Contact:  William K. Hamilton                Rhonda L. Brooks
          Media Relations                    Investor Relations
          419/248-6190                       419/248-8485

      Owens Corning Announces Close of AmeriMark Acquisition

TOLEDO, Ohio; October 2, 1997 - Owens Corning (NYSE/TSE:OWC)
announced  today  that  it has completed the purchase of the
assets  of  AmeriMark  Building  Products, Inc., a specialty
building  products  company serving the exterior residential
housing industry.   The transaction,  announced on  July 29,
will  be  financed  by  GE  Capital  Services, which was the
principal financial backer of AmeriMark.

The  acquisition  was completed for a purchase price of $309
million  in  convertible  securities, plus an adjustment for
changes  in  net  working  capital.   The securities will be
treated as minority interest on the company's balance sheet.
As previously announced,  Owens  Corning will also sell non-
strategic  assets  estimated  to  raise  approximately  $200
million in proceeds.

"The  AmeriMark  asset  acquisition,   combined   with   the 
acquisition of Fibreboard Corporation,  gives  Owens Corning
the leading position in the vinyl siding market," said Owens
Corning Chairman and CEO Glen H. Hiner.  "These acquisitions
diversify   our  business  into  the  fast-growing  markets,
products  and  systems  that  support  our  System  Thinking
strategy for the exterior of the home.  These new businesses
will account for over $1 billion of our sales in 1998."

"This   acquisition   also   provides   broad   distribution
capabilities  through AmeriMark's company-owned distribution
centers,  retail  channels  and independent distribution, as
well as the ability to  sell  under  private  label.   These
strengths  will  provide  additional  synergies  with  Owens
Corning's  traditional  market  channels  and  the  Norandex
distribution network."







Headquartered  in  Toledo,  Ohio,  Owens Corning is a world
leader  in  high  performance  glass  fiber  composites and
building materials with sales in 1996 of $3.8 billion.  The
company  employs  22,000  people in more than 30 countries.
The   company's   internet   website   can   be   found  at
http://www.owenscorning.com.

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