I am preparing to renovate a home built in the 1940's. I know that it has asbestos siding outside. The home has acoustic ceiling tiles throughout that I plan on taking down. These are either stapled or glued to the drywall above them. Any chance these contain asbestos? They are quite soft and appear to be made of cardboard.

Thanks

 

Can't tell unless you know exactly where they came from. Should do a test to tell for sure. Sounds like somebody put them over a cracked plaster ceiling just to cover it up. What are your plans if you take them down?

 

They were just stapled to the ceiling joists in one room and appear to be glued to drywall in the other. Planning on going with 3/8 drywall over the existing and will have to hang 1/2 in the room with the exposed joists.

 

I'd locate the ceiling joists & then cover up the glued ones, real pain to scrape them off.

Now for a strictly personal opinion, I definitely believe that asbestos isn't good for you and I do not recommend that anyone handle the stuff without proper precautions being taken, but I think the legal profession and alot of contractors for that matter are making a mint out of a mole hill, ranks right up there with the mold epidemic.

Cover the glued tiles with your 3/8" drywall, personally I'd use 1/2", it's usually the same price and it'll give you a smoother ceiling, & like I said it's a real pain to scrape off anything that's glued.

My $.02 worth.

 

Thanks for the input. The tiles weren't glued up very well, a little pressure with a pry bar and about 3 or 4 pop off, but I will give serious consideration to your suggestion. I will go with the 1/2" drywall too, was just thinking the 3/8" would be a little easier to handle overhead.


I agree about the asbestos comment. I think precautions should be taken but the stuff is still being sold and used up in Canada. I haven't heard that the Canadian population is suffering for it.

 

For more info an Asbestoes see here.Asbestos Warning and info