masonite/asbestos siding substitute
I’m enclosing an window and half a slider door and would like to know if anyone has any ideas about how I can match The look of the 12″ masonite siding on house I’m working on. The stuff is only 1/4″ thick and has a wavy bottom edge and a wood grain finish. any help would be much appreciated.
Replies
That sounds like the old asbestos stuff -- piece about 3 feet long? Kinda sorta looks like shakes?
Assuming this is the stuff I'm thinking of (dates from before 1960, and probably before 1950), your best bet is probably to cut new pieces out of tempered hardboard ("masonite"). The better stuff (dark colored) is hard to find, but I saw some at Lowes a few days ago. The stuff I saw was only maybe 3/16" (and I doubt that you can find thicker), so you'd have to shim it or double it up. It's smooth on one surface and has a "screen" finish on the other side -- not exactly wood grain, but probably the best you're going to do unless you can find the old stuff somewhere. I'd prime the cut pieces with alkyd before hanging.
http://www.gaf-weatherside.com/purity.html
Yeah, that's a lot better than my suggestions, if the OP can find a local supplier or get it shipped in.
weatherside from GAF to replace old fibrous cement siding
We have used Weatherside from Gaf to replace/repair our old asbestos siding. Works pretty well. Looks very similar. Slightly more brittle. Pricey, but beats removing all the siding and starting over with a new skin. The old siding seams to work well until it breaks. Doesn't rot, doesn't need to be painted very often, seems to keep the house cooler.
4x8 fiber cement panels
I have bought sheets of fiber cement board ripped to size and scored the face to approximate the original grooves.
Terry