My 1940 house, like many in this area, has asbestos cement tiles for siding. Each tile measures about 12×24″, and has vertical streaks, comparable to hewn wood shakes.
As you might guess, several tiles have been broken over the years. My place isn’t really that bad, but three adjoining buildings have sections that are in pretty bad shape. I’d like to find a replacement tile that at least resembled the originals.
The problem is … the source I had here for such tiles has since gone out of business. I know not what brand they carried. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I’ve attached a pic. As you can see, the ‘whiter’ tiles lower down are replacements that came primed; the others you see have never been painted. (Since the picture was taken, the place has been painted, so the differences are not noticeable- unless you’re looking for it!)
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r138/renosteinke/922861-R1-101-8A.jpg
Edited 7/1/2008 4:16 pm ET by renosteinke
Replies
Last I knew, they were now illegal to buy or sell!
Last tile I found those it was at an old school yard that the big boxes ran out of business long ago. Good luck...and good luck even if you find them....mine were double nailed...
I guess you could make your own, if you could make a mold off a good one, and get the magical recipe right. Probably use a lot of fiberglass strands mixed in cement with latex bonder.
Or see if James Hardie sells a suitable substitute.
Reno,
I'd bet that McDesign's wife could make replacements that would look the same, after painting.
You'd probably have to ship her a good one, and she could copy that.
No asbestos, of course.
But she works with plaster, and clay. She does custom tiles. I'd bet she could work with cement and fiberglass and make you some replacements.
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I can still buy these - the replacements don't have any asbestos - they're labeled as "Mineral Fiber". My local lumberyard stocks them, I think they're a Georgia Pacific product.
Want me to scout out some dope on them ? As I remember, the product is sold like roofing, three bundles make a square, 100 sq. ft. The last time I bought, they came with a sort of proprietary nail, white zinc coated, I think.
Greg
renosteinke,
Might try these guys,
http://www.gaf.com/Content/GAF/RES1/ROOF/RS_WeatherSide.html
KK
Thanks for the suggestions.
I was able to find someone who stocked the GAF product ... and they match so well it's scary.
Naturally, they are made with some other sort of fiber - not asbestos. They are, as one of you said, sold in packages like shingles .... maybe 16 per package. 3 packages cover 1 square. Cost per package just under $100.
If you'd quit parking the truck so close in, you wouldn't have to replace so many of them!;)I used the GAF ones. They are cement without the asbestos. Much more brittle and delicate to handle than asbestos ones. The asbestos I can grab by one corner and fling it around. Try that with the replacements and you will have a 3" corner in you hand with a few other parts on the ground at your feet. same deal with cutting penetrations or missing the nail with your hammer.I did find some on E-bay and the Old house forum available used. Nobody wants to ship them though. That gets expensive.
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Thanks for the tips! As for the truck parking ... yes, there is one broken tile there - and it was there when I first arrived! The far half of the duplex is suffering from many broken or missing tiles - the apparent result of piles of stuff stored against the building at various times. A neighboring structure is also suffering from many broken tiles, as the result of a gate crashing against them. Add to that ones damaged by the cable guys - who insist on trying to drive nails into the tiles! These tiles are pretty brittle ... that new ones would be worse is scary indeed. Thanks for the heads-up.