Old plaster

[plasticpigeon]

Hello, I have found what looks like a clump of hair in some plaster on my ceiling. It is quite fine, much finer than horse hair on violin bows for example. It's a pale yellow colour. I wondered if it might be goats hair. i also wondered if it might be asbestos. Was asbestos ever used in old lath and plaster on ceilings? The house is from 1903 or there or there abouts.

 

[Zebra]

The horse hair used in haired plaster was body hair, not mane and tail hair. I was surprised myself when I first found it, I had thought it would be mane and tail hair.

 

[MatthewC]

PP
I doubt that asbestos would have been used then but you never know without a proper test, do you? I wouldn't assume that a clump of light coloured hair indicates asbestos; it's easy to get clumps if you don't add it gently and slowly.

The horse hair used in haired plaster was body hair, not mane and tail hair. I was surprised myself when I first found it, I had thought it would be mane and tail hair.

The stuff that Mike Wye sell is about 30-40mm long as I recall, which seems a bit long for body hair.

 

[Feltwell]

If you want to be really sure there's no asbestos then you can get a sample analysed for about 40 quid - a couple of companies do DIY kits to take a sample then send it off to them.

 

[Feltwell]

The stuff that Mike Wye sell is about 30-40mm long as I recall, which seems a bit long for body hair.

Oh I don't know - you haven't seen me getting out of the shower!

 

[Zebra]

I suppose there's no reason why there wouldn't be hair from another animal in your house pp, be it goat, cow, cat? If that's what your builders had available, why not?
A horse's winter coat is both longer and thicker than its summer coat, and I'm guessing that it's the winter coat which Mike Wye are selling, as it's easier to obtain in large quantities. I definately believe it's body hair and not mane/tail hair. Wonder where they get it from?

 

[Feltwell]

Wonder where they get it from?

I feel another Tesco joke coming on...........

 

[MatthewC]

The stuff that Mike Wye sell is about 30-40mm long as I recall, which seems a bit long for body hair.

Oh I don't know - you haven't seen me getting out of the shower!

And I wouldn't want to!! :lol:

 

[plasticpigeon]

No asbestos in my ceiling according to the lab, maybe I will live to see my house finished, hooray!!