The walls are covered in asbestos siding that was probably installed during the mid 1950s.
How do you paint asbestos siding.
You do not want to scrape or sand the shingles directly as you could release asbestos but otheriwse you will be fine.
We have rarely seen this material in a worn friable condition but should that occur one might paint the surface also to stop fiber shedding and to preserve the material.
Allow the shingles to dry for a couple of sunny days before you start to paint.
Let the siding dry then prime and paint with the best exterior latex you can find.
Wear safety goggles if you are using a water blaster.
Work from the top down removing the snails to keep from breaking the asbestos siding.
Do you need to use special paint for cement asbestos siding.
There is no legal requirement to do so nor is there significant real estate benefit.
Affordable you always have a choice whether you want to paint or remove and replace the siding.
Normally you d scrap down the old paint from your siding but doing that with asbestos can release dangerous particles into the air.
Using a respirator rated for asbestos and disposable tyvek suits is likely overkill for painting asbestos siding but they are definitely necessary when removing siding but peace of mind is priceless especially if your significant other insists.
Covering old asbestos shingles with new siding may seem like an option too but it s not easy to do safely.
Old asbestos shingles on your house aren t dangerous unless you start breaking scraping or otherwise disturbing them.
This presents a problem when it s time to repaint the exterior of the house.
Lead paint wasn t outlawed until 1978 so it s sure to be present on siding going back to the 1950s.
Do not throw or drop removed asbestos siding.
Do not sand or saw the asbestos shingles to prevent particles from entering the air you breathe.
Cut in paint along windows doors and eaves with a good brush that disperses paint smoothly.
Is it safe to remove loose paint in the usual way or do i have to do something different because of the asbestos.
Asbestos shingles are relatively strong but.
Wrap asbestos siding in 6 mil thick plastic sheeting and secure the plastic with duct tape or place the debris in heavy duty plastic bags.
Cement asbestos siding tiles do not need to be removed simply because they contain asbestos.
Besides the need to create a good surface for painting asbestos siding there are two other areas of concern.
If you hire the job out painting asbestos siding doesn t require any special licensing as far as the contractor doing the work so you.
Cutting sanding or breaking asbestos cement tiles poses a distinct health hazard.
Remember that it is more affordable to keep the old asbestos siding and simply paint it.
Painting cement asbestos siding or non asbestos fiber cement siding is in part a cosmetic decision.