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Celotex Thermax TM Insulating board  (C) InspectApedia.com JWCelotex® Products & History
Complete history of Celotex, insulating & wall board properties, asbestos

Celotex insulating board & wall covering products & corporate history:

A review of the dates involved in the product history of Celotex Corporation can help identify which Celotex insulating board or wallboard or drylining product you may have found in a building.

This article series gives the history and properties of Celotex® Thermax and other foam board insulating products. Page top photo: Celotex® Thermax sheathing board insulation.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

Celotex™ Sheathing & Insulating Boards: Company History, Products, Dates

Celotex old insulating board (C) Daniel FriedmanOur photograph of brown, white-imprinted Celotex cellulose-based insulating board, possibly bagasse, used as an insulating sheathing board on both the exterior and interiors of buildings.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Celotex Corporation produced the first fiberboard made from bagasse in 1920. (Jester 2014). Other records indicate that the company was founded a year later, in 1921.

Celotex Insulating Lumber, the company's first product, was a cellulose fiber board made from bagasse or sugar cane fiber using a felting process, and produced in Celotex's New Orleans LA plant.

Celotex described their Celotex Insulating Lumber as an exterior sheathing product intended for use as a base beneath plaster or beneath a stucco building exterior as well as for roof insulation.

Celotex insulating lumber was sold in 7/16" thicknesses (and possibly other thicknesses), in 4 foot width boards at lengths from 8 ft. to 12 ft. and weighing about 60 pounds per square (100 sq.ft.).

Celotex continues to operate in the present, producing various building sheathing and insulating products, having passed through various reorganizations and changes listed below in this article.

Celotex Installation Instructions for Sheathing

Instructions for applying Celotex fiberboard as sheathing and as a plaster base alternative to lath (C) InspectApedia.com LisaSpecial thank-you to reader Lisa who contributed this hard-to-find label providing basic installation instructions for Celotex sheathing board and for use of Celotex as a plaster lath alternative.

As the original Celotx instructions label text, quoted verbatim below, included "Remove this label before applying plaster. " one can understand why finding this label intact was a pleasant surprise.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Doing a renovation on my old house. I found this pristine label and attempted to date the material. I have no definitive answers but thought I’d upload a picture anyway. - Lisa 2019/02.21

The following is a transcription of the original Celotx installation instruction label's text.

How to apply Celotex

Sprinkle lightly and pile Celotex boards not less than one day before nailing, using a hose, sprinkling can, or broom dipped into a pail of water, while the boards are being unloaded and piled. Sprinkle indoors in cold weather to prevent freezing.

Nail boards to frmaing within two hours after removing from the pile.

Space studs, joists and rafters accurately on 16” centers. Cut in 2” x 4” headers at all horizontal board joints and every 4’ on ceilings. Apply Celotex lengthwise to studs, joists, and rafters, nailing directly to framing.

Leave 3/16” space between boards and at top and bottom of Celotex boards. Do not butt boards toghether or force into place.

Nail first to intermediate frame members, then entirely around all edges of eachboard, placing nails 3/8” away from edge.

Use standard 1 1/2” galvanized rooing nailes with 3/8” heads.

Space nails 6” apart along intermediate frame membes and 3” apart along all edges, driving until heads are slightly below the surface of Celotex.

Use Celotex as sheathing to replace lumber and building paper; under plastter, replacing lath; as an interior or exterior finish; for heat and sound insulation, etc. Celotex insulates and quiets sound, eliminates deadening felt; redues condensation and heat leakage. Insures winter and summer comfort.

Celotex Insulating Lumber, The Celotx Company, Chicago, ILL. Mills: New Orleans, LA. Branch Sales Offices in Manuy Principal Cities.

Reader comment: Celotex Standard Building Board found in 1929 home

Celotex Standard Building Board label found ina 1929 home (C) InspectApedia.com Denise2019/12/14 Denise said:

My house was built in 1929
We just took down the ceiling the fiber board was cracked and after some attempted to repair found this between the floor and ceiling.
Hope you are able to open the the photo
Sincerely Denise

[Click to enlarge any image]

Reply:

Thank you for the excellent photo of Celotex Insulating Board, Denise. It's helpful to have this document describing Celotex "cane board" that was used as a plaster base. Was it indeed plastered-over in your home?

