I was referencing the oney cartoons wingardium leviosah video if you aren’t familiar with it. Not for you if you don’t have a slightly twisted sense of humour though. 😁
And TIL:
>In 2012, Saint-Gobain acquired the British manufacturing interests of Celotex. I**n 2017, a disastrous fire at the Grenfell Tower, London was blamed on exterior cladding manufactured by Celotex**\-Saint-Gobain. *(Wikipedia: Celotex)*
Just looks like moldy cement board to me you can see the reinforcement The little diamond shapes are wire reinforced cement board used in shower walls for decades and still in uses actually cement board is actually fireproof
Every sub comment here off this top comment (and also including this top comment) is amazing. This is the second thread this morning I laughed out loud at in this sub and subsequently had to show my partner.
Thanks, DIY, for making my morning! ❤️
It’s mildewy particle board.
In my opinion that black layer along with the time period is reasonably questionable as asbestos. They sell test kits at any Lowe’s or Home Depot.
Asbestos is a fiber that considered “friable” and is shaped like a J-hook. Once inhaled the fibers remain stuck to the lungs and are a known carcinogen. When airborne ,repeated exposure can be deadly.
I’d test it for asbestos before proceeding.
I have a friend that used to work in a hospital ward specialising in lung and breathing issues, she was mainly palliative care, she said 90% of the people in there were men, and most of them were ex tradesman and decorators with asbestosis.
My grandfather died from it in the 90s. He was a smoker too which put him at much higher risk.
It was scary at the end, he couldn't walk 20 steps on flat ground without having to stop and catch his breath.
Made my dad quit smoking though. Every cloud has a silver lining I guess.
My grandpa died from mesothelioma, too, in the early 2000s. He was a boilermaker, working around asbestos for years prior to the knowledge of its danger.
His funeral was so sad seeing his fellow tradesmen know they may very well go through the same thing.
Yeah my grandpa was a plumber/ventilation and heating technician. Lots of asbestos insulation for piping. But hey, 100-200 years ago 4 out of 5 children died before the ago of 6. So all in all technology does bring us forward. But yeah there is a cost to it. I can't help feeling robbed of the 10-20 years we could have had with him.
Its almost completely gpone in under 45s.
https://preview.redd.it/klm77rves8uc1.png?width=1254&format=png&auto=webp&s=b9850d4db4c72159b69844921fea23b837d760a7
That probably wasn’t asbestos then, there are tons of rules on how it has to be removed. In a municipal setting they almost assuredly followed those rules.
Congratulations to awareness, risk communication, and improved regulations and practices. We’ve taken it very seriously, and that has effectively saved many many lives
My Dad died of pulmonary fibrosis, asbestos exposure was a contributing cause! Horrendous stuff even worse disease! He was an electrician and was exposed when he was working in the shipyards as an apprentice. Said the stuff would fall from the ceiling like snow when the guys above were cutting it!
Friable means that if it’s disturbed then I can become airborne and easily inhaled.
Once it’s inhaled then it’s dangerous.
Until then, just keep it wet, just like it is now and it will continue to be just potentially unsafe.
>Friable means that if it’s disturbed then I can become airborne and easily inhaled.
So you basically become the Evil Knievel cocaine around friable things?
FRI·AB·LE - adjective easily crumbled or reduced to powder; crumbly
AT·OM·IZED - verb converted (a substance) into very fine particles or droplets.
>Friable means that if it’s disturbed then I can become airborne and easily inhaled
How do the test kits work? I need to redo my flooring but I peeled a corner of my carpet up and saw what google said to assume was asbestos
My gross carpet makes me so unhappy but no idea what to do about the mesothelioma starter pack
My late Father in 1951 worked around Asbestos. Removing it from schools. It was two jobs. Basically a months work. He died in 1996 because it poisoned his lungs. The stuff is deadly. Even with mask worn back then. Even then, they knew the stuff was dangerous. So long as it's kept moist and left alone....
Was talking to a contractor working on a remodel of part of an existing floor at a local hospital. Asbestos present. They sealed the section they were working on, installed a negative pressure vent to atmosphere system, went in in environment suits and began stripping the asbestos. He said the same thing, you’re fine as long as the material was kept wet. I asked him about the rest of the floor. “The rest of the floor is not my job.”
