Tearing off an old deck this weekend, I discovered 1/4″ fiber board (cement board?) was used in place of sheathing and siding. The odd thing is that it was applied over the cement foundation and buried behind what appears to be a cement footing added later. The fiber board got trashed in the proicess of removing the decking and needs to be replaced. I will have to cut it and ply it off the foundation. Is there a blade I can use on my skilsaw to do that?
My plan would be to replace the fiber board above the foundation with sheathing and new siding, and leave the foundation as is.
Would anyone know why you would install fiber board over the foundation and bury it behind the footing?
Replies
Greetings red,
This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again which will increase it's viewing.
Perhaps it will catch someone's attention that can help you with advice.
Cheers
Thanks, rez. Very much appreciated.I've since bought a Makita 4 3/8" circular saw/cutter with a diamond blade to cut this stuff off. I'm still wondering, however, if anyone has any ideas why the contractor would cover the cement foundation with fiber cement board? And why bury the bottom 6" with a concrete footing? He did use the fiber board as a backing for a deck joist instead of sheathing.
Edited 6/28/2008 2:04 pm by redoak
I dunno but wear a respirator when cutting.
What era is the home?
If built during one of the booms, there were lots of creative things done that have nothing to do with quality or thought.
I see it all the time.
Jeff,The addition went in during the late 70's. Let me know, please, if I'm at risk. What if I wear a respirator?
Asbestos is hazardous when airborne.
If you use a grinder it will become airborne.
That is why you want breathing protection. In my area, asbestos siding needs to be double bagged and tagged. Most of the dipsosal companies handle it.
I am sure you can read up on it on the internet.
The old cement/fiber board used asbestos as the fiber. Made shingle siding, irrigation pipe, all sorts of stuff. Could be pretty hazardous to cut.
How old is this building and was the fibercement board perhaps placed between an existing structure and an addition?
The reason I ask about the addition is that at times we will use a monolithic pour for an addition to a low off grade structure and when matching floor heights we use a wide strip of 1/2" backer board between the rim joist and the pour to provide a level screed and keep the concrete from the untreated wood of the structure
Ralph,The building was put in around 1977. The fibercement board was nailed to the lower end of the studs of the structure (instead of sheathing and siding) and continued on down over the cement foundation and back behind a cement footing! I was hoping to cut this stuff off a little below where the framing meets the foundation, nail up some 3/4" ply, paper it, and side with Doug Fir.As I mentioned above, there was a deck ledger nailed into these fibercement boards. Maybe the guy thought that would be better than nailing into the ply sheathing and siding?
Sounds like an attempt to flash the wall with something the installer knew wouldn't rot. Based on your description, it sounds like transite board, asbestos impregnated cement board. Maybe it was run so low over the foundation because they didn't want to cut it?? Conservatively, you should hire an asbestos abatement company to handle it. Legal disposal is touchy. If you decide to deal with it yourself, you should definitely be wearing disposable tyvek suit and appropriate respirator. Wet it with water before cutting to minimize dust.
RedfordHenry,Thanks for the post. Your explanation sounds pretty plausible. Never heard of transite board, but I can't really afford to have an asbestos abatement company do the work; those guys are expensive. I will take you suggestion and get a tyvek suit and a respirator. If this stuff gets on your skin (face, etc.) is there any real danger if you shower afterwards?Sounds like I should check to see if this stuff needs to be dropped off at our hazardous waste site.Thanks again.
Redoak, I would recommed that you have it tested as being ACM. If you need assistance with this, let me know.
Here is a web site that will help you with removal and disposal if it is: http://www.pscleanair.org/regulated/asbestos/homeowners/renovations.aspx
That web site also explains that ACM just needs the be double bagged in 6 mil bags and disposed of in a authorized landfill.
Impossible is an opinion.
Engineerguy,Holy Moly! You'd think we were talking about cleaning up a contaminated nuclear reactor!I wonder how easy it would be to cut this off with a carbide utility blade rather than use a tile cutter? That would minimize the dust, etc. The usually way I've seen to cut this stuff with a utility blade is to score the back side (smooth side), which in my case, isn't possible. I'd have to cut it from the front (rough) side.Oy vey, isn't it interesting how these quick little home projects (demoing a deck) turn into a much larger, complicated project?
Holy Moly! You'd think we were talking about cleaning up a contaminated nuclear reactor!
I think you need to look at this from a more factual historical perspective. That may, however, be difficult given that the facts have been obscured by a massive mushroom-cloud of profit-driven panic propaganda. (Spiro Agnew, eat yer heart out....)
Seriously, the danger from asbestos for a DIYer doing a single removal project is highly overrated. Asbestosis was caused by constant and prolonged high-volume exposure to needle-like amphibole fibres (amosite, crocidolite), one of the two main types of asbestos. The other type, serpentine-fibre, or chrysotile asbestos, is considerably less dangerous because the much softer, curly fibres do not remain air-borne as amphibole fibres do, and do not lodge permanently in the lungs but are eliminated fairly quickly.
In addition, you should remember that only a small percentage of asbestos workers of the pre-protection era actually were diagnosed with asbestosis later in life. Obviously, those are the ones you hear about. Nobody gets on the Evening News because he doesn't get sick....
Remember, too, that like black lung 'disease', asbestosis is a mechanically-triggered condition; it is not microbial (like gonnorhea), biochemical (like poisons), or viral (like HIV). Which means you're not gonna 'catch' it from a single exposure, like you would catch the clap or malaria or Hep-C.
The actual amount of asbestos fibres you could inhale while cutting 30 or so linear feet of ¼"-thick fibreboard is disappearingly insignificant compared to the amount of asbestos breathed in by a worker during the course of a 30-year career spent manually pounding asbestos-containing ore in a wooden box (which is how the mineral was separated out in the old days). Going nuts and wearing a full-blown space suit like full-time asbestos 'abatement' workers do is simply absurd.
Keep it simple. Wear a dust mask or damp bandana over your mouth and nose while cutting, as you would for any dusty material. Wetting the material first to keep dust down isn't a bad idea, either. Washing your work clothes afterwards is logical, too.
But keep it in perspective. You stand about as much chance of dying from asbestosis after cutting those panels off as you do of dying from CO poisoning after walking ten city blocks in Los Angeles.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
Much needed perspective. You are right to point out the risk inherent in cutting 30 linear feet of fiberboard. Thanks
Asbestos is not toxic to touch (although it can get itchy just like fg). It's only problematic if you inhale fibers. The reason for the tyvek suit is to keep the fibers out out of your clothes and hair (get a suit with a hood). If you got fibers on your clothes, you could spread them around to your family, etc. In theory, just a few inhaled fibers can lead to respiratory problems down the road. If you tackle this yourself, suit up and put on your respirator. When you are done cutting/handling the board, keep your respirator on and remove the suit. Bag the suit with the debris. Double bag everything and seal with duct tape. Technically, the bags should be labeled as containing asbestos containing materials (ACM). Once the suit and hood are off, the respirator comes off last. Use a mist bottle or sprayer to keep everything damp while cutting.
Very helpful post, RedfordHenry. It gives me a context for what's important and why. Much appreciated.
Are you sure the stuff is fiberboard? Once in awhile I have run into Homosote sheathing, looks a little like a fiberboard. If it is brittle it is not homosote.Was used infrequently as sheathing and exterior finish for soffits , under deck enclosures etc.
mike
Hi Mike,No, this stuff is pretty brittle, so I'm guessing it isn't homosote.