I'll add your photo to the article above. It would also be helpful to know the country and city where your home is located.

Reader comment:

(Feb 21, 2019) Lisa said:
Doing a renovation on my old house. I found this pristine label and attempted to date the material. I have no definitive answers but thought I’d upload a picture anyway.

IMAGE LOST by older version of Clark Van Oyen’s useful Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

Reply:

Really nice, Lisa, thank you; I'll be sure to add your Celotex label within this article on the history of Celotex products.
You may have to clear your browser cache and re-load the page to see the updates.

It'd be helpful to know the country and city and age of the building where you found this.

Don't hesitate to ask if you have questions.

Celotex Installation Instructions as a Plaster Base - Lath Substitute

Use of fiberboard, possibly Celotex, as a plaster base in an older home (C) InspectApedia.com Daniel Friedman[Celotex] Plastering Directions

Apply Celotex, in place of lath, to framing as directed above, giving special attention to sprinkling, and nailing. Cut open board joints, spaced less than 3/16” wide.

Reinforce plaster at all inside corners, and where frame and masonry walls meet, with metal lath and reinforce the exterior corners with corner beads.

Strips of metal lath, 4” wide, over board joints will reinforce the plaster, particularly in ceilings.

Do not moisten Celotex after nailing.

Use a quick-setting Gypsum plaster; if plaster used fails to “set” within two hours, add an accelerator.

Do not use lime plaster or mix lime with Gypsum plaster in scratch or brown coat.

First coat, or scratch coat and brown coat together, must never be less than 3/8” thick, andmust be thoroughly dry before applying finish coat. Finish coat thickness must not be over 1/8”.

Apply plaster directly to Celotex; force into plaster well into board joints. Darby strokes must be in the direction of joists and studs, being careful to always span two joists or studs with rod or darby.

Thoroughly ventilate with fresh air from open windows, especially in cold weather. Remove this label before applying plaster.

Dates & Events in the History of Celotex

Celotex product description from 1943, Architectural Record October 1943 p. 16 - InspectApedia.com In the U.S. Celotex was a Delaware corporation founded in 1921. The company manufactured and distributed roofing and building products for residential and commercial use. The company continues in business principally under Jim Walter (since reincorporating in 1964) and Saint-Gobain and as Celotex in the U.K. In the U.K. the company's principal product is polyisocyanurate insulating foam board.

In Canada Carey-Canada Inc., a Celotex subsidiary, weas responsible for mining and processing asbestos fiber and loose-fill shorts used in a range of Celotex building materials until the Carey mine was closed in 1986.

Celotex filed for bankruptcy on 12 October 1990 and completed a financial reorganization on 9 December 1996. It participates in an Asbestos trust.

The U.S. headquarters of Celotex is Tampa, Florida.

Calendar Events in the History of the Celotex Corporation

Celotex polyisocyanurate insulation board (C) Daniel Friedman

Examples of Early Celotex fiberboard products:

Research History of Celotex Corporation & Its Products

Celotex gypsum board (C) Daniel Friedman

 




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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Comment: 1927 Celotex Advertisement in Better Home & Gardens

2020/12/08 Joyce Rublack said:

I thought you might be interested in this advertisement from July, 1927 edition of Better Homes and Gardens.

1927 Celotex Advertisement in Better Homes and Gardens (C) InspectApedia.com Joyce Rublack

[Click to enlarge any image]

Moderator reply:

Thank you Joyce.

Question: does this Celotex insulation contain asbestos?

Celotex mineral wool blanket insulation (C) InspectApedia.com Luke2020/10/16 Luke said:

Was wondering if anyone knew weather this attic insulation contains asbestos, thanks in advance!

This Q & A were posted originally at CELOTEX ASBESTOS PRODUCTS FAQs

Moderator reply: no; mineral wool is not asbestos.

Luke

Your nice photo identifies Celotex mineral wool - which is not an asbestos material.

