On Sat, 12 Aug 2006 01:36:14 -0700, meow2222 wrote:

Mark wrote:
wrote in message

When PB came out it had a coarser surface than todays and was nailed in
place then all the joints covered with strips of 2" or so wide wood. I
saw a place done like this once, it looked terrible. Whatever possessed
them to do it like that? I thought it dated back to the 30s, but not
sure.

That was not plasterboard, it was white asbestos sheets quite common in
early 30s houses.
I can even supply a picture of a ceiling still like that.

No these were relatively soft, unlike asbestos cement which is very
hard. Could be dented with fingernails. I've seen these boards
occasionally but dont know exactly what theyre called.

Must check my mum's bathroom when I'm up there in the next few weeks -
she's got panels about 2-3' square with strips of wood about 2-3" wide
edging them, in a 1920s-1930s house. I just thought it was a feature.