I’m currently re-building some dormers and had a chance to take a few pics of the soffit construction. This house was built around 1930-ish. It has beadboard soffits. Under the beadboard is something I’ve never seen on any other rehab I’ve done. At first, I thought it was some sort of recycled lath, but I’m not convinced. It’s about the size of a 1″ X 6″, T&G, two grooves on the “down” (against the beadboard) side that are filled with a powdery white subtance – old plaster? What I do know is that it’s a royal pain to demo — dusty, dirty stuff, worse than dropping a plaster ceiling. It seems that if this was recycled stuff, at least some of it would be missing the “plaster” but every groove is filled. The back has a few kerfs.
So what is this carp and why is it used under the beadboard?
Here’s the “show” side:
Here’s the “non-show” side (faces inside as installed):
Here’s what it looks like installed:
Anything other than a WAG what’s up with this stuff? Ever seen it before?
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Everything fits, until you put glue on it.
Replies
I've never seen anything like that ... but for $75 or so I'd be having that material tested for asbestos.
Jeff
Any sign there was once a similar material for insulation in the attic that insects might have carried to pack those grooves?
My first impression is that I would definitely be wearing respirator until I knew, and test for asbestos
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No sign of anything similar anywhere else to be carried by insects or otherwise. (The attic has an inch or two of vermiculite that served as "insulation", covered by cells more recently.
As for it possibly being asbestos, I do the respirator thing simply because it's so freaking noxious otherwise. I can't for the life of me think why anyone would stuff these grooves with "The A" tho'. No reason for insulation or fire resistance, considering it's just those small grooves, and only on the soffits.
FWIW, I was thinking you would be the one who would recognize this right off. ;-)
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PAEverything fits, until you put glue on it.
Edited 6/19/2009 8:04 am ET by MikeHennessy
In olden days that is where the plasters got rid of their trash, like sheet rockers in todays walls and under stairs.
Really? Climbing up 30' to plaster in some grooves just to use up leftover plaster seems a bit extreme. Especially when they coulda dumped it under the stairs! ;-)Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PAEverything fits, until you put glue on it.
Maybe those boards were recycled from elsewhere and that was the source of whatever mystery gunk this is. But hard to imagine it staying put while handling it a few times to re-use.
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Never have seen it before.
My guess though would be just as you said. Recycled lathe or else the house had plastered/stucco soffits.
"Recycled lathe or else the house had plastered/stucco soffits."
But have you ever seen T&G lath? I know for a fact that the beadboard that's over this stuff is original, so no stucco.Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PAEverything fits, until you put glue on it.
Nope never have.
But I have seen all sorts of lumber that was plastered in the old places out here. Anything that would be capable of providing a "key" for the plaster to grip. Lumber from local mills was abundant and cheap.
I am not at all certain that it was plastered , but because the profile doesn't fit our usual preconceptions of what lathe should look like doesn't mean someone didn't use it lath.
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