What Do Asbestos Ceiling Tiles Look Like?

It is estimated that 5 to 10 percent of ceiling tiles in the United States contain asbestos – which begs the question: “What do asbestos ceiling tiles look like?”

Unfortunately, the answer might not be so simple. Asbestos tiles come in several forms, and asbestos itself is invisible to the naked eye. Still, there are some telltale signs to help you answer: “What does asbestos ceiling look like?”

Let’s discuss how to recognize asbestos ceiling tiles, and how to handle them once you find them. 

What do asbestos ceiling tiles look like?

It is often difficult to identify asbestos ceiling tiles simply by looking at them. To know for sure if your tiles contain asbestos, it is best to contact a professional asbestos removal company to have them tested.

However, there are some signs you can look for to help you determine if testing is necessary. 

Visual: What do asbestos ceiling tiles look like? Well, they are generally light in color with mild texturing, a powdery appearance, and small pinhole markings. They are square or rectangular in shape, and come in 2 x 2 or 2 x 4 sizes. 

Location: In commercial buildings, asbestos-containing ceiling tiles were commonly used, so it’s important to check everywhere. In homes, they were used in drop ceilings in kitchens and basements to cover ductwork. You should start there when searching for asbestos ceiling tiles.

Age: One of the easiest ways to guess if your ceiling tiles contain asbestos is to check the age of the tiles. Look for a manufacture date on the tiles. There should be a stamp on the back of the tiles, or perhaps you have records of installation or leftover tile packaging somewhere. 

If the tile was manufactured between 1920-1978, there is a good chance it could contain asbestos. Homes built from the 1950s – 1980s are especially likely to have these tiles. 

If your home was built after the mid 1980s, or the whole ceiling was renovated around that time, then you should not have asbestos ceiling tiles