polystyrene tiles

[hard-work]

A quick one. Ceiling has polystyrene tiles, a fire risk to me. A lowered ceiling is to be fitted. Do the tiles need to be removed?

thx

 

[flameport]

Probably don't need to be, but they will come off easily with a scraper so you may as well get rid of them.

The adhesive they are fixed with won't come off, but if the old ceiling isn't visible, this won't matter.

 

[Tigercubrider]

I would

Careful use of a wide paint scraper/pallets knife will get them off in big bits
Not sure if all the cement was the same, but I used a hot air gun to soften the remaining dots of cement and they scraped off.

 

[hard-work]

Probably don't need to be, but they will come off easily with a scraper so you may as well get rid of them.

The adhesive they are fixed with won't come off, but if the old ceiling isn't visible, this won't matter.

Ah. Do they or don't they?

 

[pilsbury]

Apparently in a fire they go up like billio and release fumes. The entire upstairs of my house has them. Quite an achievement to do! Underneath is lath and plaster 100 years old. When I decorate I intend to just plasterboard over them. Easier and less messy with some minor insulation benefit.

If you are covering your tiles anyway, they will initially be protected from fire. If you have working smoke alarms you will be alerted long before they are affected and out of the house. That's what I'm sticking with for me.

 

[hard-work]

One point, is that there will be downlighters.

 

[^woody^]

Yes, if you don't want to die of asphyxiation before being toasted.

 

[pilsbury]

One point, is that there will be downlighters.

How close will the downlighters be to the tiles? You could get ones with the fire hood thingy on the back..... or remove a couple of tiles where the downlighter would be....Or go the whole hog and remove the lot.... I know what I'd do.

 

[bernardgreen]

The only advice that should be given is to REMOVE THEM

they will initially be protected from fire.

But not necessarily protected from heat. Heat them and they will start to decompose creating highly inflammable fumes which escape into the room and will eventually ignite, often as a flashover.

 

[footprints]

A garden Dutch hoe is a good tool for removing those tiles no need to stand on a ladder and crick your neck

http://www.screwfix.com/p/spear-jac...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CKWq3NbmrNUCFQ-gUQodnH4M0Q

 

[Doggit]

No brainer on this one; remove them. It's more than likely that you will be using LED downlighters, so heat will be minimal, but at the end of the day, you would be leaving a flamable material in a space that you can't see what's going on.

Toolstations even cheaper for the floor scraper.
https://www.toolstation.com/shop/p94458?table=no

 

[Ian H]

I'd burn them off, much easier than removing them.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

I was told melting polystyrene produces cyanide gas. Its a no brainer, horrible things anyway.

 

[HERTS P&D]

I like the idea of getting a 'Hoe' in.

I loved the Carry On films.

Andy

 

[John D v2.0]

I'd burn them off, much easier than removing them.

is easier, but maybe not what the op was after