Details about this type of insulatino are found

at MINERAL WOOL - ROCK WOOL INSULATION

You may also want to review the question of cross contamination

at CELOTEX ASBESTOS PRODUCTS

On 2020-09-25 by (mod) - Celotex fiberboard exterior insulating sheathing, probably Caneboard

Celotex fiberboard sheathing, probablyi Caneboard (C) InspectApedia.com TimTim, please see your photo and question now posted at

CANEBOARD PANELS

On 2020-09-25 by Tim - does this old Celotex fiberboard contain asbestos?

Tim said:

Hello I tried to send this question the other day not sure whether you got it not sure how to get an answer but

I do have the cello tax board underneath the live edge siding on my house that I’m renovating and

I just wanna know what the probability is that there would be asbestos in this

I believe this is the material that strictly made out of the sugarcane

Fibbers but perhaps you have an opinion on that I’d really appreciate the help thank you

On 2020-09-19 - by (mod) - history of flame spread & smoke index ratings for building materials in the U.S.

Garry

The question of flame spread and smoke index is an important one, but if the contemporary standards such as ASTM-E84 or NFPA 286 were not extant when Celotex manufactured that ceiling material then we may not find those fire rating and smoke rating data for it unless you happen to find some researcher who did testing somewhat later-on.

See also

On 2020-09-18 by Garry - determine the flame spread and smoke index for 1950's Cane Celotex 12"x12" ceiling tile

Am involved with a mechanical renovation to what was a 1950's era school that is now office space. The building is single story with celotex on the the underside of a conc. roof deck.

When the building was provided with air conditioning, a second suspended ceiling system was installed

I am trying to determine the flame spread and smoke index for 1950's Cane Celotex 12"x12" ceiling tile (that is now in a concealed space). Found 1938 sweets catalog for Celotex from APT library, but the brochure did not list smoke index rating.

Any suggest on where to locate the data is appreciated.

On 2020-05-26 8 by Anonymous

I have found a moountain of this stuff around a jacuzzi dismantle. What do i do with it?
I have been handling it with cartridge respirator and full clthing. but Im scared.

On 2020-01-24 by (mod) - Celotex label from a 1928 home

Celotex insulating lumber label from a 1928 home (C) Inspectapedia.com KarenKaren

Thank you for this contribution to the history of Celotex "Insulating Lumber" - in this case fiberboard sheathing. I'll be sure to keep it with the article.

On 2020-01-24 by Karen

Renovating my 1928 home. Found this stuff on all the Wald.

On 2018-02-26 by (mod)

Pamela,

I speculate that is possible, but you would certainly need more information. Besides possible hazards from this dust those breathing high levels of Airborne dust of many particle types could be potentially irritating. You might start by asking your dad's doctor for an opinion.

On 2018-02-26 by pamela foster

My father worked at Celotex in Stonebridge for over twenty years, he did not smoke, but died from lung cancer, could working with asbestos have caused this?

Celotex 3-inch fiberglass insulating batts with kraft facing (C) InspectApedia.com ScottQuestion: Does this Celotex insulation contain asbestos?

2020/01/25 Scott said:

I am remodeling an older home prob built in 60s opened wall to outside and found Celotex insulation .

Any way I can find out if it has asbestos in it?

This Q&A about Celotex insulation was posted originally at

CELOTEX ASBESTOS PRODUCTS FAQs

[Click to enlarge any image]

Reply: this Celotex™ is fiberglass - no asbestos

Thanks for the photo and question, Scott.

Enlarging to see the photo clearly,

your image shows Celotex™ fiberglass insulation in 3-inch batts faced with what looks like black kraft paper.

Fiberglass isn't an asbestos-containing product unless somehow it got cross-contaminated from another source.

 

Philip Carey Rock Wool Insulation  - not asbestos? (C) InspectApedia.com Question: Asbestos in Philip Carey Insulation?

We recently had some windows replaced and some wall was torn out in an early 1960's home. We noticed that there was some Philip Carey bagged insulation in there.

After review of a Carey catalog page from that era we are confident in assuming that it's just glass insulation. Though, under the older exterior wood of the home, there was underlaying of some type of tar paper which appeared black.

