant drywall, joint compound, and the following USG products listed by product name:

• USG Hi-Lite Acoustical Plaster
• USG Durabond joint compound
• USG Exterior Textured Wallboard Finish
• USG Imperial Plaster
• USG Joint Compound
• USG K-Fac Block Insulating Coating
• USG Perf-A-Tape joint cement
• USG Plaster, USG Acoustical plaster
• USG QT Spray textured coating
• USG Red Top Plaster
• USG Textolite spackling putty
• US Gypsum or USG Roof shingles
• USG Sabinite plaster
• USG Textured paints, including USG Textolite, USG Textone, USG "Sheetrock" Textured coating
  

US Gypsum's asbestos-free joint compound patented in 1975 and cited below.

US Gypsum Plaster Products Also Contained Asbestos

U.S. Gypsum plaster and plasterboard products including

US Gypsum Cement Regular Plaster,

USG Firecode plaster,

USG Imperial plaster,

USG Red-Top™ Cementious plaster (1920-1958) and

USG RedTop™ Gypsum-based plaster (1920-1958),


USG RedTop™ Firecode™ plaster (probably a higher asbestos content, 1962-1969),

USG Gypsum Structolite (1950-1975),

USG Mineral-based Cafco Sound-Shield™,

USG Structo-Lite-Perlited Gypsum™ plaster (also see Perlite discussed

at PERLITE INSULATION

US Gypsum produced other building products that contained asbestos including roofing shingles and exterior siding in shingle form and as asbestos-cement shingle siding.

Also see ASBESTOS CEMENT PRODUCTS

Also see ASBESTOS in PLASTER

USG US Gypsum Sheetrock Gypsum Board Products Asbestos Research

Below: a United States Gypsum drywall stamp from an older home.

• FIBEROCK® [PDF] Brand Gypsum Fiber Underlayment - (US Gypsum) MSDS
• FIBEROCK® [PDF] Brand Abuse-Resistant Gypsum Fiber Panels (US Gypsum) MSDS
• FIBEROCK® [PDF] Brand Gypsum Fiber Sheathing Panels (US Gypsum) MSDS
• FIBEROCK AQUA TOUGH ® [PDF] Brand Aqua-Tough™Interior Panels (US Gypsum) MSDS
• SHEETROCL® MSDS [PDF] Brand Gypsum Panels (US Gypsum) MSDS
• SHEETROCK® HUMITEK MSDS [PDF] Gypsum Liner Panels (US Gypsum) MSDS
• USG US GYPSUM MANUFACTURING LOCATIONS [PDF] US Gypsum, retrieved 2021/07/07 original source: https://www.usg.com/content/usgcom/en/about-usg/worldwide-locations/manufacturing-locations.html
  
  This document lists USG facilities around the world and identifies what products are made, but does not include plant codes.
• "HEAT-INSULATING MATERIAL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME." U.S. Patent Application 1/230,297, filed August 18, 1916.

Below, most of these patents are assigned to US Gypsum Co., some of whose products contained asbestos.

• Hite, Charles E. HEAT-INSULATING MATERIAL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME [PDF] U.S. Patent 1,230,297, issued June 19, 1917. This patent is also cited in later (non-asbestos) USG patents such as US20100061180A1 2010-03-11 & US8262820B2 2012-09-11
  
  This is a Beaverboard patent:
  Excerpts:
  
  My invention relates to an improved heat insulating material and the method of making same. The object is to provide an improved insulating material, suitable for covering steam and hot and
  cold water pipes, refrigerating machinery, boilers and furnaces, and for numerous other uses requiring insulation of high efiiciency, which is non-combustible, durable and light in weight.
  ...
  Among the best insulating mediums or materials now in use, may be mentioned hair felt, cork, carbonate of magnesia and asbestos. These materials are expensive, and each has certain disadvantages.
  ...
  This mass of carbo-hydrate, water and sulfate, is at first quite fluid, but soon sets and becomes firm.
  
  The action of the carbohydrate paste is to hold the particles of sulfate in suspension, preventing settling until the sulfate hardens, then on the evaporation of the water, a substance is produced full of air cells, which has proved of greater insulating efficiency, as above stated, than insulating substances composed of 85% carbonate of magnesia and 15% asbestos.