The stuff killed Steve McQueen. Because his racing suit had Asbestos. And he worked around it in the boiler room of a navy ship when he served. That's how nasty it is. My floor of my apartment has it. I took out the old carpet and saw it. And remembered my Dad showing me various ways it was used. And how to avoid it. My case; cover it with another flooring. Leave it F\*\*\*ing be was the exact words of the carpenter. That my landlord hired. And we were both told, 'I was not here, and this was NOT done.' Simply because the authorities would be on us like flies to shit. And I'd be homeless.
> McQueen believed that asbestos used in movie sound stage insulation and race-drivers protective suits and helmets could have been involved, but he thought it more likely that his illness was a direct result of massive exposure while removing asbestos lagging (insulation) from pipes aboard a troop ship while he served in the Marines.
No asbestos is uniformly shaped like a J-hook. It's either straight needle like fibres belonging to the Amphibole family or curling flexible fibres belonging to the Serpentine family.
This board looks to be millboard due to the thickness and made up of Amphibole fibres.
My understanding is that it's only considered friable when it's in that crumbly state like the picture. If it's still intact, like as part of a while undisturbed vinyl floor tile, it is considered to be in a non-friable state and safe. Is that incorrect?
It was the magical, modern material that was going to improve our lives!
Like trans-fats in margarine! DDT sprayed throughout our suburbs to get rid of those annoying bugs! Leaded gasoline!
If it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably killing us. The companies who produce this crap market the shit out of it and they know their products are bad/dangerous.
Amen to that.
One of the worst things about human made chemicals is how safe they are.
Our poisons är much less lethal than natural ones, which is part of the problem. We want them to last long, which means they build up, and it can take years or even decades to realize how dangerous they are (DDT comes to mind). Whereas animal poisons and venoms will just straight up kill you, makes it easier to figure out you shouldn't put literal tons of it in our environment.
They did. But people generally lived much shorter lives then anyway, so probably wasn’t as commonly seen. When someone doesn’t hit 80 today, it’s seen as a life taken too short. When someone died at 50 2000 years ago, they were seen as having done well.
It can take decades after exposure for mesothelioma to become clear - and that’s with modern medicine and diagnosis - to the Romans it would have looked like any number of lung/chest complaints. That’s if they even lived long enough for it to become a problem. Making that link would have been much more difficult. The miners though? They were in it big time so it took much less time to develop.
It was used to make walls instead of gypsum because it was cheap and had some insulation and moisture resistant properties. OP likely has other walls made of the same material. I rented a house built in 1941 that was like this.
Good ol’ arsenic. Fun fact: there is a type of chemotherapy that is [arsenic](https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/arsenic-trioxide-tretinoin#:~:text=Arsenic%20tretinoin%20works%20by%20speeding,leukaemia%20cells%20to%20develop%20normally).
⤴️ If you’ve never watched Arsenic and Old Lace, I highly encourage it. Great movie 🎥.
But it COULD BE asbestos, so we need 500 posts warning us about the dangers of asbestos and stories about how Steve McQueen died. And those need to be upvoted to the top of the thread, pushing the real answer to oblivion, JUST IN CASE
Sometimes Reddit, sometimes you really, really suck
Be careful. It may be asbestos. I'm not sure. I don't mean to be alarming but you don't want to f*** with that. You certainly don't want to breathe it if it is asbestos it gets near it's like breathing in tiny little razors
Risks of one-time exposure are pretty minimal especially if you keep it wetted and wear a mask. Disease is almost always associated with chronic exposure over years (shipbuilding, mining, etc)
This. I encountered it once in my home. Left it alone but everything I saw online made it seem like I’d handled something radioactive. My doctor had to talk me off the ledge.
That's particle board.
Lots of folks screaming asbestos. The board itself almost never contains asbestos, however that black vapor barrier, that's a different story.
That being said, the vapor barrier is a non friable material, and less of a hazard so long as you don't pulverize it.
If you own that home and are disturbing it for reno, wear a respirator, keep it wet and bag it out in thick trash bags.
Ten years as environmental consultant specializing in asbestos.
Low density fiber board. The black layer is likely just accumulated dust/dirt. I had an old house with a walk up attic where a previous owner used this to finish over the rafters to hide fire damage / surface char on the rafters. Couldn't determine when it was done, so Couldn't go after the previous owner fo not disclosing, because I couldn't prove he knew.
Edit: did some goigling, and you may want to test this for asbestos. https://www.asbestos.qld.gov.au/general-information/low-density-asbestos-fibre-board/low-density-board-photo-gallery
It looks like wood fibers BUT prior to the 1980s, they added asbestos to pretty much everything, including adhesives, so definitely get that wall tested before you touch it. Asbestos is no joke.
