Asbestos furniture?

[Jerry Built]

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.

[Michael Mcneil]

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

[Peter Parry]

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.

[N. Thornton]

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.

Regards, NT

[Jerry Built]

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.

[Peter Parry]

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.

[Jerry Built]

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.

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.

[Oilierthanthou]

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

[Jerry Built]

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.

[N. Thornton]

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,

Regards, NT

[Pete C]

Hi,

AKIAK there are companies that offer an asbestos testing service:

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

cheers, Pete.