What Do Asbestos Siding Shingles Look Like

If they look old they might have asbestos fibers in them.

What do asbestos siding shingles look like.

Covering old asbestos shingles with new siding may seem like an option too but it s not easy to do safely. Photo guide to cement asbestos wall shingles or siding products. The portland cement binds asbestos fibers into a hard mass. This is the wavy edge asbestos cement shingle siding product.

Testing for positive id. The bottom of an asbestos siding tile may have a wave like pattern though not always. Look for siding that looks like roof shingles. Determine when the shingles were installed on your roof.

It is usually brittle and the back may be black and have the appearance of tar paper. Most likely the shingles are in two sizes 12 inch or 24 inch. In this photo of a house in new york state we can see both original cement asbestos wall shingles and newer fiber cement replacement wall shingles that do not contain asbestos. Old asbestos siding tiles may also have a wood grain texture like cedar.

A brief history of asbestos cement siding. The front may have a grainy sandy texture. This would trigger dust and asbestos dust is a problem as i ve mentioned. Asbestos cement was first developed in 1905 by the johns manville company who became one of the premier manufacturers of cement asbestos materials.

Asbestos cement roofing shingles and siding products are not likely to release asbestos fibers unless sawed dilled or cut. Asbestos shingles are relatively strong but brittle. You can t drive screws and nails through them without pre drilling. Asbestos siding was manufactured to resemble many materials so it won t always look the same.

Asbestos cement is a mixture of portland cement reinforced with asbestos fibers. If the asbestos material is in good shape and will not be disturbed do nothing. Asbestos shingles were so common during the 20th century that almost any shingles installed between 1920 and 1986 probably include asbestos.