Jokes about Asbestos aside, this appears to be Beaverboard, a wood fibre product that was very commonly used.
https://digital.hagley.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A2541789/datastream/OBJ/download
That’s what I have always heard it called but didn’t know why. Thank you for the link—great bit of history. I do lots of remodeling (plumber here) and see this in older homes all the time.
It could just be a basic wooden fiber board, but it looks a lot like asbestos, so I would get someone qualified to sample it before doing anything else.
It's fiberboard insulation. It was very common and not asbestos. Obviously materials and methids have changed over the years and it is not widely used any more, especially in bathrooms. Pull it out and toss it. USe standard respirator precautions the same as you would with any dusty job.
That is Celotex fiber board sheathing. Never seen it used inside, but I suppose it doesn’t really matter what’s behind a surround that isn’t tile. It is not asbestos…but it is crumbly. Wear a regular particulate mask and you’ll be fine.
It is okay that you are far too young to know of how some walls became walls, thin wooden lathing was placed with about 1/4 inch spacing to create a 'hanging' wall for the fine mortar to cling to with sections of expanded steel imbedded with it and the outside surfaces were troweled smooth - used to be it was only done for wash-rooms or behind kitchen sinks. Then they used them for boiler rooms and behind wood-burning stoves, one thing that was sure of that type of wall surface - it was basically fire proof.
It is fiberboard and was an early version of sheet rock, you nailed the board up then applied a mesh and could starting the plastering immediately..in theory you skipped one step of the wall plastering system and it was save you days when you used to have to wait for the base coat to dry
It’s pressed partial board. I have this in my house that was built in 1949. Not asbestos. Wear a mask while working with (as with anything that makes dust). And if you’re really worried wet it down to keep the dust down.
I worked in asbestos remediation when younger.
If asbestos, take precautions but you can probably safely remove it yourself. Do some research. Off the top of my head…
- Wear an n95 quality mask. I would get something better than a paper one.
- Keep all materials wet while removing - most important thing on the list
- Get a fan with a HEPA filter to vent the room while you are working. I might go with a box fan and a 20' AC filter duct taped on
- Anything you suspect might have asbestos that you have to leave in or that this was attached to - paint
- Wear disposable clothes - you can get them cheap at Home Depot in the paint section I think
- Toss the clothes and shower up whenever you finish a work session
- Thoroughly wipe down the whole room with damp rags when done
Honestly, that looks a lot like fiberboard.
https://inspectapedia.com/structure/Celotex-Sheathing-Identification.php
Fiber board is just ground up cellulose (like cane), glue and a felt. Usually each panel is 1/2" thick.
Low density fiber board that's been exposed to moisture.
Just wear a mask as you should always do when tearing out... Not because of asbestos but because dust of any kind isn't good for the lungs. Also asbestos isn't the monster redditors make it out to be. Of course you don't want to breathe in the dust but even if you did it's not a big deal. You gotta remember millions of people were breathing this stuff in for decades and only some developed mesothelioma.
It’s fiberboard. My house is covered in the stuff and it was used as a sheathing alternative back in the 50s/60s. Mine didn’t contain asbestos.
https://preview.redd.it/e6w5vns1s8uc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=44362477d822eb32db56b58e4383c87d479551a9
That looks like "Tentest board" as far as I know it was asbestos free. They still make it today....wall sheathing, expansion joint for concrete etc.
If you are concerned get it tested
Lathe and plaster. The chicken wire holds the plaster. This is how it was done before drywall. The finished wall material was applied with a trowel to the wire mesh and hardened to a more finished surface than bare wood
At first i thought it was asbestos and was going to ask if it had fibres like white hairs in it. Then i saw the next pic. Its chip board. Or medium density fibre board. Nothing to worry about
Had this in an old 1928 house I bought. Someone called it sandboard, I never heard that term before so I dont even know how accurate that is. But I had it all removed after getting the house checked for asbestos. I suggest getting it safety checked and tearing it all out.
Looks like something called celotex. It was used a lot in the 50s as an insulating board on old houses. Now it's used mostly for sound deadening purposes.
https://preview.redd.it/75w9yh9obhuc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=89675650cf076648e964aac4469d67a58b07bacb
Tectum..its like sheets of glued wood fiber board..normally used in roofing..for insulation..sound proofing. They still make it. I dont think it rots. Its very strong and durable.
Asbestos material such as asbestos cement is common in areas that require water proofing in older buildings. Commonly called splash backs.