Photo above: data label on US Gypsum Sheetrock found in a West Texas home built in 1937, courtesy of reader S2222 discussed in the reader Q&A below.

A last patent date of 1921 puts this drywall within the range of USG Sheetrock products that could have contained asbestos.

• USG, The Origins of the USG Sheetrock® Brand (USG Website page) U.S. Gypsum Corp. 31 October 2022, - Use your browser's "BACK" button to return to this InspectApedia article.
• USG FIREPROOF GYPSUM WALLBOARD TECHNICAL INFORMATION (1952) [PDF] - retrieved 2022/06/16 original source: us.archive.org (the original and very large PDF file contained technical details about all US Gypsum products in 1952). Below we list these as separate product categories each of which is provided as a separate PDF document.
  Excerpts:
  DESCRIPTION:
  
  SHEETROCK® gypsum wallboard is composed essentially of a gypsum core encased in tough paper: a heavy manilla finished sheet on the face side and a strong liner paper on the back side. The long edges are recessed to form a shallow channel for embedding and conceling the joint reinforcement.
  
  SHEETROCK is als manufactured with square or beveled edges, to be used where paneled effects or featured joints are required.
  
  US Gypsum's Woodgrained Sheetrock was sold in a standard 3/8" thickness with beveled edges for Bleached Mahogany and square edges for Knotty Pine and Planked Walnut.
  
  The product used a special paper printed with photographic reproductions of carefully selected knotty pine, walnut, and mahogany panels ... laminated to the face of regular SHEETROCK wallboard ... [note that joints were not taped and were required to fall atop wood framing members - Ed.]
  
  Insulating Sheetrock is regular sheetrock which has a sheet of bright aluminum foil securely attached to its back surface.
  
  Fire Ratings for USG Sheetrock in this document are detailed beginning on page. 10.
  
  This document also gives detailed descriptions of these USG products:
  
  Sheetrock laminated wallboard
  
  Perf-A-Tape Joint System
  
  Woodgrained Sheetrock Wallboard
  
  Other Catalogs and USG Technical Specifications from 1952 and that were in the original archived file are given below, now available as individual documents.
  
  USG TEXOLITE PAINT PRODUCTS [PDF] - also see CEILING PAINT TEXTURED / POPCORN ASBESTOS
  
  USG WEATHERWOOD STRUCTURAL INSULATING SHEATHING [PDF] - also see USG US GYPSUM INSULATING SHEATHING ASBESTOS
  
  USG SOUND CONTROL PRODUCTS [PDF] (including Acoustone, Motif'D Acoustone, Auditone, Perfatone ceiling tiles) - also see US GYPSUM CEILING TILES
  
  USG EXTERIOR SHEATHING [PDF] a fireproof gypsum sheathing material made in 2' x 8' x 1/2" panels with a "new type water-resistant "asphalted" gypsum core enclosed in a specially treated, water-repellent, heavy black paper. The long edges are V-tongued and grooved. The gypsum core is incombustible and will not communicate high temperatures until completely calcined - a slow process
  
  - also see USG US GYPSUM INSULATING SHEATHING ASBESTOS
  
  USG SHEETROCK PYROFILL ROOF DECKS [PDF] - US Gypsum Insulating Pyrofill & USG Asbestos Board Pyrofill & USG Acoustical Pyrofill product descriptions, specifications, installation details, from USG 1952 Technical Specifications describe the the following product descriptions excerpted from a more-complete list found in the document:
  
  SHEETROCK PYROFILL USG Insulation PYROFILL an Asbestos Board Pyrofill roof decks are reinforced gypsum concrete (Pyrofill) slabs poured in place over permanent formboards of SHEETROCK, USG Insulation, or asbestos cement boards.
  
  SHEETROCK Formboard is a rigid type gypsum board, 1/2" thick by 32" wide (or 48" wide), and made to specified lengths to fit purlin spacings. Treated to resist mildew effectively. Federal Specifications SS-W-51a. Type A and ASTM C36-50.
  
  USG Insulation Formboard is a rigid type wood fiber insulation board, 1" thick, 32" wide (or 48" wide), and cut to specified lengths to fit purlin spacings. Treated to resist mildew effectively. Federal Specification LLL-F-321b.
  
