Asbestos is an amazing mineral. On the one hand, it can be separated into soft and pliable filaments or fibers. On the other, it is also completely heat and fire-resistant. For ordinary minerals, this is a tall order. No wonder it was a miracle material in the 1900s. Unfortunately, its individual fibers can cause death in humans.

Asbestos-containing building material was banned in building construction in the 1990s. But this is nothing to be happy about, because pre-1990 products are still being used in a large number of homes and buildings all over the US.

The interiors of commercial buildings are generally made of sheets of wallboard, also known as drywall. While drywall is usually asbestos-free, the same cannot be said of drywall mud.

What Makes Asbestos Drywall Dangerous?

Drywall mud is a material that was used to give walls a smooth and finished look. Drywall mud, made before 1973, contained asbestos. When this surface was sanded, it obviously released a lot of asbestos-rich dust that posed a dangerous threat to people in the entire area.

Drywall mud was used in a variety of ways. A specialized kind of drywall mud, called topping compound, was used to spread a fine upper coat on the topmost layer of the wall. This layer was sanded to give the wall its finished look. This topping compound was also used as a spray-on wall texture. When this top layer eroded, as it would with time, it sprayed asbestos dust into the atmosphere.

Another kind of drywall mud is the joint-compound, used to cover large holes and cracks in the walls. It was used in seams to give the wall a smooth finish.

Last on the list is the infamous all-purpose compound, which was an all-purpose drywall mud that was used for general mudding.

To put it simply, drywall mud is dangerous. Dust given off by drywall mud is a dangerous source of asbestos exposure to drywall hangers who performed sanding and taping work. Any person involved in, or exposed to, demolition activities could ingest a large amount of asbestos dust.

As stated in a report placed in the House of Commons, asbestos is “not a substance for which we can set a level below which there is no risk”. If you are living in a home that uses any of the above compounds, or live in an area that has buildings using these materials, you could be at risk. If you feel that you could be exposed, we can help you file your claims.