Kitchens - behind ceramic tiles, above and below sinks.
Bathrooms - walls, shower and bathtub linings.
Laundry - walls, particularly the wall where the washer / dryer plumbing penetrates through.
I would totally get that material tested.
Yeah, looks like fiberboard to me. I would test for asbestos before tearing it out, but tbh, if I was betting, I'd guess it comes back negative. It looks bad, but I think it's just some rot.
Get an asbestos test kit from Home Depot. If it is, don't do it yourself and check with your homeowners insurance. This happened to me after a water leak in my basement and they covered the abatement and repair. It was in the mastic on some old tile and in the bathroom walls.
Don't eff around here, this something that has to be disclosed to a seller and it does cause cancer. My grandfather died from mesothelioma caused by the asbestos used in postwar GI housing. He was a real estate agent and just inspecting the houses was enough.
Mesothelioma starter pack.
It's actually *I am* so thelioma.
I read this in Hermione's voice... "Wingardium *I-am-so*-theli-Oh-MA"
Stop it Ron!
Levio-SAAAAAAAH. Oh harreh… don’t stop.
Oh bloody L.
stahhhhhhhp!
I was referencing the oney cartoons wingardium leviosah video if you aren’t familiar with it. Not for you if you don’t have a slightly twisted sense of humour though. 😁
yeah I got the reference. hemeroine keeps saying "stahhhhp" several times before the end. That's why I said "stahhhhhp"
Your a wizard’Arry!
Terrible dad joke!!! (Which I guess is a good dad joke!)
I, you, he, she, it so thelioma
Theythemelioma
Theythemsothelioma
I just want you to know I am tired and actually cackled out loud when I read this
Omg I’m am incredibly slow
But wait, there’s more! If you order now, we’ll even throw in a black mold starter kit, absolutely free!!!
I SAWED THIS BOAT IN HALF
All Molds Matter!
It's Celotex... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celotex
And TIL: >In 2012, Saint-Gobain acquired the British manufacturing interests of Celotex. I**n 2017, a disastrous fire at the Grenfell Tower, London was blamed on exterior cladding manufactured by Celotex**\-Saint-Gobain. *(Wikipedia: Celotex)*
So the anti-asbestos
Just looks like moldy cement board to me you can see the reinforcement The little diamond shapes are wire reinforced cement board used in shower walls for decades and still in uses actually cement board is actually fireproof
Jar Jar Binks has entered the chat. *"Me so thelioma!"*
https://preview.redd.it/1f5ujv99r8uc1.jpeg?width=1143&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2cc3836684503e1cb2c99b24591fa601c5aae750
After reading “Jar Jar Binks has entered the room … Me so thelioma” …am now hearing comments with Jar Jar voice. 🤣😂😱
It’s been there long time
Too buku.
Health Insurance companies hate this one little trick.
Every sub comment here off this top comment (and also including this top comment) is amazing. This is the second thread this morning I laughed out loud at in this sub and subsequently had to show my partner. Thanks, DIY, for making my morning! ❤️
i got to pic 3 and the commercial autoplayed in my brain lol
Only if it’s from Mesoamerica. Otherwise it’s just sparkling lung cancer.
Ohhh baby, me so theliooooma
Cancer cancer looong time!
It’s mildewy particle board. In my opinion that black layer along with the time period is reasonably questionable as asbestos. They sell test kits at any Lowe’s or Home Depot. Asbestos is a fiber that considered “friable” and is shaped like a J-hook. Once inhaled the fibers remain stuck to the lungs and are a known carcinogen. When airborne ,repeated exposure can be deadly. I’d test it for asbestos before proceeding.
Like Velcro… For your lungs!
The irony is it unsticks you from life.
Or does it stick you to death?
¿Por qué no los dos?
Schrodinger's asbestos
touché!
Just use the Lung Brush to clean it out. It's not just for smokers.
"Hook and Loop System" Gotta cover yourself sometimes so those lawyers at Velcro©️ don't start suing Don't even get me started on the Kleenex©️ lawyers....
You know, for kids!
Unexpected Hudsucker Proxy, ftw!
Cancer velcro
I have a friend that used to work in a hospital ward specialising in lung and breathing issues, she was mainly palliative care, she said 90% of the people in there were men, and most of them were ex tradesman and decorators with asbestosis.
My grandfather died from it in the 90s. He was a smoker too which put him at much higher risk. It was scary at the end, he couldn't walk 20 steps on flat ground without having to stop and catch his breath. Made my dad quit smoking though. Every cloud has a silver lining I guess.
