# Forum Home Renovation Cladding  Remove Asbestos fibro and replace with weatherboards

## peterrabbit

Hi, 
I'm planning on removing the asbestos from two walls of my house and replacing with baltic pine weatherboards. I have the asbestos removalists booked, and I'm also getting an insulation installer to install fibreglass batts and wrap the walls. After that, I'm looking to install the weatherboards myself. Here's a pic of the wall:   
I've read the sites linked to here: http://www.renovateforum.com/f76/wea...-tricks-30312/ and that all seems like useful information. But I've still got some questions that I thought someone here might have an answer to. 
Firstly, I'd rather use a nail gun if possible. Would this be a good tool for the job?  For Hire: Air Coil Nailer 4 Hour Rate I/N 5470102 | Bunnings Warehouse 
Secondly, it's a gable roof on this wall, with terracotta tiles and no eaves. What is the best way to finish the weatherboards and mortar into the tiles? My plan was to leave the existing barge-board in place, butt the weatherboards up to that barge-board, and the cover it with another fascia to hide the join. Then use mortar for repointing. Does that sound reasonable? 
Lastly, any more tips from people who have done this before? What are the gotchas to look out for? 
Thanks, 
Peter.

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## OBBob

Welcome.  
I wouldn't have thought a coil gun would be appropriate. Something more like a T-nailer with the right type of nails maybe. If it's going to cost $30 for four hours I'd be looking at buying one ... it'll take a little while to do all those boards because if the cutting to fit etc.

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## toooldforthis

I'd be inclined to remove/replace the existing barge board.
I can't tell from the photo, but they tend to weather pretty badly, so this is a good opportunity to replace. 
the weatherboards, cause of the overlap, will end up with a bit of depth, so running them up to the roof line with a new/replace bargeboard will still be better protection under that no-eaves.
have you thought of what to do at the ridge? I left out the last few weather boards and ran some horizontal batten timber with a small spacing to let the hot air vent from the roof space - looked ok too  :Smilie:

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## ChocDog

Don't bother with the gun. I'm replacing a complete house load at the moment and every one said not to bother gunning them. I agree. Go look for a thread I started about exactly this. It's not much effort to hand nail.

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## peterrabbit

Thanks for the response, much appreciated.  
toooldforthis - that's a interesting idea with the battens at the ridge point. I was thinking of installing a louvred attic vent anyway, so that might be a good way of getting the venting and saving some effort. What do you mean by "protection under the no-eaves"? 
ChocDog & OBBob - thanks for the tip about the nail gun. Does the fact that it's rock-hard 60 yr old hardwood make any difference to the recommendation? I think I'd have to pre-drill every nail.

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## OBBob

> Thanks for the response, much appreciated.  
> toooldforthis - that's a interesting idea with the battens at the ridge point. I was thinking of installing a louvred attic vent anyway, so that might be a good way of getting the venting and saving some effort. What do you mean by "protection under the no-eaves"? 
> ChocDog & OBBob - thanks for the tip about the nail gun. Does the fact that it's rock-hard 60 yr old hardwood make any difference to the recommendation? I think I'd have to pre-drill every nail.

  Maybe just try a few. They wouldn't be huge nails (what are you using ChocDog?) so they should probably go in ok. Maybe do as ChocDog did and use it as an excuse to buy a nice new hammer!

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## ChocDog

2.8mm x 50mm gal BH nails. The specs call for 65mm. But everyone I talked to said everyone only uses 50mm. Pre-drilling? I thought that might be the case with the 100yr old hardwood frame we have but I've had no real problems. I pre-drill the ends to stop splitting, but thats it. Just drive in hard.

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## toooldforthis

> ...What do you mean by "protection under the no-eaves"?...

  you've got no eaves, so the less the top edge of the barge board projects from under the roofline the better

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## peterrabbit

Thanks again.  
With regard to this advice:   

> I'd be inclined to remove/replace the existing barge board.
> I can't tell from the photo, but they tend to weather pretty badly, so this is a good opportunity to replace. 
> the weatherboards, cause of the overlap, will end up with a bit of depth, so running them up to the roof line with a new/replace bargeboard will still be better protection under that no-eaves.

