Vermiculite Ceiling

Came from a mine in libby montana sold under the name zonolite.

Vermiculite ceiling. The popcorn ceiling was once popular in homes but fell out of favour 1980 s when the harmful effects of asbestos once a common ingredient in vermiculite were discovered. The vermiculite it contains is a great insulator and doesn t burn. The vermiculite acts as a sound barrier hence their use in multi storey apartments.

It is often said to resemble popcorn or cottage cheese hence the name. A vermiculite ceiling is made by spraying a textured finish onto the ceiling after construction. Vermiculite is a mineral that was used for insulation.

If your home was built before 1990 you might have vermiculite insulation in your walls or attic. The vermiculite the stuff that looks like popcorn has extremely good fire retardant properties and also proves beneficial in dulling sound transfer. Also known as an acoustic or vermiculite ceiling a popcorn ceiling is a spray on textured ceiling finish.

Although this finish was used between the 1950s and the early 1980s it rose to the height of its popularity in the 1970s. For this reason most local councils require that the vermiculite remain on the ceiling so as to not compromise the fire rating of the building. You can spray paint the vermiculite to get rid of the concrete colour and smooth out some of the texture.

It is still used extensively in applications that require fire ratings. At the time there were good reasons for its widespread use. Vermiculite ceilings were popular spray applied ceiling finishes of the sixties seventies and well into the eighties.

Up to 85 percent of all vermiculite insulation in the u s. Were very popular in 70 s apartments and commercial buildings.