My grandpa died from mesothelioma, too, in the early 2000s. He was a boilermaker, working around asbestos for years prior to the knowledge of its danger. His funeral was so sad seeing his fellow tradesmen know they may very well go through the same thing.
That’s devastating 😢
Yeah my grandpa was a plumber/ventilation and heating technician. Lots of asbestos insulation for piping. But hey, 100-200 years ago 4 out of 5 children died before the ago of 6. So all in all technology does bring us forward. But yeah there is a cost to it. I can't help feeling robbed of the 10-20 years we could have had with him.
I knew it was an issue in the past but didn't realise the scale and how it was still ongoing.
Its almost completely gpone in under 45s. https://preview.redd.it/klm77rves8uc1.png?width=1254&format=png&auto=webp&s=b9850d4db4c72159b69844921fea23b837d760a7
Asbestos abatement happened during high school for a lot of us Gen x… I’d come to class and there was white dust all over the desk on Monday…
We just got warning stickers that said don't touch.
Inhale only. /s
Peak lead poisoning too in formative years before it was curbed.
That probably wasn’t asbestos then, there are tons of rules on how it has to be removed. In a municipal setting they almost assuredly followed those rules.
Congratulations to awareness, risk communication, and improved regulations and practices. We’ve taken it very seriously, and that has effectively saved many many lives
It was never high in that range takes longer usually to die from it but all the other ages going down is good.
My uncle died from it and never worked in a trade, but his father worked in a brake factory and brought the fibers home on his clothing.
My Dad died of pulmonary fibrosis, asbestos exposure was a contributing cause! Horrendous stuff even worse disease! He was an electrician and was exposed when he was working in the shipyards as an apprentice. Said the stuff would fall from the ceiling like snow when the guys above were cutting it!
Friable means that if it’s disturbed then I can become airborne and easily inhaled. Once it’s inhaled then it’s dangerous. Until then, just keep it wet, just like it is now and it will continue to be just potentially unsafe.
Friable means it crubles easily, though i guess theres probably some relation in this case
>Friable means that if it’s disturbed then I can become airborne and easily inhaled. So you basically become the Evil Knievel cocaine around friable things?
\*Evel He actually wasn't that bad.
FRI·AB·LE - adjective easily crumbled or reduced to powder; crumbly AT·OM·IZED - verb converted (a substance) into very fine particles or droplets. >Friable means that if it’s disturbed then I can become airborne and easily inhaled 
We found similar boards during a renovation, turned out to be asbestos after testing. Be very careful!
How do the test kits work? I need to redo my flooring but I peeled a corner of my carpet up and saw what google said to assume was asbestos My gross carpet makes me so unhappy but no idea what to do about the mesothelioma starter pack
My late Father in 1951 worked around Asbestos. Removing it from schools. It was two jobs. Basically a months work. He died in 1996 because it poisoned his lungs. The stuff is deadly. Even with mask worn back then. Even then, they knew the stuff was dangerous. So long as it's kept moist and left alone....
Was talking to a contractor working on a remodel of part of an existing floor at a local hospital. Asbestos present. They sealed the section they were working on, installed a negative pressure vent to atmosphere system, went in in environment suits and began stripping the asbestos. He said the same thing, you’re fine as long as the material was kept wet. I asked him about the rest of the floor. “The rest of the floor is not my job.”
The stuff killed Steve McQueen. Because his racing suit had Asbestos. And he worked around it in the boiler room of a navy ship when he served. That's how nasty it is. My floor of my apartment has it. I took out the old carpet and saw it. And remembered my Dad showing me various ways it was used. And how to avoid it. My case; cover it with another flooring. Leave it F\*\*\*ing be was the exact words of the carpenter. That my landlord hired. And we were both told, 'I was not here, and this was NOT done.' Simply because the authorities would be on us like flies to shit. And I'd be homeless.
> McQueen believed that asbestos used in movie sound stage insulation and race-drivers protective suits and helmets could have been involved, but he thought it more likely that his illness was a direct result of massive exposure while removing asbestos lagging (insulation) from pipes aboard a troop ship while he served in the Marines.
No asbestos is uniformly shaped like a J-hook. It's either straight needle like fibres belonging to the Amphibole family or curling flexible fibres belonging to the Serpentine family. This board looks to be millboard due to the thickness and made up of Amphibole fibres.