  ASBESTOS-CEMENT Formboard is a rigid industrial type asbestos cement board, 1/4" thick, cut to 32" wide by 48" long. Note: Abestos cement formboard is not manufactured or sold by USG.
  
  PYROFILL is a mill mixed gypsum concrete consisting of calcined gypsum and not more than 12 1/2% by weight of wood chips, shavings or fibers. It requires the addition of water only on the job. Complies with ASA-A59.1-1945.
  

Above: USG Sterling gypsum board product label citing USG Patents between 1911 and 1921 puts a floor under the earliest-date age of the building where this gypsum wallboard was installed - photo courtesy of InspectApedia.com reader Sonny.

• USG Sterling Drywall & Joint Compound
• Utzman, Clarence W. PLASTER-BOARD [PDF] U.S. Patent 1,383,249, issued June 28, 1921. Application filed by United States Gypsum Co
  
  This patent does include the word "asbestos" in the general product-type description only, not in the patent text body.
  
  E04C2/043 - Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of concrete or other stone-like material; of asbestos cement; of cement and other mineral fibres of plaster
  (no details available)
  
• Armstrong, Morgan K. PLASTER BOARD [PDF] U.S. Patent 1,701,291, issued February 5, 1929. Application filed by United States Gypsum Co.
  
  This patent does include the word "asbestos" in the general product-type description only, not in the patent text body.
  
  E04C2/043 Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of concrete or other stone-like material; of asbestos cement; of cement and other mineral fibres of plaster

...

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2024-05-02 by JS2222 - Does this USG Sheetrock from a 1937 Texas home contain asbestos?

This gypsum board is mounted to the ceiling joists in the attic of a home built in 1937 in West Texas, in the United States. It appears it may be behind a newer layer of Sheetrock that is now the ceilings in the home. The label’s final patent date is July 12, 1921, however the label does not mention anything about being fireproof board. Does this particular “United States Gypsum Board” contain asbestos? If so, how much?

On 2024-05-03 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - treat that sheetrock as "presumed to contain asbestos" - no panic needed

@JS2222,

US Gypsum drywall, sold as "Sheetrock" as in your example, was marketed as fire-resistant even from its earliest use, when Sackett was purchased by US Gypsum in 1909.

And in this article we note that "Fire rated" gypsum board or "Sheetrock - USG" was sold at least from 1920 onwards to about 1978.

So your 1937 Sheetorck could indeed contain asbestos even if its label doesn't mention that ingredient. The last patent date, July 12, 1921 on the label on your Sheetrock is a year after USG Sheetrock products began using asbestos.

That's not a guarantee that your drywall contains asbestos - we'd need either an explicit "asbestos" label on the product or the results of an asbestos test lab to give an unequivocal answer.

But the history of USG Sheetrock and the 1937 date of your West Texas home are sufficient for me to say that **IF** chopping, grinding, sawing or other dust-making work is to be done on these walls or ceilings, then you would be prudent to treat this gypsum board as PACM - Presumed Asbestos-Containing-Material. That means dust control, personal protective equipment (PPE), and dust cleanup.

On the other hand, as long as the gypsum board is left in place, undamaged, and moreso because it has been covered with additional layers of material on the room-side, there is no meaningful asbestos hazard to you from the material.

Thanks for the great photo - a straightened version of it is given here.

And if you come across more stamps or labels with more information do post that for us to examine.

Thanks

Daniel

On 2024-03-18 by Don - Does Blendtex (patent pending) drywall contain asbestos?

I was replacing the ceiling in an old single wide trailer and on the back of the drywall it said Blendtex patent pending?

Wondered if this product has asbestos?

Here's a photo of the ceiling drywall with the BLENDTEX imprint.

[Minor editing by InspectApedia]

On 2024-03-18 by InspectApedia DF (mod) - Blendtex® wood fiber board would not use asbestos; gypsum board panels might (later test found no asbestos)

@Don,

A photo of the stamp identifying a panel as Blendtex would be very helpful (one photo per comment) as would be a sharp photo of the edge of that panel.

This would be helpful because historical documents from USG and an older publication I'll cite below describe the company's older Blendtex product from 1938 and later indicates as a textured, pre-finished wood fiber product used as an interior ceiling or wall covering, not a gypsum board product, and it would be valuable to clear up that question.

