Popcorn ceiling has been removed, white powder on sills?

**daz59** · 21st May 2007, 10:20 PM

Hi,

We have just bought our first house, we move in in two weeks time.
The owner told us the old textured ceiling had been removed a month or so ago (house is empty owner lives in another city) new carpet was put in before this was done, the removal was done by a painter, I called the painter just to confirm how he did it all, he said he placed plastic on the floor taped it to the walls, wet the ceiling before scraping it off.
I just had a look through the window of the house today and every room that the popcorn was removed from is this white powder on the window sills, would this just be plaster or could it be part of the textured roof? Im sure I could faintly see clear fibers about 2mm long and as wide as hear.
Should I be worried about this?

Thanks
Darren

**TomH** · 21st May 2007, 11:51 PM

Hi Darren,

There is some useful advice on the NSW workcover site regarding asbestos removal (if it is asbestos). I have included a link below. A textured ceiling would be more than likely to be plasterboard rather than asbestos, but you can never be too sure. Asbestos was most commonly used as fibro in NSW, not sure about NZ.

If you are uncertain you could get a professional to check it out. If it is just some dust on the window sills, then to be safe wear a P2 dust mask, get some white disposable overalls and wipe down (or spray with water mist) then wipe down the areas.

http://www.nsw.gov.au/fibro/index.asp

Cheers,

Tom

**ian** · 22nd May 2007, 12:33 AM

Darren
get it checked pronto — before you settle and definitely before you move in.

The fibres are possibly horse hair or sisal or manila which was typically used to reinforce the plaster.

ian

**Bloss** · 22nd May 2007, 01:47 PM

Sprayed on vermiculite is possibly what was on your ceiling although mostly used in units. There was some potential for small scale contamination with asbestos (tremolite) in those finishes from the late 50s to early 80s so it would be worth getting some of the powder tested.

There have been many tests done on vermiculite coatings used in public and commercial buildings and most come up with no asbestos present, but not worth the risk.

Although the painter who scraped it off might want to have the results of any test! If he's been exposed to the dust he's been exposed - no treatment just wait and see.

Spray on vermiculite finishes are still being used as they last well, are fire and sound resistant and look OK. Old ones can be encapsulated then spray painted - commonly a new plasterboard ceiling is placed over them as removal is messy and difficult.

So caution is the word when dealing with suspected asbestos.

As has been said - might just be plaster dust and the horse hair reinforcement material used in old plaster sheets.

**daz59** · 22nd May 2007, 05:13 PM

I keep sending replies with links to pictures but they dont get listed???

**ozwinner** · 22nd May 2007, 05:18 PM

Hi.
Newbies are moderated for the first coupla posts, especially if they have URL's in the post, it stops the spammers.

Only the mods and and admin can see your posts until they get approved.

Al

**daz59** · 22nd May 2007, 05:18 PM

I was talking to a woman at the lab I am getting the samples tested at, she said that glitter in the texture is a good indication that asbestos is in it because glitter was very popular during the asbestos era.

I found two bits of gold glitter in the stuff in this picture.

**daz59** · 22nd May 2007, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by ozwinner

Hi.
Newbies are moderated for the first coupla posts, especially if they have URL's in the post, it stops the spammers.

Only the mods and and admin can see your posts until they get approved.

Al

Dam well ill end up with 3 posts the same.

**ozwinner** · 22nd May 2007, 05:37 PM

Maybe, maybe not.

Al

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