*Duralux is also a current brand name for a fibre board product manufactured in Australia with no asbestos.
Asbestos
Low density board photo gallery
James Hardie manufactured LDB as a material with the asbestos bonded to a calcium silicate. This material had brand names of 'Asbestolux' (the James Hardie product) and 'Duralux' (the Wunderlich product)*. Both were manufactured in thicknesses of 4.5mm, 6.5mm, 9.0mm and 12mm and they had either a bevelled, square edge or a recessed edge for flush jointing. (the jointing cement was also manufactured with asbestos).
LDB was manufactured as flat sheets and with perforations to assist with noise attenuation.
See the asbestos products gallery for common locations of other types of asbestos containing materials in buildings.
Photo 1: LDB perforated ceiling sheets that are 4.5mm thick and holes that are 4.4mm in diameter. The holes dampened noise and are in patterns of squares and rectangles. Note, the flush finish of the nail fixings.
Photo 2: LDB perforated ceiling sheets at a junction of four sheets. Note, the flush finish of the nail fixings.
Photo 3: LDB perforated ceiling sheets.
Photo 4: LDB perforated sheeting used as peg board for storing of tools.
Photo 5: This is a Hardie’s LDB flat surface sheeting which has machined bevelled joint finish.
Photo 6: This is a Hardie’s LDB flat surface sheet that had been hand bevelled on site prior to installation.
Photo 7: This is a Hardie’s LDB flat sheeting that has been painted over. Timber cornices and architraves have been used where the wall and ceiling sheets meet. This is typical of a home built in 1950s.
Photo 8: This is a Hardie’s LDB flat sheeting that has been painted over. Timber moulding have been installed over the join of the two wall sheets. This is typical of a home built in 1950s.
Note, moulds can be used in a horizontal or vertical position.
Note, moulds can be used in a horizontal or vertical position.
Photo 9: Ceiling tiles were manufactured from LBD from either 9mm to 12mm thick sheeting and could have been either a flat sheet as shown above or perforated with 4.4mm holes to assist with noise attenuation. The edges of these sheets have raw edges and are not sealed.
Photo 10: LDB perforated ceiling tile. This is a Hardie’s LDB holes 4.4mm in diameter.
Photo 11: This is a Hardie’s LDB flat sheeting that has been painted over. These sheets have machined finished bevelled edges. This is typical of a home built in 1970s. A timber cover strip has been removed revealing the underlying original green paint.
Photo 12: A closer view of the machined finished bevelled edges and rectangular machined marking on the face. Note, the flex sheet nails finished flush with the sheet and the soft nature of LDB indicated by the damage around the removed nail hole.
Photo 13: Similarities of asbestos cement sheet (painted blue) versus LDB (painted yellow). The LDB would feel noticeably lighter and has ‘furrier’ edges because of the much larger asbestos fibre content.
Photo 14. The differences between asbestos cement sheeting (labelled A) and LDB (labelled B). The LDB has a matted finish compared to a smooth finish on a non LDB sheet. There is also a definite colour difference between the two products, with LDB lighter in colour.
Photo 15: A screwdriver used with light pressure on LDB left an indentation on the sheet surface, signifying the softness of LDB compared to asbestos cement sheeting (to which screwdriver would not have left indentation).
Photo 16: LDB ceiling sheet torn from the ceiling battens. The corner of the sheeting remains attached with a flex sheet nail. Torn is an apt descriptor because LDB tears like cardboard.
Photo 17A: The heads of fasteners, nails and clouts are often embedded or partially embedded or recessed into the surface of LDB sheeting due to the softness of the sheeting.
Photo 17B: In contrast to the photo 17A, the heads of the fasteners in asbestos cement sheeting do not sit level with the surface but sit above the surface as seen in this photo.
Photo 18: Ragged or torn edges of broken LDB.
Photo 19: Ragged or torn edges of broken LDB.
Photo 20: Rear side of LDB ceiling sheet with Hardies Asbestolux stamp.
Photo 21: Rear side of LDB sheeting with Wunderlich Duralux stamp (Photo source: COHLABS).