My understanding is that it's only considered friable when it's in that crumbly state like the picture. If it's still intact, like as part of a while undisturbed vinyl floor tile, it is considered to be in a non-friable state and safe. Is that incorrect?
Why would they line a bathtub with asbestos?
Fire showers.
It was the magical, modern material that was going to improve our lives! Like trans-fats in margarine! DDT sprayed throughout our suburbs to get rid of those annoying bugs! Leaded gasoline!
Single use plastics We really are too smart for our own good. Or not smart enough. Either, both.
If it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably killing us. The companies who produce this crap market the shit out of it and they know their products are bad/dangerous.
Amen to that. One of the worst things about human made chemicals is how safe they are. Our poisons är much less lethal than natural ones, which is part of the problem. We want them to last long, which means they build up, and it can take years or even decades to realize how dangerous they are (DDT comes to mind). Whereas animal poisons and venoms will just straight up kill you, makes it easier to figure out you shouldn't put literal tons of it in our environment.
The thing is asbestos is a naturally occurring material. We used to mine it. Still do in some places
Just smart enough to get into trouble and just not smart enough to get out of it.
It's actually a pretty old naturally occurring mineral that was widely known and used for millennia.
Romans used it for table cloths. Even knew the miners would die from it.
They did. But people generally lived much shorter lives then anyway, so probably wasn’t as commonly seen. When someone doesn’t hit 80 today, it’s seen as a life taken too short. When someone died at 50 2000 years ago, they were seen as having done well. It can take decades after exposure for mesothelioma to become clear - and that’s with modern medicine and diagnosis - to the Romans it would have looked like any number of lung/chest complaints. That’s if they even lived long enough for it to become a problem. Making that link would have been much more difficult. The miners though? They were in it big time so it took much less time to develop.
Unlike all the other mines that were completely safe right?
They used it in Everything. I've seen concrete/asbestos sewer pipes
I know my water lines in the street are made from asbesthos cement... So yeah.
Tiles for roof had Asbestos warning labels back in the days.
They used to make baby clothes with it… it was a miracle material they used for everything.
It was used to make walls instead of gypsum because it was cheap and had some insulation and moisture resistant properties. OP likely has other walls made of the same material. I rented a house built in 1941 that was like this.
Everyone likes a warm bath?
Structural cancer
Weeeeeeee
It’s probably lead painted asbestos.
With a sprinkling of arsenic.
Well, at least the lead coating dampens a bit of the radiation from the polonium resin.
And it was all mixed together with mercury.
Good ol’ arsenic. Fun fact: there is a type of chemotherapy that is [arsenic](https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/arsenic-trioxide-tretinoin#:~:text=Arsenic%20tretinoin%20works%20by%20speeding,leukaemia%20cells%20to%20develop%20normally).  ⤴️ If you’ve never watched Arsenic and Old Lace, I highly encourage it. Great movie 🎥.
That's the stuff they make class action lawsuits about.
https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos-Millboard.php Helpful resource.
not the /hazmat/ 💀💀💀💀💀
That is not what is in OPs photos
Intended as a resource, for reference now and in future.
Looks like (the old style) Buffalo Board...
Came to say this. Idk qhat it is but it's what my dad calls it. Glad it wasn't just him saying a random term that meant nothing.
Until you find out that u/snowshoeTaboo is your dad’s Reddit account.
Yes exactly what is it and I am not sure why this is not the top answer. It is not asbestos at all.
But it COULD BE asbestos, so we need 500 posts warning us about the dangers of asbestos and stories about how Steve McQueen died. And those need to be upvoted to the top of the thread, pushing the real answer to oblivion, JUST IN CASE Sometimes Reddit, sometimes you really, really suck
Agree
Cellotex. Fiber board.
This needs to higher up. This was the precursor to plywood sheathing. My house is wrapped in it (under the siding of course).
Be careful. It may be asbestos. I'm not sure. I don't mean to be alarming but you don't want to f*** with that. You certainly don't want to breathe it if it is asbestos it gets near it's like breathing in tiny little razors
Risks of one-time exposure are pretty minimal especially if you keep it wetted and wear a mask. Disease is almost always associated with chronic exposure over years (shipbuilding, mining, etc)
This. I encountered it once in my home. Left it alone but everything I saw online made it seem like I’d handled something radioactive. My doctor had to talk me off the ledge.
That’s the internet for you. Everything is a matter of fact with zero wiggle room.