Certainly by the 1970s and even currently, USG also was selling Blendtex panels that were gypsum based.

Watch out: because your Blendtex is gypsum based drywall and more likely the joint compound used in its installation sounds as if it's a 1970s or earlier product (given that the Blendex patent was pending in that data stamp and Blendex was Patented Sept. 11, 1962) , your drywall and joint compound might indeed contain asbestos.

Until we have more test results for your Blendtex ceiling board, I also have to point out that not all gypsum board products contained asbestos, and that even if it does, if it's undamaged and left-alone it's not harmful.

Watch out: when researching this question there are too many "lookalike" similar spellings. For example, don't confuse Blendtex with Blendex (without the t) - Blendex dates from the 1970s.

Blendex itself is described in patent disclosures as

"... polybutadiene rubbers such as Blendex™"

That's not an asbestos material.

You can read the original Blendex patent here

• Grabowski, Thomas S., and Howard H. Irvin. "Blends of (1) polyvinylchloride,(2) a copolymer of polybutadiene, styrene and acrylonitrile and (3) a copolymer of acrylonitrile, styrene and alpha methyl styrene." U.S. Patent 3,053,800, issued September 11, 1962. - original source:
  https://patents.google.com/patent/US3053800A/en?oq=U.S.+patent+3%2c053%2c800
  

About your asbestos worry, what I said above is all that one can say by way of advice and possible asbestos content in Blendtex unless or until we can find an actual product data sheet for your specific Blendtex product that looks, from your photo, like gypsum board or "drywall".

The earliest use of Blendgex by USG was in 1937 when that product was introduced as a textured ceiling or wall panel or plank for use indoors. That appears to have been a wood fiber based product. By 1953 Blendtex fiber insulating board was sold as an "fiber insulating board" in forms of "insulating twin-tile", panel tile, or plank, using a patented tongue & grooved edge to interlock panels.

But both your photo and some later Blendtex documents given just below describe a gypsum core wall or ceiling board that may have been sold under the same name.

Other early uses I found of the brand name USG or US Gypsum Blendtex were from 1953 in "Full text of "USG technical information 1953." [PDF]

https://archive.org/stream/USGTechnicalInformation1953./USG%20technical%20information%201953._djvu.txt [Copy on file as USG-technical-information-1953.pdf]

...

also cited in a similar USG document from 1956 - both documents include the following text:

"“BLENDTEX”* insulation board, a blend of four tan tones. "
and
"BLENDTEX Insulating Plank " [shown just above and described by the company as a fiber insulation board, sold as interlocking planks and as tiles]
and
""USG”, "BLENDTEX", "RED TOP", "SHEETROCK", "ROCKLATH" and "TEXOLITE", mentioned in this publication are registered trademarks owned by United
States Gypsum Company and are used by it to distinguish its products.

"USG" identifies the particular fiber insulation board; "BLENDTEX" identifies the particular fiber insulation board in variegated shades; "SHEETROCK" identifies
the particular gypsum wallboard; "ROCKLATH" identifies the particular gypsum plaster base; "TEXOLITE" identifies the particular case in flat paint manufactured only by United States Gypsum Company; "RED TOP" identifies the particular mineral wool sold only by United States Gypsum Company. "

At InspectApedia we have more information about Blendtex Drywall from US Gypsum - a 1950s - 1960s USG product - from a previous reader question and answer.

In the reader Q&A on this page, see

"On 2020-09-29 by (mod) - Asbestos in USG Blendtex Fire-Rated Drywall? US Gypsum Wallboard"

There we discuss the appearance of "Blendtex" on US Gypsum Drywall bearing a "Fire Rated" stamp - which could hint at the use of asbestos.

It would be appropriate - as is the case with drywall dust independent of an asbestos question - to avoid creating a dusty mess or to use damp wiping and HEPA vacuuming if you've already created dust from that material.

See also these documents that describe modern Blendtex products from USG, indicating that Blendtex ceiling panels were a 1-year-old product in 1938.

• USG BLENDTEX Decorates, Quiets, Insulated [Image shown just above] United States Gypsum, 300 West Adams St., Chicago, Illinois, describes Blendtex as
  
  a new, fascinating pre-decorated wall and ceiling covering - a modern, interior finish that performs four important operations in one easy application.
  