Given that some products of the home were sourced from P. Carey would that black paper pose any type of risk from that time period and from any supplier? - Anonymous by private email 2019/09/07

Reply: Not likely unless cross-contaminated; other PC products did contain asbestos. Details of Philip Carey Insulation including Rock Wool

https://inspectapedia.com/Design/Carey-Rock-Wool-1950.pdf is an example of Philip Carey rock wool insulation - that may be what you have.

I'd like to see photos of your insulation, of any labeling you found, and of the black felt or "tar paper" about which you're asking; then I can comment further.

We also discuss Philip Carey's operations at https://inspectapedia.com/insulation/Celotex-History-Products.php

Watch out: even when insulation such as mineral wool does not contain harmful particles such as asbestos, some felt paper used on some insulation products may itself have contained asbestos. It's not a friable material - the hazard, especially left un-disturbed, is likely to be minimal.

Reader follow-up:

Thanks for the reply; unfortunately due to circumstances(today) that were out of my control pictures are no longer a possibility; Don't think the black stuff was that rock wool because those are pictured as blankets.

As for the insulation - I assume it's the Carey Thermoglas type like in the brochure that someone put on Flickr . com

They were packed(interestingly enough look like long blankets in that mans hand) was in long black plastic bags marked in white stamp print "Philip Carey 2 inch" which is why I assumed the Thermoglas because it came in 2" - Albeit grayish fluffy glass looking at the opening point at the top of the bags

and hoping it doesn't contain asbestos but with cutthroats like people in that industry in those years the dollar was king - so who the hell knows if they mixed some in, and people like myself in 2019 still have to deal with this crap.

Beggars can't be choosers and unfortunately I don't make the decisions here. Can people still make claims in those Asbestos Celotex Trusts? Do you need to go through lawyers, just for my knowledge?

Moderator reply: how to file a claim with the Celotex asbestos trust re Philip Carey asbestos products

See filing details at the CELOTEX ASBESTOS TRUST - there we give contact information and more details. Excerpt:

The Trust is designed to provide compensation for those who have an injury as a result of exposure to asbestos mined or manufactured by Celotex, Carey Canada or their predecessor companies. The Trust also protects those who are not presently injured but may develop an asbestos-related disease in the future due to exposure.

During the bankruptcy proceeding a deadline was established for those individuals who were injured as a result of asbestos exposure. The deadline is referred to as the Bar Date, by which potential clailoves must have filed a Proof of Claim. The Bar Date was March 15, 1996. Individuals who filed their Proofs of Claim on or before the Bar Date are eligible to file a claim with the Trust.

Any individuals diagnosed with an injury after the Bar Date are considered future injury clailoves and may file claims with the Trust.

also see Philip Carey ASBESTOS PRODUCTS

Question: Do some Celotex® ceiling tiles contain asbestos?

We bought a house that was built in the 50's - it has what I THINK is a Celotex ceiling (or some copy of Celotex) - it's in horrible shape and needs to be taken down - what are your thoughts on it containing asbestos, considering the age? - Saundra

Reply: Yes. In the article above we provide a list of Celotex® fiber-board, ceiling covering, acoustical, sound control & other products that may contain asbestos

Saundra,

Keep in mind that Celotex and other insulating board panel and ceiling tile and panel manufacturers produced a range of products, many of which may contain asbestos, but others made of organic fibers, wood fibers, cane fibers may not contain asbestos. The Celotex ceiling products division was sold to Certainteed Saint-Gobain beginning in 1999.

Certainteed continues to produce and sell both fiberglass and mineral-fiber ceiling products, as well as gypsum based ceiling materials. You may find look-alike products by searching that company's product catalogs.

Modern ceiling products do not contain asbestos. Using Certainteed as an example, [www.certainteed.com] you can obtain an MSDS (Material Data Safety Sheet) for each of the company's products. Common modern ceiling product ingredients include fibrous glass wool, urea formaldehyde resin, and fiberboard products contain slag wool, starch, cellulose [wood fibers], perlite, crystalline silica, and clay.