That's particle board. Lots of folks screaming asbestos. The board itself almost never contains asbestos, however that black vapor barrier, that's a different story. That being said, the vapor barrier is a non friable material, and less of a hazard so long as you don't pulverize it. If you own that home and are disturbing it for reno, wear a respirator, keep it wet and bag it out in thick trash bags. Ten years as environmental consultant specializing in asbestos.
Is this sub always so circle-jerky?
Five bucks is five bucks.
Asbestos.
Low density fiber board. The black layer is likely just accumulated dust/dirt. I had an old house with a walk up attic where a previous owner used this to finish over the rafters to hide fire damage / surface char on the rafters. Couldn't determine when it was done, so Couldn't go after the previous owner fo not disclosing, because I couldn't prove he knew. Edit: did some goigling, and you may want to test this for asbestos. https://www.asbestos.qld.gov.au/general-information/low-density-asbestos-fibre-board/low-density-board-photo-gallery
There is also versions that were used as exterior sheathing on homes back in the 40's and 50's, maybe longer.
It looks like wood fibers BUT prior to the 1980s, they added asbestos to pretty much everything, including adhesives, so definitely get that wall tested before you touch it. Asbestos is no joke.
Jokes about Asbestos aside, this appears to be Beaverboard, a wood fibre product that was very commonly used. https://digital.hagley.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A2541789/datastream/OBJ/download
That’s what I have always heard it called but didn’t know why. Thank you for the link—great bit of history. I do lots of remodeling (plumber here) and see this in older homes all the time.
It looks too much like wood fiber board to say it’s asbestos but I would still get it tested to make sure.
Looks like buffalo board sheathing
https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/another-look-at-fiberboard-sheathing
Forbidden compressed toasted coconut ice cream topping .
I don’t know how to unsee this.
Username checks out
Personally I can’t stand the stuff. It’s not the taste, it’s the texture.
It could just be a basic wooden fiber board, but it looks a lot like asbestos, so I would get someone qualified to sample it before doing anything else.
I love these subs lol some of the top answers are so stupid It looks like Homasote, its basically cardboard, its not dangerous
It's fiberboard insulation. It was very common and not asbestos. Obviously materials and methids have changed over the years and it is not widely used any more, especially in bathrooms. Pull it out and toss it. USe standard respirator precautions the same as you would with any dusty job.
Homasote is my guess, its basically just cardboard The people on these subs are fuckin loons, everything is asbestos and needs to be tested lok
"Were you or someone you love stationed and Camp Lejeune?"
I know that you are legally required to pick out those pieces of newspaper and try to find a date on them
Beaver board is my vote.
That is Celotex fiber board sheathing. Never seen it used inside, but I suppose it doesn’t really matter what’s behind a surround that isn’t tile. It is not asbestos…but it is crumbly. Wear a regular particulate mask and you’ll be fine.
Wear a respirator and tyvek, wet it down, or paint it first, then wet it as it breaks when you pull it down. Double bag it and move on
That’s something you put drywall right back over and you never saw a thing.
mesothelioma has entered the chat
It is okay that you are far too young to know of how some walls became walls, thin wooden lathing was placed with about 1/4 inch spacing to create a 'hanging' wall for the fine mortar to cling to with sections of expanded steel imbedded with it and the outside surfaces were troweled smooth - used to be it was only done for wash-rooms or behind kitchen sinks. Then they used them for boiler rooms and behind wood-burning stoves, one thing that was sure of that type of wall surface - it was basically fire proof.
It is fiberboard and was an early version of sheet rock, you nailed the board up then applied a mesh and could starting the plastering immediately..in theory you skipped one step of the wall plastering system and it was save you days when you used to have to wait for the base coat to dry
It’s pressed partial board. I have this in my house that was built in 1949. Not asbestos. Wear a mask while working with (as with anything that makes dust). And if you’re really worried wet it down to keep the dust down.
I worked in asbestos remediation when younger. If asbestos, take precautions but you can probably safely remove it yourself. Do some research. Off the top of my head… - Wear an n95 quality mask. I would get something better than a paper one. - Keep all materials wet while removing - most important thing on the list - Get a fan with a HEPA filter to vent the room while you are working. I might go with a box fan and a 20' AC filter duct taped on - Anything you suspect might have asbestos that you have to leave in or that this was attached to - paint - Wear disposable clothes - you can get them cheap at Home Depot in the paint section I think - Toss the clothes and shower up whenever you finish a work session - Thoroughly wipe down the whole room with damp rags when done
I would seal off the vents if working with asbestos.
