What are these internal walls made of?
- Thread starter endecotp
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It could be a kind of compressed fibre similar to notice boards?
D
Deleted member 174758
Quite possibly Sundaela board, a type of fibre board commonly used for boarding out and insulating from the 1930s until the early 1960s. Generally 1/2 to 5/8in (12 to 16mm) thick. The joints are often finished by tacking pieces of softwood in place (circa 1in wide)
It was used for ceilings in attics and attic rooms, but you wouldn't really see much of it elsewhere other than in timber-framed, chalet-type buildings where the extra insulation was really needed
It was used for ceilings in attics and attic rooms, but you wouldn't really see much of it elsewhere other than in timber-framed, chalet-type buildings where the extra insulation was really needed
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Plasterboard was used in 1930’s housing, the ceilings of my 1936 property are.
Thanks for the replies everyone. I was wondering if anyone would mention the “dreaded A word”.
This is a place someone’s considering buying. Currently has no insulation anywhere, and no central heating (no mains gas), but on the other hand it hasn’t suffered from decades of bodges either.
This is a place someone’s considering buying. Currently has no insulation anywhere, and no central heating (no mains gas), but on the other hand it hasn’t suffered from decades of bodges either.
D
Deleted member 174758
Never seen it installed with timber battening to hide the joints like in the OPs photo, though. Have you?
You tend not to see cement asbestos boards used that way indoors - it was common enough for garages, sheds and out houses as exterior cladding, though, and might also be found in airing cupboards (where the cylinder used to live) and bathrooms as well. Can't recall seeing cement asbestos board on the insides of timber-framed bungalows which were externally clad with it (think Dungeness or Jaywick in Essex and maybe bits of Canvey Island for the sort of dwellings I'm referring to). The internal walls of those places were often clad with softboard (Sundaela board). This might have been because cement asbestos board is relatively brittle and won't take nails, pins or screws all that well (so just how do you hang a picture on a wall clad with it?)
These days Sundaela is pretty much only seen in stuff like pin boards although I'm told it is making a comeback in Passiv Haus builds due to its' low environmental impact, insulation properties and fire-resistant properties (the original stuff wasn't fire resistant at all, however).
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I think JobAndKnock has hit the nail on the head. Whenever you see the battens covering joints you should always suspect asbestos cement boards. Unless the house is an early prefab you would normally expect to see smooth scimmed plasterboard or lathe and plaster in a 1930's house, usually the latter.
If you tap the boards and they sound hard and rigid it is probably asbestos cement. If it feels softer, more "spongey" it is probably fibreboard. Only way you'll know for sure is to get it tested.
If you tap the boards and they sound hard and rigid it is probably asbestos cement. If it feels softer, more "spongey" it is probably fibreboard. Only way you'll know for sure is to get it tested.
D
Deleted member 174758
You can also get hardboard or Masonite which isn't particularly spongy, but that generally shows itself up as being a bit flexible in the middle of the panels (on account of being only 3.2mm or 1/8in thick in most cases). It also frequently starts to belly towards the middle of the panels because of decades of moisture absorption
L
Leofric
Some interesting comments but nobody can be sure by looking at the photo , as others say the only way to find out is to obtain a sample and test it or just examining it might be enough.
D
Deleted member 174758
Oh, I'm reasonably sure.
If you press a screwdriver tip against it and can press it in then it's soft an likely to be softboard (cement asbestos board is both hard and brittle). The nature of that means a cut would reveal a fibrous material where the individul cellulose fibres can be discerned by eye.
If the centre of the panel can be depressed and especially if there are signs of bellying-in or bellying-out, but the panel is hard then it's probably hardboard or Masonite. Those materials will have medium to dark brown wood fibres visible if viewed under a x2-1/2 lupe.
Cement asbestos on the other hand is grey to white, hard and brittle, but no fibres can be discerned with the naked eye - and it doesn't get used inside houses. I think it's highly unlikely to be plasterboard simply because you don't put that up then batten over the joints - that type of construction is, however, common with softboard and hardboard
If you press a screwdriver tip against it and can press it in then it's soft an likely to be softboard (cement asbestos board is both hard and brittle). The nature of that means a cut would reveal a fibrous material where the individul cellulose fibres can be discerned by eye.
If the centre of the panel can be depressed and especially if there are signs of bellying-in or bellying-out, but the panel is hard then it's probably hardboard or Masonite. Those materials will have medium to dark brown wood fibres visible if viewed under a x2-1/2 lupe.
Cement asbestos on the other hand is grey to white, hard and brittle, but no fibres can be discerned with the naked eye - and it doesn't get used inside houses. I think it's highly unlikely to be plasterboard simply because you don't put that up then batten over the joints - that type of construction is, however, common with softboard and hardboard
Anal board????
"What board's that ?" "The board the monkey ****** the cat on "
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