It's worth noting that even modern building products can present health hazards if they are not handled properly. For example crystalline silica can cause nose, throat, and lung irritation. [6]

If you are not sure of the product brand and age of the ceiling covering, and are not sure whether or not the product contains asbestos, and if we accept as a "given" that your ceiling covering needs to be removed, there are two reasonable ways to proceed:

or

To elaborate your question about asbestos-containing products made by Celotex, the company produced a wide range of fiber-based insulation products such as insulating boards and panels and the company continues to produce modern (non-asbestos-containing) versions of those products today.

At FIBERBOARD SHEATHING, Celotex Homasote & Other we include identifying photographs of some Celotex products.

Question: is it safe to clean Celotex board ceilings in our 1935 church?

Is it safe to clean the ceiling of our Church which has celotex boards and believed to have been installed in 1935? - Len Taylor 10/25/12

Reply:

"Safe" depends - the greatest hazard of cleaning a church ceiling is falling off of a ladder. I don't know what kind of cleaning you are talking about, nor what the concern was; But if you avoid aggressive cleaning that damages the material and creates fibers and dust, you should be ok. Celotex fiberboard insulating panels are not an asbestos product - as you can read

at SHEATHING, FIBERBOARD

Question: Asbestos in paper HVAC duct wrap

(May 24, 2015) Anonymous said:
What kind of asbestos was used in paper duct wrap in 1908? Was it chrysotile or another form?

Reply:

Please see ASBESTOS PAPER DUCT INSULATION and also

see ASBESTOS DUCTS, HVAC - where we cite research on these materials as well as advice on action plans when they're present in a building.

Question: asbestos in Louisiana-Made Ceiling Tiles from 1971?

(Aug 5, 2015) Melanie said:
I need to find out if our ceiling tile contains asbestos. They were manufactured in Marrero, LA in 1971. Numbers found on the box are: 32286 and 270. Can you help? Thank you.

Reply:

Check with Louisiana Acoustical & Drywall Materials is a subsidiary of GMS, 2601 Samford Ave Shreveport, LA 71103 318-459-2944 louisianamaterials.com

Question: need to know if Celotex mineral wool contains asbestos

(Nov 9, 2015) homeowner said:
I need to know if Celotex mineral wool contains asbestos. This is loose fiber insulation in walls and attic found in home that was renovated with this product in 1959. There is a package that says "Celotex Mineral Wool,fire retardant" in the home.

Reply:

Mineral wool is not an asbestos product. Only if yours was cross-contaminated might we expect to find asbestos in it.

See inspectapedia.com/insulation/Rock_Wool_Insulation.php for details.

Question: 1940's Celotex ceiling tile board asbestos?

(Jan 30, 2016) jane said:
We are rehabbing a house that has Celotex tile board as the ceiling in the upstairs. I'm guessing it was put up in the early 1940's. I have a box with a label and wondered if you could tell me if they contain asbestos. Type No.91 Joint Es Size 1/2x16"x16" sq. Ft.88.89 No.Pieces 50

Reply:

Jane, please use the page bottom CONTACT link to send some pictures of the box labeling on all sides and the tile bith sides and we can comment further as well as researching further.

Question: Realtor says ceiling panels are made of sugar cane not asbestos

(May 28, 2016) tclark said:
I'm looking at purchasing a home built in 1929. All of the walls and ceilings are finished with panels that our realtor is calling Celotex panels. She states that they are a by product of sugar cane which would not be surprising as the town in which it is located produces sugar cane. I see on this site that this product does not contain asbestos. How can I be sure that this is actually the product that was used vs one of the others that do contain asbestos? Also, how is this material repaired when needed? I can post photos if it will help

Reply:

TClark

Your realtor may or may not be correct as cellulose-based (wood-based) insulating board panels were made from a variety of products, not just sugar cane.

But as you may read in the article above, she is right that some Celotex was made of that material. Or perhaps she was sugar coating the sale for you. Did you ask the realtor how she knew for sure what the material was, who made it and what were its constituents and how she knew that it was made at a plant that was not at risk of asbestos cross-contamination.

To know for certain if a product contains no asbestos, with no more data than your question, you'd have to have a sample tested by a certified asbestos test lab (about $50.) though it may not be justified in this case.

You can use our page top or page bottom CONTACT link to send me photos. The Comment Box software does not yet let readers post photos, though many of us have asked for that feature.


...

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