Possible asbestos in the ceiling?!

[Lawtel23]

Heya guys,

New to the forum!

I'm doing a spot of DIY n have removed 2 stud walls - wood frame n plasterboard.

It's an old Victorian building (1890s maybe?) and the ceiling has what looks like a breeze block above where the partition was. Having run a finger over it, it turns to dust incredibly easy - so either it's very old n brittle breeze block or it's something else (asbestos?!).

Have attached a picture and I'm looking to get someone in to tell me what for. Some initial thoughts on it int his group would be very useful, though! I'm hoping to get the whole thing boarded over in a few days and didn't really want to delay that or the other work..!


Thanks in advance,


Tel

 

[Lawtel23]

 

[jacko555]

You can buy asbestos testing kits with 24h turnaround.
To my untrained eye that looks like the remnants of a lathe plaster ceiling. Original victorian feature already over boarded.

 

[denso13]

I agree, looks totally innocent to me but no way of telling for sure without a test. You are 99.9% good to crack on.

 

[Lawtel23]

Cheers guys - really helpful. I've been digging around and it looks like lime plaster perhaps.. Which I think has been used it with lath before in old buildings.

Getting a plasterer to do this bit of the project n he's suggested overboard it anyway. I'll contact a surveyor tomorrow to see if they can do a quick turnaround .

Thanks again

 

[footprints]

Certainly looks like Lath and Plaster assuming it has not had any Artex texture applied should be OK as said only 100% way is to test a sample.

 

[Keithmac]

People overboard it due to the mess that would be created ripping it all down.