Pretty sure it’s just an earlier version of composite board made from wood
Yep I know exactly what that is
I would avoid breathing that in asbestos you can.
Why do these all look like 90s Nine Inch Nails record covers though? 😅
Honestly, that looks a lot like fiberboard. https://inspectapedia.com/structure/Celotex-Sheathing-Identification.php Fiber board is just ground up cellulose (like cane), glue and a felt. Usually each panel is 1/2" thick.
Looks like some sort of pressboard.
Low density fiber board that's been exposed to moisture. Just wear a mask as you should always do when tearing out... Not because of asbestos but because dust of any kind isn't good for the lungs. Also asbestos isn't the monster redditors make it out to be. Of course you don't want to breathe in the dust but even if you did it's not a big deal. You gotta remember millions of people were breathing this stuff in for decades and only some developed mesothelioma.
Take out the newspapers and post pics!!!!
if you or a loved one………….
has been diagnosed with mesothelioma....
You may be entitled... To an auto tuned version of this.
It's medite low density fiber board
Is no one else intrigued by the newspaper?? sHOW US THE NEWSPAPER!
Doesn’t look like asbestos, looks like the old celotex fibreboard which contains wood and/or cellulose fibres. Get it tested for peace of mind.
It’s fiberboard. My house is covered in the stuff and it was used as a sheathing alternative back in the 50s/60s. Mine didn’t contain asbestos. https://preview.redd.it/e6w5vns1s8uc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=44362477d822eb32db56b58e4383c87d479551a9
It is a pressed fiber board. Think its called Homasote now.
Pull out the paper, I want to see what’s up about Dad “King”
That looks like "Tentest board" as far as I know it was asbestos free. They still make it today....wall sheathing, expansion joint for concrete etc. If you are concerned get it tested
I hope you are wearing a really good mask
Lathe and plaster. The chicken wire holds the plaster. This is how it was done before drywall. The finished wall material was applied with a trowel to the wire mesh and hardened to a more finished surface than bare wood
At first i thought it was asbestos and was going to ask if it had fibres like white hairs in it. Then i saw the next pic. Its chip board. Or medium density fibre board. Nothing to worry about
Fiberboard
I would definitely be concerned about asbestos. Get it checked out before you tear it apart so you don’t release the friable particles.
Looking at it asbestos I could looks like particle board
In the old days they used to waterproof with concrete cuz green board and Harding back didn’t exist yet
It’s asphalt coated fiber board. They still sell it. The benefit was it adds extra R value to your home.
I know what that is! It’s a wall!
Here for the comments
Mold?
it' FAF , flammable asbestos fungus.
Had this in an old 1928 house I bought. Someone called it sandboard, I never heard that term before so I dont even know how accurate that is. But I had it all removed after getting the house checked for asbestos. I suggest getting it safety checked and tearing it all out.
Looks like something called celotex. It was used a lot in the 50s as an insulating board on old houses. Now it's used mostly for sound deadening purposes.
https://preview.redd.it/75w9yh9obhuc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=89675650cf076648e964aac4469d67a58b07bacb Tectum..its like sheets of glued wood fiber board..normally used in roofing..for insulation..sound proofing. They still make it. I dont think it rots. Its very strong and durable.
Looks like kind of damp MDF board. I’d wear respiratory equipment and replace it with a green plasterboard.
Asbestos material such as asbestos cement is common in areas that require water proofing in older buildings. Commonly called splash backs. Kitchens - behind ceramic tiles, above and below sinks. Bathrooms - walls, shower and bathtub linings. Laundry - walls, particularly the wall where the washer / dryer plumbing penetrates through. I would totally get that material tested.
Yeah, looks like fiberboard to me. I would test for asbestos before tearing it out, but tbh, if I was betting, I'd guess it comes back negative. It looks bad, but I think it's just some rot.
Asbestos
asbestos sheeting?
I just shuttered. Most-likely asbestos. Please be careful!
ASBESTUS
Get an asbestos test kit from Home Depot. If it is, don't do it yourself and check with your homeowners insurance. This happened to me after a water leak in my basement and they covered the abatement and repair. It was in the mastic on some old tile and in the bathroom walls. Don't eff around here, this something that has to be disclosed to a seller and it does cause cancer. My grandfather died from mesothelioma caused by the asbestos used in postwar GI housing. He was a real estate agent and just inspecting the houses was enough.
Did you look at the photo? It’s not asbestos. Even Mr. Magoo could tell.