  Blendtex guilds. It insulates. It quiets noise. And it decorates. ... "In only a year this new pre-decorated product, Blendtex, has found its way into hundreds of homes, schools, churches, theaters, restaurants, etc., ... Tile and plank units with factory-made joints ...
  
  found on page 2 in this publication: Goucher College (my sister Linda's alma mater - Ed.), Pencil Points 1938 [PDF] - retrieved 2024/05/03, original source: https://usmodernist.org/PA/PP-1938-12.pdf - copy on file as Pencil-Point-1938-12.pdf
  • ICC-ES EVALUATION REPORT on Holcim Polyurethane Foam Adhesive [PDF] - https://cdn-v2.icc-es.org/wp-content/uploads/report-directory/ESR-4927.pdf
    
    containing this table ""Table 1: In-Plane Shear Loading on Wood Frame (Section 14 of ASTM Ey2) that in turn cites the use of F-2100 adhesive on USG Blendtex 5/16" board, excerpted below.
    
    
    
    [Click to enlarge any imag]
    
    Also see more discussion of Blendtex in an earlier reader Q&A below on this page at
    
    On 2020-09-29 by Anonymous - Blendtex U.S.G. Panels in an old mobile home?
    

On 2024-03-19 by Don

@InspectApedia Publisher,

I sent in a sample today.

[For asbestos testing of Blendtex Gypsum Board Ceiling Panels]

On 2024-03-19 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Don

Very helpful - as this is an old product, widely used, including in mobile homes or trailers; please let me see a copy of the test results.

Keep in mind that because there can be asbestos in joint compound too, not just in the drywall panels, just where you collect a sample, and the thoroughness of the lab in examining it, are important.

[Lab results for test for asbestos in Blendtex gypsum board were sent to Daniel Friedman by private email - given below]

On 2024-04-09 by InspectApedia Publisher - No Asbestos found in Blendtex gypsum board from USG

@Don

Here is a link to Don's BLENDTEX GYPSUM BOARD ASBESTOS TEST LAB REPORT RESULTS [PDF] - the asbestos lab test report that found no asbestos in this sample of Blendtex.

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Blendtex-Asbestos-Test-Corrigan-Redact.pdf

Really? Don's original photo of a broken piece of Blendtex shows what looks like a white gypsum core. Yet this lab report describes the Blendtex product as 6% cellulose and 94% binders. I find that remarkable and confusing, unless the lab is classifying gypsum as a binder.

 

On 2022-12-02 by Sonny - USG Sterling Gypsum Wallboard may contain asbestos

Tearing down an old store. Found this drywall everywhere. It's neat to be part of the buildings history, even if it is the end of the history.. but i was wondering if this is asbestos containing wallboard?

The adjacent building has been flagged as having asbestos in the insulation, and this drywall was covered in 1/4 paneling, so it may have evaded an inspection (if an inspection took place)....

I appreciate your response. Thank you.

[Click to enlarge any image]

It's located in fort Klamath Oregon, USA.. according to the Oregon Historical Sites database, the building was originally constructed in 1923, and a second construction took place in 1940.

On 2022-12-03 by InspectApedia (Editor) - Asbestos content in US Gypsum Sterling Gypsum Wallboard & Joint Compound

@Sonny,

Thank you for the photo, that's great. It would be helpful to know the country and city of location and to building age where this drywall was installed. I'll do some additional research as well.

Asbestos content in US Gypsum Sterling Gypsum Wallboard & Joint Compound

Fischbein et al. (1979) reported that four of 15 industrial taping and spackling compounds contained tremolite structures at concentrations ranging from 1 to 2% (Sterling Ready Mix, Sterling All-Purpose) to 8–12% (S-C-L Taping Compound) (Fischbein et al. 1979). (1) (2)

So there may well be asbestos in your drywall or at least at joints and other locations where joint compound was applied.

(1) Fischbein A, Rohl AN, Langer AM, Selikoff IJ. 1979. Drywall construction and asbestos exposure. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 40:402–407. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar]

(2) Jacobs, Neva FB, Kevin M. Towle, Brent L. Finley, and Shannon H. Gaffney. "An updated evaluation of potential health hazards associated with exposures to asbestos-containing drywall accessory products." Critical Reviews in Toxicology 49, no. 5 (2019): 430-444.