  Does anyone have a photo or diagram of this type of finishing? Does the fascia sit on top of the weatherboards. If so, should I fill the gaps left due to the board profile? 
Pardon the many questions - I'm ignorant, but keen to learn.

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## peterrabbit

Just in case it helps, here are some more photos of the wall.

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## ChocDog

The 'standard' at least when it comes to the lean to's that I have seen tacked onto Melb cal bungalows are to run the WBs pretty much up to the roof line, bargeboard/fascia on top of the WBs. The top edge of the bargeboard should be capped with a cement sheet strip before install. Rebed the gap b/w the top of the bargeboard (hence the  cement sheet strip) and the tiles with an appropriate flexible motar. 
My advice would also to generously undercoating the bargeboard with a couple of coats of undercoat before install. Every old house I see the bargeboards are rotting.

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## peterrabbit

Thanks ChocDog, that's great information. I never would have known about the cement sheet on top of the barge-board. Do you cut the strip to the same width as the bargeboard, or does it overhang underneath the rooftiles? 
I'm planning on using the pre-primed LOSP treated pine for the bargeboard. Is it OK to go straight to top-coat? I'm looking to put at least one coat on while its still on the ground.  
Also, the original bargeboard is about 150mm wide, and it seems that the LOSP profiles are about 188mm. Are there any considerations apart from aesthetics with using the wider bargeboard?

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## peterrabbit

Another question  :Smilie:  
According to the instructions here:  
I need to use a full length packer underneath the bottom board. What should I use for this? It doesn't seem worth it to rip a weatherboard just to get this strip. I have some7.5mm blueboard that I could cut strips from. Would that work?

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## ChocDog

Probably will work. I used some 12mm hardwood. About your barge boards, I'd still undercoat. Most pre primed stuff is just for transport protection. Still needs proper under coating. I believe the pink primed stuff, forgot the brand name, 'may' be proper, but don't quote me on it. Which remind me, undercoat all sides of your wbs before installing. It's an annoying job. Perhaps you'll have better success convincing your better half to do it than I did!

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## ChocDog

Oh and the deeper profile shouldn't be a problem. Also about the cement sheet, I couldn't give you a definitive answer, but I can't see a problem with it extending under the tiles. The more you can do to keep the water out from the wall frame the better.

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## peejay

At the risk of suggesting something you have probably already considered, why use weather boards as opposed to a Hardiplank or similar with the same appearance and profile without the need to maintain the timber ?

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## peterrabbit

Hi peejay, 
My house as it stands has almost one of everything. There's the original asbestos fibre cement sheet. Then someone covered the asbestos one just one wall with colorbond-aluminium-fake-weatherboard cladding. That wall was then extended and hardiplank was used for the extension. The rest of the extension has villaboard fibre cement with taped joins (fugly). I've now put weatherboards on two walls, and also used some rendered blueboard. So I think I'm well placed to make a comparison between the materials  :Smilie:  
I just prefer the look of the timber weatherboards. I don't particularly like the joiners that are specified with the hardiplank system, and the wood grain is nice, but just not quite right up close. There's also the simplicity of installing the weatherboards. But the main thing is that they just look more right on my old 1950's house - in my opinion. The hardiplank has truer lines that are better suited to modern architecture.

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## peejay

Hi peter rabbit, sounds like you have plenty to compare and make your own mind up. I have a 60s 3 Br to do in Sthn NSW with some of the exterior fibro asbestos and the newer en suite in the (supposedly) non asbestos; the battens on the newer stuff is the plastic joint seals. I had never thought of the weather boards rather than hardiplank.  What are the advantages ? I was thinking that hardiplank was more pest proof than timber......

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## peterrabbit

Hi peejay, 
Please don't mistake me for an expert of any of this  - I'm really really not. I'm just a guy who nailed up some weatherboards  :Smilie:  
I agree that hardiplank would be more pest-proof than timber. It should also require less frequent painting.  
If you're concerned about the ensuite, then there are testing companies that will come out, break off a sample (safely) and send it to a lab for testing. I got Jim's Asbestos to do mine.

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