#Lath and plaster ceiling asbestos how to#

It was mainly used around pipes and boilers because of its fire resistance and insulating properties. In the 1800s, asbestos was used in ships and trains. Astonishingly, asbestos wasn’t fully banned in the UK until 1999, even though health risks had been noticed since the ancient greeks used asbestos in tablecloths and blankets!Įven though asbestos wasn’t commonly used for building before the 1930s, asbestos had been used much earlier. Even if your home wasn’t built around this time, if it was repaired or modified, asbestos materials could have been used. It was mostly used in the years between 19. When Was Asbestos Used In The UK?Īsbestos was widely used in the UK for building between 19. This is a great first step to determining whether asbestos was used on your house. If their house contains asbestos, yours may do as well. If you suspect asbestos, you may be able to check with your neighbours to see if they have had a survey. Often, houses built around the same time and place would have similar or the same materials used in their construction. Additionally, your local council may be able to help you determine if your house was built using asbestos products or if nearby houses were constructed with the material. The supplier or original manufacturer of the building material may be able to tell you whether it contains asbestos. If you aren’t sure what the material is and suspect that asbestos could have been used, you mustn’t disturb the material without wearing proper protection.Īfter 1976, materials containing asbestos had to be labelled, showing that they contained the product. It’s always best to either get an expert to test and inspect the plaster or use a DIY testing kit to send off a sample and have it analysed. Many cement products had asbestos added to them to increase their strength. It can sometimes be difficult to determine if a plaster is cement or lime based.

#Lath and plaster ceiling asbestos how to#

Related article: What Are The Best Paints For Lime Plaster? How To Be Sure Plaster Doesn’t Contain Asbestos? Fibres in Old plasters can sometimes have remained untouched for centuries, so they were applied well before it became common to use asbestos for insulation and other building materials (the 1930s onwards). Goat hair can help increase the plasters longevity in more exposed locations. This is because it is finer than horse hair, making it less obvious and more pleasing to look at. In some cases, goat hair is added to the final coats of lime plaster. Laths with horse hair lime plaster applied. Horse hair was added to the first and sometimes second coat, especially for plastering on laths which helped to ‘hook’ the mortar onto the individual laths. The most common fibres used in the UK are horse and goat hair. This is perfectly normal and safe.įibres were and still are added to lime plasters to increase tensile strength (the maximum tension the plaster can take before it cracks or breaks) and reduce shrinkage. These include, but are not limited to, the following horse, ox, cow, goat, deer, yak, llama, hemp, sisal and jute fibres can all be used in lime plasters. Depending on where it was made, many different hairs and fibres have been used for lime plaster production. Lime plaster should not contain any asbestos or asbestos products. What Are The Fibres In Lime Plaster If They Arent Asbestos? Although lime plaster should not contain asbestos, if you feel unsure, get an expert to inspect and test the plaster before disturbing it. Old lime plaster will often appear white and may be crumby. Unlike asbestos, these fibres do not pose any significant health risks. It is normal for lime plasters to contain fibres such as horse hair and goat hair, and modern lime plaster may contain plastic fibres.

Some old plasters appear to have fibres in them that may concern some people.

When doing modifications or repairs to your home, it’s always a worry that you may come across some asbestos.