Copy at

inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Potential-health-hazards-associated-with-exposure-to-asbestos-containing-drywall-accessory-products-Jacobs.pdf

On 2020-09-29 by Anonymous - Blendtex U.S.G. Panels in an old mobile home?

In a old mobile home not sure the year but old I’m demolisheing it found the ceiling has this wall board on it
On the back it has this printed on the paper

U.S.G. Blendtex panel - flame spread rating - class A ?

Wondering about asbestos
Also on back

On 2020-09-29 by (mod) - Asbestos in USG Blendtex Fire-Rated Drywall? US Gypsum Wallboard

Photo above of older Blendtex Gypsum board from the ceiling of another mobile home is provided courtesy of reader Don, 2024/03/18. We discuss Don's Blendtex, also found in an older trailer home, above on this page.

Thank you for the helpful question about whether or not there's asbestos in USG Blendtex panels, Anon.

USG Blendtex is an old product, around since the 1930s and even appearing in some contemporary job specifications that we found by researching for "USG Blendtex product data sheet".

The Blendtex "Weatherwood" ceiling panel was advertised by US Gypsum in the Goucher College December 1938 issue of Pencil Points [PDF] Reinhold Publishing Co., Stamford CT, - as you can read in this US Modernist PDF PDF1938

https://usmodernist.org/PA/PP-1938-12.pdf

[Click to enlarge any image]

Blendtex was advertised as an insulating ceiling panel, sold in this instance with a pre-finished wood-grained surface.

I see the UL stamp that you photographed and included on what's clearly a gypsum board.

The drywall in your photo is a USG product, U.S. Gypsum & Other Drywall / gypsum board from 1920 to at least 1976 often included asbestos - as noted

at
ASBESTOS in DRYWALL

If we can confirm that the drywall stamp for fire rating that you posted is on a U.S. Gypsum product that will let us add it to the collection

at DRYWALL TYPE IDENTIFICATION STAMPS

But if you could also attach a photo of the USG stamp identifying a panel as Blendtex that would be most helpful (one photo per comment) as would be a sharp photo of the edge or constituents of that panel.

I ask because historical documents from USG describing the company's Blendtex product from the 1950s indicates it's a wood fiber product not a gypsum board product, and it would be valuable to clear up that question.

Here's an excerpt:
DESCRIPTION

USG Decorative Insulation is rigid wood fiber insulating board made into predecorated interior wall and ceiling units. The products are fabricated from homogeneous mats manufactured of wood fiber produced from new timber.

There are two basic types of USG Decorative Insulation:

1. USG Insulating Twin-Tile and Panel-Tile—Square and rectangular patterns generally used for ceiling paneling.

2. USG Insulating Plank—Long, narrow, ceiling height units simulating vertical random wall planking.

For sizes, edges, etc., see data on page 4.

Colors:

“Hilite,” a light ivory solid color.

“BLENDTEX”* insulation board, a blend of four tan tones.

FUNCTION AND UTILITY

Decorative—Many designs and patterns are possible with combinations of random width plank and various sizes of tile — using either Hilite or BLENDTEX or both.

Insulating -The thickness, with a thermal conductance of 0.66, is equal to approximately 19" of stone concrete in resist ance to heat transfer.

Light Reflective Hilite color has a light reflection of 70 to 80 per cent. Light reflection of BLENDTEX ...

and here is what the company wrote about its fireproof gypsum board

Fireproof—Perforated ROCKLATH plaster base is especially useful where one hour fire resistive ratings are required. Gypsum plaster applied over perforated ROCKLATH, in addi tion to being “welded” to the surface, mushrooms through the
holes “riveting” the plaster to the lath. This added bond gives the higher fire rating of perforated ROCKLATH and plaster.

This information is provided, along with discussion of some asbestos-containing products

in US Gypsum's WALL & CEILING TECHNICAL INFORMATION [PDF] (1953) found at archive.org/details/USGTechnicalInformation1953./mode/2up

For a complete list of U.S. Gypsum or USG products that contained asbestos,

see US GYPSUM ASBESTOS-CONTAINING PRODUCTS

Question: does this USG "Woodgrained Sheetrock" fireproof gypsum board panel contain asbestos?

