Asbestos in Coving

[Jon]

Hi there,

I am just wondering if anyone knows whether asbestos was ever used in coving? Today I removed some coving from the walls of my bedroom. I was expecting them to be made of some kind of plastic material, but instead found that they were filled with a grey, plaster-like material. They date from the mid-1970s and were put up by a previous owner. Having hammered and scraped the stuff off the walls, this generated a fair amount of dust. It didn't occur to me that there would be anything unsafe in this until I had finished, when I thought of the possibility of asbestos.

Thanks,

Jon.

[meow2222]

I would assume they were plaster. You'd be better worrying about the real risks.

NT

[Tim S]

Coving was traditionally done in plaster, before the ease of using either preformed plaster sheet coving or polystyrene.

Was it hollow plaster with card, like plasterboard? That's the preformed stuff - you can still buy it.

I doubt there is any asbestos in what you found, then again I never expected to find asbestos in some old types of artex!

HTH

Tim

[Jon]

Thanks for your replies. From what you are saying it appears unlikely that there is anything to worry about.

The coving consisted of a card/pvc exterior, filled inside with plaster. It was heavier than I expected it to be. I think it was called Blue Hawk Cove.

Thanks,

Jon.

[Tim S]

Sounds about right.

That stuff is generally regarded as better than the polystyrene version as you could scrape paper off and re-paper - something that would be more difficult with polystryrene with damaging it.

Polystyrene is cheap and easy to fit in contrast.

Cheers

Tim

[Holly, in France]

Fairly well known to be found in artex, have never seen or heard of it in coving.

-- Holly, in France Gite to let in Dordogne, now with pool.