How To Prepare Asbestos Siding For Paint

Normally you d scrap down the old paint from your siding but doing that with asbestos can release dangerous particles into the air.

How to prepare asbestos siding for paint. Since asbestos is only dangerous when it is in a friable state you will remove the paint without sanding or scraping. Asbestos shingles are relatively strong but brittle. Here at top coat painters we dial down the pressure and use a 4 step process. You can t drive screws and nails through them without pre drilling.

You ll need to consult an asbestos expert to discuss removal and disposal. Use a water blaster for the large pieces and allow the siding to dry thoroughly. When it comes to applying a long lasting coat of paint start with a 100 acrylic exterior latex primer followed by 100 exterior latex paint. When you are done cleaning paint the siding with a suitable primer.

Taking some extra time cleaning and prepping the siding before painting which is always recommended to remove dirt and mildew that may present is necessary. Let the siding dry then prime and paint with the best exterior latex you can find. We rinse with plain water to pre wet the surface and remove very loose dirt. Covering old asbestos shingles with new siding may seem like an option too but it s not easy to do safely.

Be sure to use both a primer and top coat that are recommended for use on cleaned fiber cement siding as recommended by the manfacturer of both the siding and the paint. Not all latex paint is 100 acrylic so read the labels. Preparation before coating is the key to a successful paint job. Compared to other similar hardie board or fiber cement siding there is not much difference in terms of painting asbestos siding after you prepped and cleaned the surface.

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. Apply a liquid sander solution by rolling on liberally with a paint roller and using clean rags to rub and smooth the surface. 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. Prepping your asbestos siding for repainting requires a lighter touch one involving lots of water to prevent dust from wafting up around the shingles.