Painting Asbestos Siding Shingles

These are easily prepared and easy to repaint.

Painting asbestos siding shingles.

Fiber cement shingles both new non asbestos product and the older asbestos cement product are provided from the manufacturer with a coated surface usually white. Unfortunately asbestos never remains truly untouched because of nature. Painting asbestos siding once we have cleaned and prepared the surface then there is really no difference when it comes to painting. After it dries thoroughly then it s a good idea to prime them.

Normally you d scrap down the old paint from your siding but doing that with asbestos can release dangerous particles into the air. Prepping your asbestos siding for repainting requires a lighter touch one involving lots of water to prevent dust from wafting up around the shingles. One concern when repainting this type of siding is the small gaps between the shingles. The danger of asbestos lies in the particles that escape and can be inhaled.

Painting asbestos siding is often a much better alternative than trying to remove it. When the asbestos cement siding is soiled or moldy or has an algae coating we prefer to gently clean the surface with a sprayer perhaps a deck cleaner solution. The first is the possible and almost certain presence of lead based paint on the siding and the second is the asbestos in the siding itself. Begin painting the siding with your choice of brushes and rollers making sure to check often for runs.

Our method of choice to first apply zinsser peel stop triple thick primer which is a water based acrylic binding primer designed to penetrate and stop previous coatings from peeling. Untouched asbestos is just as safe as any other siding or insulation. You can roll it or brush it on but make sure you get under the small lip at the bottom of each asbestos siding shingle. When you say asbestos shingles i presume you mean asbestos siding shingles.

It s not difficult at all to paint asbestos siding as one of its benefits is that paint easily adheres to it and it is very durable and can last for decades without chipping or cracking. Paint for asbestos cement siding works by creating a permanent polymer based barrier between the asbestos and the elements. You can power wash any loose paint or simply scrape and remove any. And after you prime them you can use a standard house paint.

You know the nice thing about asbestos shingles is they never rot.