Painting fibro and asbestos eaves safely

Can you paint asbestos eaves? Yes, if the sheets are sound

Asbestos cement eaves in good condition can be painted. The Queensland Government's guide for minor renovation says painting can extend the life of asbestos cement sheeting and improve how it looks. It also says the edges of sheets should be sealed. Its advice is to try painting or sealing an asbestos product rather than removing it.

Condition decides it. The same guide says sealing or painting should only be done on material that's in good condition. If a sheet is badly weathered, damaged or broken, the guide says it should be removed and replaced with a material that has no asbestos in it, such as plywood or fibre cement sheeting.

Sound fibro is low risk while it's left alone. The Queensland Government says bonded asbestos, the kind in fibro, isn't dangerous when it's undamaged and undisturbed, because the fibres are held tight in cement. Sanding, cutting or breaking it is what lets fibres loose.

If a sheet bends in your hand, dents under soft pressure, or tears instead of snapping, stop. That could be low density board. The Queensland Government classes it as friable asbestos, only a class A licensed removalist may remove it, and even painting it has to follow approved methods.

How to tell if your eaves might be asbestos: start with the build year

You can't tell fibro from modern sheeting by looking at it. The Queensland Government says it's hard to know if a building has asbestos just by looking, and warns never to assume a tradesperson can pick it either. The build year is your first clue. Here's the general rule from its renovation guide:

• Built before the mid 1980s. Highly likely to have some materials with asbestos in them.
• Built between the mid 1980s and 1990. Likely to have some.
• Built after 1990. Highly unlikely.

Eaves and soffits are on the Queensland Government's list of places bonded asbestos was often used, along with gables, wall sheeting, guttering and fencing. Its fact sheet on home renovations shows slotted Hardiflex soffit sheeting as one common spot. Sheeting made today is a different product. Asbestos has been banned across Australia since 31 December 2003, and the guide says it hasn't been used in building materials since the late 1980s.

If you're not sure about your eaves, the Queensland Government's rule is to assume the material has asbestos in it, or get it tested. Labs that test building materials can be found through the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA). The government says those labs can tell you how to take and send a sample, and that there will be fees. Older houses can carry lead in the paint as well, which is covered in our guide to lead paint in pre-1970 homes.

The safe way to prep and paint fibro eaves

Safe painting of fibro eaves means wet, gentle prep and no power tools. These steps follow the Queensland Government's safe work procedure for painting or sealing bonded asbestos. If the old paint is sound and clean, you may only need the last few.

1. Tell your neighbours what you're doing, and keep people and pets out of the work area.
2. Lay 200 micron (0.2 mm) plastic sheeting under the eaves and tape it down. It catches dust and any run-off from wet sanding.
3. Put on a P1 or P2 respirator, disposable coveralls and shoe covers. Check the respirator fits the way the maker says.
4. Wash the eaves by hand with sugar soap or another cleaner. Don't use a pressure washer.
5. Only if it's needed, hand sand lightly with wet and dry paper kept wet. A chemical paint stripper and scraper also works, but only on a wet surface and without digging into the sheet.
6. Paint over the old paint if it's in good condition. Use a brush or roller lightly so you don't scuff the sheet. If you spray, the guide says airless gear cuts down on overspray.
7. Clean up with damp rags. Never sweep, dust or use a household vacuum. Mist the plastic with one part PVA glue to five parts water, fold it up, and double-bag the waste.

Asbestos waste can't go in your household bin. The Queensland Government says to ask your local council where it can go. Eaves also mean ladders, and the guide notes that working at height brings a risk of falling. On a two-storey house, that's reason enough to hand the job over.

What's banned on asbestos eaves in Queensland

Queensland law bans several tools and methods on asbestos materials, because they release large numbers of fibres. This table sets each banned method next to the safer way the Queensland Government suggests.

A water blaster mistake can get very expensive. The Queensland Government's guide says water blasting asbestos cement sprays debris everywhere, and the clean-up could cost more than $100,000. Its page on banned methods goes further. Instead of cleaning asbestos sheeting, it says to apply a fungicide and sealant.

Painting needs no licence, but removing more than 10 square metres does

In Queensland you don't need a licence or certificate to prep fibro for painting. The Queensland Government says non-removal work, such as preparing a surface for paint, needs no certificate. You still have to take precautions to stop fibres getting into the air.

Removal has tighter rules. A homeowner can remove 10 square metres or less of bonded asbestos without a certificate, with safety precautions. For more than 10 square metres, a homeowner needs a certificate under Queensland Health arrangements, or a business with a class A or class B removal licence. A business removing more than 10 square metres needs a class A or B licence from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland. Friable asbestos always needs a class A licensed removalist.

If you hire someone, the Queensland Government says to ask for a copy of their licence and check the number with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland. It also suggests getting more than one quote from licensed contractors.

Broken, crumbling or badly weathered eaves sheets aren't a paint job. Don't sand, scrape or patch them. Get advice from a licensed asbestos removalist or assessor before anything touches them.

What painting eaves costs, and how we handle fibro

Our instant estimate puts eaves, fascias and gutters on a single-storey home in good condition at $1,500 to $4,500, including GST. Paint in poor condition needs more prep, so the estimate lifts that to $1,900 to $6,300. A second storey adds 20 percent to the low end and 40 percent to the high end. These are guide ranges rounded to $100, not quotes. The full breakdown is in what an exterior repaint costs.

The estimate has no line for asbestos testing or sheet replacement, so those get worked out at the free site visit. On an exterior repaint of an older house, we test before anyone starts sanding. If asbestos turns up, you get the plan and the paperwork before we disturb anything. Read more about our lead and asbestos work. We cover the whole Sunshine Coast, from the beaches to the hinterland.