Fibre cement wallboard - Asbestos or not

Discussion in 'Renovation & Home Improvement' started by See Change, 2nd Dec, 2015.

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  1. See Change

    See Change Well-Known Member

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    We're wanting to do a minor renovation , involves moving two walls .

    Not sure on age of construction , ? 80's

    The wall is made of Fibre Cement wall board .

    No brand on it . There is a reorder number printed on the back and a warning
    don't breath the dust and something about safety instructions .

    From what I can see Fibre cement wall baord was one of the last things to contain asbestos and it's use ( asbestos ) was phased out in the late 80's .

    all the links I can see either go to lawyers or asbestos removalists .

    Is there an easy way to tell if it contains asbestos

    Cliff
     
  2. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    How much has to be removed? You can diy it and just treat it as asbestos regardless what it is to be safe.
    Otherwise testing is a couple hundred dollarydoos
     
  3. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    Get a small piece tested. The print typeface on the reverse changed as time went by apparently. I won't say more here because I'm not sure but Somah from Total Asbestos Removal has done several jobs for us in Brisbane. He knew straight away if it was or wasn't in most cases by looking for the typeface, and older walls by pushing a key into it to test its hardness and from his long experience, but asked us to have some walls tested when it was not clear to him. Anything he wasn't sure about he requested we have tested.
     
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  4. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Older ACM had a pattern on the non-exposed side. The newer cellulose fibre board is smooth both sides but has recessed edges for setting.
     
  5. Beanie Girl

    Beanie Girl Well-Known Member

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    Is it in Sydney or Brisbane?
    Asbestos came in many designs, some smooth, some dappled. Eaves containing asbestos are smooth sheets. But when a hole was punched in the asbestos walls, it was very clear it was asbestos.
    Don't think you want to punch a hole in the wall to ascertain asbestos ;)
    The asbestos fibres will float out :oops:
    Do what wylie suggests and get a small piece tested.
    Pattersons in Brisbane does a great job of removing asbestos walls and replacing it with normal cement fibre sheeting.
     
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  6. See Change

    See Change Well-Known Member

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    Any recommendations for testing ?

    We're wanting to cut the wall .

    Cliff
     
  7. Propertunity

    Propertunity Well-Known Member

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    Google "asbestos test kit" - they're about $40-45
    Meanwhile treat it like it has asbestos in it. In 1985 they stopped production of asbestos but it was not until 1990 that they ceased using it in construction in Australia.
     
  8. willair

    willair Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    If you intend to do the cutout yourself then i would say the sheets would be asbestos,and if this is internal then you would want to very carefull,and as most of the pre 1985 sheets were prestamped and dated on the back,as long as you wet each sheet down on the unpainted
    side in a non load bearing wall section then it comes out quick..imho..
     
  9. See Change

    See Change Well-Known Member

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    we're not going to do the work ourselves . but I'm wanting to make sure the work flows well and we don't have any cost blow outs or delays due to unforseen asbestos etc

    we have a triple garage ( double width but one section is tandem ) and I'm turning th the tandem bit into a recording studio :cool: , so it's an area I'm going to be spending a fair bit of time in , so outside the general risk , I don't want any asbestos dust in an area I'm spending lots of time in :(

    Cliff
     
  10. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    Cool! Reuse the asbestos sheets under some good acoustic gyprock for extra noise insulation!
     
  11. See Change

    See Change Well-Known Member

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    volunteering to move it for me ? ....

    Cliff
     
  12. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    I do live life on the edge! Following the correct procedures I'd do it confidently but aren't you paying someone to play with it, they'll take care of it.... For an exorbitant fee
     
  13. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    Ok..... @See Change, I have thought about your offer and I accept the challenge... but require you to be on site to talk property investing as we get the job done! I might be over your way march or April next year, otherwise possibly 2017
    Have a few cases waiting ;)
     
  14. rhinsor

    rhinsor Well-Known Member

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    I paid $30-$40 a sample with next day results a few months ago in Perth.
    Treat everything as asbestos, when the lab guy came out to take samples he said something looked like asbestos but it came back negative.

    You can DIY a certain amount but you need to read up on what needs to be done as it's quite extensive if you want to be safe.
     
  15. See Change

    See Change Well-Known Member

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    Sending a DIY sample .

    As a kid , I had an asbestos bunsen burner mat at home in my bedroom . I remember the edges used to crumble off ....

    Cliff
     
  16. rhinsor

    rhinsor Well-Known Member

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    I use to lick the asbestos fence when I was a kid....
     
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  17. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    Dont quote me but technically wouldn't ingesting be safer than inhaling? Inhaling the spores attach to the lungs than multiply, would they pass through if swallowed? @Scott No Mates ?
     
  18. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    @bob shovel - ingesting acm is possibly safer as it's wet ie not airborne (you'd possibly end up with stomach, bowel, intestinal cancer instead of mesothelioma if fibres broke off). Possibly too few people have eaten ACM to know and I don't think that you can find enough volunteers to test the theory.

    The ACM has fibres which split longitudinally not down the length (they become thinner not shorter).

    PS they're fibres not spores ;)
     
  19. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    The body may be more likely to flush them out perhaps. Better eat some for science!
    Oh yeah spores are mould
     
  20. willair

    willair Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    The problems with Asbestos is it's still everywhere,a lot of old air-con units in older building had the heater banks lined with asbestos to reduce the fire risk,and that would have been going through the filters into the floors for years..