Asbestos Siding Prep

boman47k

How do you guys prep this siding for vinyl? It is the old slate-like stuff. I think it is 1'X2'.

Tinstaafl

Leaving it in place? You can either run furring strips for your vinyl and deal with the issues that creates around doors and windows, or just apply the vinyl directly over the slates. If doing the latter, you almost have to drill and screw rather than nail, because nailing tends to break the slate as often as not.

Either way, bid high.

A W Smith

A lot of times if you are careful to nail near the studs you can punch right through the asbestos without breaking it up. Not so much if your nailing hem lands where its lapped. They don't recommend drilling as it creates a hazard. The 32 inch wide asbestos siding panels were designed to catch studs over a non nail based sheathing commonly asphalt impregnated homasote. the 24 inch panels used for nailable sheathing.

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Al Smith
http://www.awsmith.com

boman47k

If this was not mine, I would not mess with it as I am no sider. If it was someone else's, I would definitely bid high. I don't care too much for siding.

Oh, and yes, I am leaving the asbestos on the house. Just want to encapsulate it in vinyl.

Wife cannot understand why I can't just...do it. It's easy, everyone says so. She just cannot understand I am the type that wants it right. Since I have never done it, I need to do a little research rather than just run out there and start nailing and cutting, then hope for no water intrusion. Hell, riding a bicycle is easy once you have done it, but it is something you have to learn.

Thanks for the responses

Tinstaafl

Yeah, technically drilling creates dust (or at least chips), but I've seldom been able to nail--studs or not--without quite a bit of breakage.

We had a place a few years ago that we christened "The House of the Wandering Studs." You'd locate a stud, move up or down 8-10", and there'd be nothing there. You'd find it 5-6-8" to one side or the other, with no rhyme or reason. I was sorely tempted to pull some sheathing off just to find out how the heck they framed that beast.

Anyway, the breakage when nailing was just phenomenal, so we drilled and screwed 90% of it. Profit on the job was one dollar.

Tinstaafl

Oh, it's yours? There's a stupid loophole in the law here in PA. A homeowner can strip asbestos and dispose of it without having to go through all of the insane precautions that anyone he hires would have to take.

If it was my place, I'd do that just to avoid the hassles of trying to do a nice job overlaying it. And it would be gone so that whoever gets the house next doesn't have to deal with whatever enviro-kook regulations come along in the next 20-30 years.

rbsremodeling

Same here. You can leave it in a labeled bag and the city will pick it up for you WTF?

I striped it off when I did my house.

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W-Tinc

Removing it would be great it you can do it hassle free. I have tried using furring strips then siding, and also tried covering it with 3/4" styrofoam then siding...both worked but just taking it off would have made me happier. Putting the foam over it was better than the furring strips imo.

davitk

Take it off, it's a real mess when it breaks (and it will) and falls behind the vinyl.

Home Serve

We have sided right over it not a problem, it is common to wrap with house wrap first since it is code around here. All you gotta do is be firm with the nails and pay attention.

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Missouri Remodeling Company with services for Replacement Windows Vinyl Siding and Entry Doors

EIDOL

I would take it off trying to nail thur it is not easy. if you start at the bottom row you can break it at the nails then push the next rows back and cut the aluminum nails with end nippers so you don't have break it all up. I still do repairs on this stuff ocasionally it's now asbestos free but still a pain.Had old carpenter give me a cutter that has a hole punch,works great and no dust and really cool tool to use

Tom Struble

sheath over with 7/16 osb or ply,wrb then siding,or strip it

boman47k

For those that removed it, what precautions did you take, if any?

Someone removed several pieces of this in order to replace some rot.

Started with a mask. Then it was kind of like what the hell, no gloves everytime I...er, he removed the mask and put it back on with contaminated hands...

Besides what the hell good is one of those cloth masks? Loaned a resperator to one of mine sons, and no one knows where it is.

davitk

Yes, a cartridge respirator rated for asbestos is a good idea. After your son coughs up the old respirator, clean it up: unscrew and throw away the old cartridges, pull the exhaust cap, gently remove the rubber gaskets from the inside (should be three - two intake, one exhaust), remove the head strap, and wash with dish soap and warm water, then air dry. After putting it back together, put it on your face and do a seal test by placing the palms of your hands over the cartridge intakes and inhaling. A good fit and therefore seal means no sucking air; guys with beards are out of luck here.

Get one of those 10.00 tyvek suits, place plastic on the ground, water the siding down to keep the airborne particles to a minimum, clip the nail heads, pull the siding off in one piece, then double bag and dispose of as your local ordinances provide.

Tinstaafl

Are you a smoker? You can do that for 20-30 years and on average, your life will be shortened by 5-10 years (don't ask for references, I pulled that out of my butt).

90% of the scare stories about asbestos and other horrendous materials apply only to people who handle them with long-term chronic exposure and lackadaisical observance of basic safety precautions.

You're talking about a one-time project covering a few days. Asbestos shingle tear-off generally generates quite a few solid shards of debris which fall directly to the ground, as opposed to airborne dust which might be inhaled.

Being forewarned and scared, you will try not to generate that dust, and will probably wear some form of breathing protection, even if it's only a bandanna. I'd say you're much more likely to die from an airliner crash while sleeping in your bed than from one tearoff like that.

But don't tell the AMA I said that. They might rescind the medical credentials I don't have.


Oh, ETA: Probably the biggest precaution you need to take is to check up on the regulations in your state regarding removal and disposal of such materials. Physical hazards aside, you could really get something in a wringer if you offend the enviro-gods.

CharlesD

I've done dozens of houses over the years. We used rigid foam board nailed tight then capped the bottoms with metal so if any did break off it would be caught.
Years ago I put a lot of aluminum with the attached foam backer right over the asbestos. Occasionally a piece would break off.
I have torn it off entire houses and disposed of it. I claim the fifth in revealing where but I was in business in an area with no zoning laws at the time so never had an inspection.
Doctor found a spot on one of my lungs last winter. Scared the crap out of me but it was just a scar.
Years ago I put up 4x8 sheets of that stuff in a factory ceiling while they were producing food products. Cut it with a fine tooth saw and breathed the dust for a week doing the job. Lots of difference between the sixties and now though.

Tom Struble

be a better idea to cap the bottom of the old siding first ,then foam it so you dont creat a water trap.The thing with asbestos is bringing it home to your family.Id definatly would wear a disposible suit

Tinstaafl

Tom Struble

thing is theres exposure you cant really do anything about and exposure you can

Patrick

Foam backer first, put it up with a ROOFING NAIL GUN!!!! Then cap the bottom of the wall with coil to keep pieces from falling out.

I recommend using double 5 vinyl siding because if started right, you will be nailing in the flat of the asbestos limiting breakage.

We have done quite a few like this, by the 3rd one we had a solid system for doing these effectively.

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Originally Posted by Celtic
Like I said...I'm sure you are very good at what you do ~ whatever that is and where ever it happens.