Asbestos furniture?
 

I have an bathroom stool/linen press, like a box on legs with
a hinged cork-covered lid that doubles as a seat. It was made
in 1949, AFAIK. I thought I'd strip the old paint off, as it
was not applied skilfully, and there are numerous runs. Looking
at it, I thought "Oh! it's just made of hardboard.", BUT on
ingestigating with my pen-knife, to scrape away some layers of
paint to see what colours it has been, it seems to be made of
a hard grey-ish material, with some fibrous content. A slight
"dimpled" pattern is discernable under the paint, in places.
Could it be asbestos of some kind? The panels of (whatever)
are framed in timber, so contribute little structural strength.


J.B.

"Jerry Built" wrote in message


Send it to that orange bloke on the beeb see if he wants it for one of
his
auctions.




--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

On 15 Aug 2004 19:25:49 -0000, Jerry Built
wrote:

Could it be asbestos of some kind? The panels of (whatever)
are framed in timber, so contribute little structural strength.

If it is (which isn't likely unless it is a home made item) it will
be asbestos cement which is pretty harmless, simply paint over it
again.

--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

Peter Parry wrote in message . ..
On 15 Aug 2004 19:25:49 -0000, Jerry Built
wrote:

Could it be asbestos of some kind? The panels of (whatever)
are framed in timber, so contribute little structural strength.

If it is (which isn't likely unless it is a home made item) it will
be asbestos cement which is pretty harmless, simply paint over it
again.

Its blue and brown that are the problem, and to a very minimal extent
crumbling white. The facts dont seem to support the popular paranoia
over white asbestos, it just has the same name as the brown stuff.

www.asbestoswatchdog.co.uk

Regards, NT

Peter Parry wrote:
Jerry Built wrote:
Could it be asbestos of some kind? The panels of (whatever)
are framed in timber, so contribute little structural strength.

If it is (which isn't likely unless it is a home made item) it
will be asbestos cement

It is not a home-made article, it was purchased from a Dept.
store in 1949. It is rather puzzling. I would like to know
what this stuff is, since I have never heard of such being
used in furniture before. This stuff is quite hard, it is
possible to carve slivers off, which break up to some
extent (like trying to carve solid dry plaster, for instance).
The panels are quite rigid.


J.B.

On 16 Aug 2004 09:50:28 -0000, Jerry Built
wrote:

It is not a home-made article, it was purchased from a Dept.
store in 1949. It is rather puzzling. I would like to know
what this stuff is, since I have never heard of such being
used in furniture before. This stuff is quite hard, it is
possible to carve slivers off, which break up to some
extent (like trying to carve solid dry plaster, for instance).
The panels are quite rigid.

Asbestos cement sheet often has one smooth side and one closely
dimpled with each "dimple" about 3-4mm in size. The sheet is very
heavy (it's largely cement) and very rigid. It wouldn't usually be
something you could easily take shavings off with a knife.

An awful lot of very odd materials were used post war to make
wallboard as import restrictions were still in place and factories
built for war production of things like bakelite sheet tried to find
other materials to make.

--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

Peter Parry wrote:
Asbestos cement sheet often has one smooth side and one closely
dimpled with each "dimple" about 3-4mm in size. The sheet is very
heavy (it's largely cement) and very rigid. It wouldn't usually be
something you could easily take shavings off with a knife.

I know what asbestos cement sheet looks like - this stuff is
only about 1/8" thick, though. The "dimples" could, I suppose,
be a feature of the thick paint covering.


An awful lot of very odd materials were used post war to make
wallboard as import restrictions were still in place and
factories built for war production of things like bakelite
sheet tried to find other materials to make.

Yes, I know... perhaps I'll try heating up a fragment of this
stuff to see what happens. I'm just intrigued to know whether
asbestos (?) sheet was ever used in furniture...


J.B.

"Jerry Built" wrote in message
...
Peter Parry wrote:
Jerry Built wrote:
Could it be asbestos of some kind? The panels of (whatever)
are framed in timber, so contribute little structural strength.

If it is (which isn't likely unless it is a home made item) it
will be asbestos cement

It is not a home-made article, it was purchased from a Dept.
store in 1949. It is rather puzzling. I would like to know
what this stuff is, since I have never heard of such being
used in furniture before. This stuff is quite hard, it is
possible to carve slivers off, which break up to some
extent (like trying to carve solid dry plaster, for instance).
The panels are quite rigid.

I think I have a similar piece of furniture, it's an oak sideboard
believed to date from 1944. The back and drawer bottoms are made from a
material that looks very like asbestos/cement sheet, but the colour is more
streaky (marbled) blue/grey. Rather than the grey/white of other
asbestos/cement that I've seen. Worrying isn't it :-(
Please let me know if you find out anything more definate.
John

Oilierthanthou wrote:
"Jerry Built" wrote...
It is not a home-made article, it was purchased from a Dept.
store in 1949. It is rather puzzling. I would like to know
what this stuff is, since I have never heard of such being
used in furniture before. This stuff is quite hard, it is
possible to carve slivers off, which break up to some
extent (like trying to carve solid dry plaster, for instance).
The panels are quite rigid.

I think I have a similar piece of furniture, it's an oak
sideboard believed to date from 1944. The back and drawer
bottoms are made from a material that looks very like
asbestos/cement sheet, but the colour is more streaky
(marbled) blue/grey. Rather than the grey/white of other
asbestos/cement that I've seen. Worrying isn't it :-(

I stripped off the old paint with stripper last night, the
stuff is black/blue/grey but blotchy, rather than being
a nice marbled effect - I can't see this being a desirable
finish for an item, I think my item was originally painted.
I have asked on rec.antiques, in case anyone has seen this
sort of thing, but not looked for replies since yesterday...


J.B.

Jerry Built wrote in message .. .

Yes, I know... perhaps I'll try heating up a fragment of this
stuff to see what happens. I'm just intrigued to know whether
asbestos (?) sheet was ever used in furniture...

I've not seen it used, but I dont see why not. Asbestos cement is a
cut price item after all, so in times of austerity, if it works...
Mostly then I think it was very thin ply that was popular for
panelling.

Regarding the other posters possible blue asbestos,
www.asbestoswatchdog.co.uk


Regards, NT

On 18 Aug 2004 08:09:38 -0000, Jerry Built
wrote:

I stripped off the old paint with stripper last night, the
stuff is black/blue/grey but blotchy, rather than being
a nice marbled effect - I can't see this being a desirable
finish for an item, I think my item was originally painted.
I have asked on rec.antiques, in case anyone has seen this
sort of thing, but not looked for replies since yesterday...

Hi,

AKIAK there are companies that offer an asbestos testing service:

http://www.google.com/search?q=site%...bestos+testing

However unless you want to grind it into a powder and snort it I
wouldn't worry.

cheers,
Pete.