Asbestos Flat Board, Millboard, Panels & Cement Wall Board
Asbestos flat board, millboard, panels and cement wall board are construction materials used to insulate residential homes and commercial buildings. These products are typically used in high-temperature areas such as furnaces and fireplaces or in ceilings and walls during building construction. Asbestos was commonly used in manufacturing these products as asbestos fibers are strong and resistant to heat and abrasion.
Asbestos Millboard and Panels
Millboard and panels are made of compressed fibers and may be used as insulation in the following industries:
- Metal molding
- Foundries
- Kilns
- Glass manufacturing
This material may also be found in boilers, stoves and ovens as fire and heat protection. Millboard or flat board that are cut, torn or ripped may allow asbestos exposure to occur through the presence of airborne asbestos fibers.
During the installation of asbestos millboard or panels, construction workers may have been exposed to asbestos fibers. Renovation projects that require drilling or tearing of these materials can also release asbestos fibers into the air. Asbestos millboard may contain up to 85 percent asbestos and was used commonly during the early 1900s.
Cement Wall Board and Flat Board
Cement wall board, or cement drywall, is a popular construction material that is applied to interior walls in homes or commercial buildings, and flat board is a reinforced cement board used to provide a smooth outer finish. Cement board products are resistant to fire and corrosion, as they are coated with asbestos-containing cement.
Asbestos cement consists of Portland cement that has been reinforced with asbestos fibers. The cement was developed in 1905 and is used to coat wall board, flat board and other construction products.
Many homes built during the early 1900s were constructed with cement board products. The wall board or flat board may be fitted to walls in sheets without the use of plaster or mortar.
Types of cement boards include:
- Flat transite
- Asbestocite A
- Standard asbestos flexboard
- Perforated marine veneer
These products were used to fireproof rooms and were placed indoors as a wall finish in areas that were exposed to extreme heat such as:
- Chimneys
- Dormer windows
- Skylights
- Shingles
- Walls
- Ceilings
- Protecting beams
- Posts
These materials may wear down over time and allow fibers to escape from the bound wall board and flat board. Exposure to the fibers that make up asbestos may occur if the cement board materials are broken or damaged.
Construction workers who cut, sanded, installed, shaped and drilled the cement wall board and flat board may also have been exposed to asbestos.
Asbestos Board Products and Mesothelioma
Fibers that have been expelled into the air from construction work or from damaged asbestos board materials can be breathed in or swallowed. Once in the body, the fibers can become stuck in the thin membrane that covers the lungs. This condition is known as mesothelioma and is characterized by the inflammation and irritation of the lining of the lungs.
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© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
