Asbestos Cement Siding Shingles

This article gives a history of the production use of asbestos cement roofing siding products.

Asbestos cement siding shingles.

The siding was made by combining cement with asbestos which is a naturally occurring mineral that is fibrous in nature and fireproof. Repair and removal. A brief history of asbestos cement siding. Let the siding dry then prime and paint with the best exterior latex you can find.

Those same asbestos fibers that were being added. In the early 1920s american roofing material manufacturers johns mansville carey eternit and century were all offering at least one asbestos cement roofing shingle to their customers. Lead paint wasn t outlawed until 1978 so it s sure to be present on siding going back to the 1950s. It is available in a variety of sizes and shapes to match many of the old siding shingles installed over the last 60 years.

We include research articles as well as patent citations that help trace the use of asbestos cement in and on buildings from the late 1800 s to the present. Asbestos cement roofing siding history dates codes patents give a history of cement asbestos siding roofing product use. If the asbestos material is in good shape and will not be disturbed do nothing. If it is a problem there are two types of corrections.

The use of asbestos cement roof shingles was growing at a steady rate in the united states. Asbestos cement roofing shingles and siding products are not likely to release asbestos fibers unless sawed dilled or cut. Weatherside fiber cement siding is the 1 and weatherside fiber cement siding is the 1 and only solution for replacing or repairing old asbestos siding shingles. Covering old asbestos shingles with new siding may seem like an option too but it s not easy to do safely.

The portland cement binds asbestos fibers into a hard mass. Asbestos was added to the cement because of its fire retardant properties as well as to add strength and durability to the siding shingles as well as insulating capacity. Weatherside fiber cement siding is the 1 and weatherside fiber cement siding is the 1 and only solution for replacing or repairing old asbestos siding shingles. Asbestos cement is a mixture of portland cement reinforced with asbestos fibers.

It s available in a variety of sizes and shapes to match many of the old siding shingles installed over the last 60 years. Because fiber cement siding manufactured in north america after around 1978 was made without using asbestos in those later products and because those non asbestos fiber cement shingles included products that by eye were an exact visual match for their older asbestos containing brothers and sisters already installed a building built. Asbestos health concerns unfortunately though there was a lurking problem with asbestos that took decades to confirm.