How to prepare underneath my veranda correctly before painting?

[Sally8]

Good afternoon,

I am preparing the external underneath of my verandah to paint.  The exposed board in fibre cement sheeting, and some of the older ones may possibly by asbestos, which I am not removing.

I have scrapped off the loose paint, and now believe I a need to prepare the bare patches with a patching compound? Is this correct, and which one would be most suitable for external fibre cement sheeting and asbestos?

The 2nd picture shows some gaps in the timber which I am also going to seal up, would I do this with silicone - and which one would be best to use?

Many thank in advance for any assistance.

Regards 

Sally

[EricL]

Hello @Sally8 

Before you begin, I highly recommend checking the rules and regulations of your local council regarding the handling and re-painting of asbestos materials in your home. Some states actually require an inspection to be made before you start making any changes to the asbestos material itself. I can't emphasize enough how toxic asbestos is when it is accidentally inhaled.

There are products that seal asbestos in, such as the Crommelin Fibroseal Primer in conjunction with the Crommelin Fibroseal  Top Coat. These products need to be specially ordered at the Special Orders Desk. However, it's important to check with your local council just in case they have a preferred sealer. They might also require that an accredited trades person apply the sealer for you. 

It's important that the handling and sealing of asbestos materials be carried out in accordance with the rules and regulations of your local council. This is for your safety and those around you.

I also suggest having a look at these discussions:

• How to cover asbestos exterior walls? by @larahall 
   
• How to paint an asbestos fence? by @kristian 
   
• How to deal with textured walls that contain asbestos? by @mike1360 

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Jason]

Hi @Sally8,

Let me please also reiterate's Eric's safety message.

Before you proceed with any more work, please understand what you need to do to protect yourself, your family and your neighbours. The Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency asbestossafety.gov.au has a range of resources to be asbestos safe. You can watch their video, read their brochure designed for householders and home renovators to be asbestos safe, or call 1300 326 148 for advice and information.

Stay safe,

Jason

[Sally8]

Hi EricL,

Many thanks for your reply.  I have a builder coming out next week to give me advice and pricing for the proper removal of the asbestos and/or to quote on sealing the asbestos.

Any thoughts about how I deal with the fibre cement sheeting and timber?

Many thanks in advance.

Kind regards

Sally

[Sally8]

Hi Jason,

Many thanks for your reply.  I have a builder coming out next week to give me advice and pricing for the proper removal of the asbestos and/or to quote on sealing the asbestos.

Any thoughts about how I deal with the fibre cement sheeting and timber?

Many thanks in advance.

Kind regards

Sally

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Sally8,

It is in your best interest to wait until the sheeting has been assessed before proceeding. Identifying asbestos by eye is impossible, and tests need to be done on it to verify if the sheeting is contaminated. I highly recommend that you do not touch the other sheeting at this time. If it has any asbestos, you'll be releasing it into the air, which is a huge risk to your health. 

General exterior gaps can be filled with a paintable gap filler such as Selleys 480g White 3-in-1 Silicone Sealant.

Mitchell

[Sally8]

Thank Mitchell - will do.

Regards

Sally