Does this USG fireproof sheetrock contain asbestos? - Capriceclassic 2022/06/16

Moderator reply:

Most likely, yes, as you'll see above on this page.

But it would sure be helpful if you'd include surrounding context information that would support an informed guess:

1. What are the country and city where your building is located?
2. When was the building constructed?

In any event thank you for a helpful question and photo.

On 2019-06-06 by Ryan - 1955 Woodgrained Sheetrock - Fireproof Gypsum Wallboard

Hello,
I cannot find any information on this specific type of sheetrock made by USG. I am concerned it contains asbestos (I understand i need to have it tested)
It is called Woodgrained Sheetrock - Fireproof Gypsum Wallboard - This would have been installed in 1955.

Please see the photo below. I was hoping someone has seen this product label from 1955 before and let me know if they know more about this product.

IMAGE LOST by older version of Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

This question was posted originally at DRYWALL TYPE IDENTIFICATION STAMPS

On 2019-06-06 by (mod) - Asbestos likely in 1955 Woodgrained Sheetrock - Fireproof Gypsum Wallboard

Ryan, take a look at the description of USG's woodgrained sheetrock and you'll see that it was fire rated and in the 1950s was likely to contain asbestos.

Question: does this drywall from the 1970's contain Asbestos? (Probably US Gypsum)

Apartment building with 16 units built 1970 and shortly thereafter. Oldest drywall/gypsum board is found in bathroom walls. Been having trouble breathing and coughing frequently. 10 year hvac tech so I’ve been around it on several occasions.

- Anonymous by private email 2019/05/09

Above: Type SCX R1319-417 Gypsum Board Issue No. F-1199 5/8" thick

Reply: either test or treat 1970's drywall and joint compound as PACM

IF you can find a manufacturer's ID stamp - besides those UL stamps that'd be helpful as would knowing the country and city where the drywall is installed.

But it looks like R1319-417 Gypsum Board Type SCX from the 1970's was a US Gypsum Product.

One of your products is 1/2" and the other 5/8" Drywall.

Drywall dust and other building dust and hundreds of other things can cause coughing - independent of any possible asbestos content. You should consult with your doctor about your cough.

Type C drywall had and has additives to improve fire-resistance; not all of those are asbestos.

But for a 1970's fire-resistant drywall for which we have no manufacturer ID and considering that asbestos was often in joint compound on such walls, it would be prudent to either test both the gypsum board itself and the joint compound at drywall tape joints OR to assume the material contains asbestos.

Above: Type C Drywall, R-1319 SP, 1/2" thickness includes a note: See U.L. Fire Resistance Index.

On 2017-04-25 by Kimberly - shiny fine fibers visible in 2005 sheetrock drywall

I recently moved into a new place and in a storage room on the ground floor there is some exposed Sheetrock/drywall? with the gypsum core exposed. The house was built in 2005 according to my boyfriend, so I'm not concerned about asbestos.

There are shiny fine fibers sticking out of the gypsum though, they're difficult to see without a light directly on them. Is this fiberglass? Something else? Some of it is crumbling and I store things in that room, should I be concerned?

On 2017-04-25 by (mod) - fiberglass fears in USG Sheetrock?

Kimberly,

Most-likely you're seeing fiberglass reinforcement of the gypsum board, referred to in the building trades as FRP or fiber-reinforced panels. Unless there is drywall debris getting all over your stored materials, what you describe is not likely to be a concern. Certainly you could, if bothered, just tape over the exposed edges using anything convenient, even wide blue masking tape.

These products have been around since at least the early 1990's (or on request we'll research patents to narrow the date range).

US Gypsum, producer of Sheetrock(R) brand gypsum board or drywall, produces Sheetrock(R) MoldTough(R) VHI (Very High Impact) gypsum board panels used in interiors. These panels use fiberglass reinforcement in the panel composition.

Another company, Georgia Pacific, produces DensGlass, a gold colored fiberglass-mat reinforced exterior sheathing board as well as DensArmor Plus, a fiberglass-reinforced gypsum board product that applies a fiberglass matt to both sides of the panel for improved moisture resistance.

...

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