- Home
- Asbestos ceiling boards
Asbestos ceiling boards
How to tell, what never to do, and who may take them down.
Many South African houses built before the 2008 asbestos ban have asbestos-cement ceiling boards, often under an asbestos roof. Left alone, they are low risk. Cutting, sanding or drilling them releases fibres, and the law bans power tools on them. Only a laboratory test confirms what a board is made of, and taking down more than a small area is work for a registered contractor.
Ceiling and roof coming off? Send the address or a photo on WhatsApp. Ask for the ceiling and the roof on one quote.
How can I tell if my ceiling boards are asbestos?
Start with the date. Asbestos was banned in South Africa in 2008, so boards put up before then may contain it, and boards put up since should not. Then look at the material: modern gypsum ceiling board has a paper face and a soft, chalky core, while asbestos-cement board is hard and grey right through.
Looks only narrow it down. A laboratory test of a sample is the only way to know, and the person doing the test should take the sample; don't break a piece off yourself. The guide to asbestos inspections explains who does the testing.
Why must you never cut, sand or drill them?
Because that is when the fibres come out. Regulation 24 of the Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 2020 bans using power tools such as angle grinders to cut, grind or drill asbestos-containing material, bans cleaning or preparing asbestos-cement surfaces, and bans blowing asbestos dust away with compressed air.
In practice that rules out cutting holes for downlights, sanding before you paint and screwing in new fittings with a power drill. Painting the boards with no preparation is allowed; it counts as Type 1 work.
Is my popcorn ceiling asbestos?
Only a laboratory test will tell you. If a textured ceiling does contain asbestos, it is neither an asbestos-cement product nor insulating board, so removing it falls under Type 3 work in the 2020 regulations, which only a contractor registered for Type 3 may do. Leave it undisturbed until it has been tested.
Who may remove asbestos ceiling boards?
Removing less than 10 m² of asbestos cement or insulating board, once in six months, is Type 1 work and needs no registered contractor; the bans on power tools and surface cleaning still apply. Anything more, such as a whole room, is Type 2 work: a registered contractor, a plan of work sent to the Department seven days ahead, an approved inspection authority, and an asbestos clearance certificate at the end. Check any contractor on the register of asbestos contractors in Gauteng.
Should the ceiling and the roof come off together?
If both are asbestos, yes. One job means one plan of work, one inspection authority on site and one clearance at the end, instead of paying for each of those twice. The ceiling is usually exposed once the roof is off anyway. Ceiling boards are priced after a site check; there is no published per-m² figure we can stand behind, so we don't quote one here. For the roof itself, the cost guide has the Gauteng rates.
Looking to buy new ceiling boards?
New ceiling boards on sale today are asbestos-free: asbestos has been banned in South Africa since 2008, and regulation 24 forbids selling, reusing or reinstalling any asbestos material. Old asbestos boards that come down go to a licensed hazardous-waste landfill, never back into a building.
Questions people ask
Are asbestos ceiling boards dangerous?
Left alone and intact, they are low risk. They become dangerous when they are cut, sanded, drilled or broken, because that releases fibres into the air.
Can I remove asbestos ceiling boards myself?
Removing less than 10 m² once in six months is Type 1 work and needs no registered contractor, but the bans on power tools and surface cleaning still apply. Anything bigger is Type 2 work for a registered contractor, ending with a clearance certificate.
Is my popcorn ceiling asbestos?
Only a laboratory test will tell. If it does contain asbestos, removing it is Type 3 work under the 2020 regulations, for a contractor registered for Type 3.
Can you paint asbestos ceiling boards?
Yes, as long as there is no surface preparation: no sanding, scraping or washing first. Painting without preparation is Type 1 work.
Already know the roof has to go?
See your roof from above, outline what must go, and your quote is on screen. The final price is confirmed on a site visit.