Covering Up Asbestos Stucco

Check out the before and after shots of this beautiful raised bungalow in west Edmonton. The original design mixing wood siding and rock dash stucco was quite common in our city in the 1960s and 70s, but today the look is tired and outdated. We were hired to remove the wood siding and stucco on the front of the home, and install James Hardie siding and trim to bring this design into the 21st century. Unfortunately, we hit a bit of a snag: our pre-demolition stucco test came back positive for chrysotile asbestos.

A positive asbestos test is a scary thought for many owners of older homes. Asbestos is a term that describes a family of fibrous minerals that was commonly used in construction materials in the early to mid 20th century. Asbestos was so popular because it absorbs heat, strengthens concrete, and generally just improves any compound that it’s added to. Unfortunately, when asbestos is disturbed and goes airborne, it’s extremely dangerous to anyone that breathes it in. Asbestos abatement wasn’t in the budget for the project, so we had to come up with a new plan.

Instead of removing the stucco sections on the front, we chose to cover them with ¾” pressure treated plywood. Then, to create a level nailing surface for the HardiePlank siding, we installed pressure treated 2x4s vertically on the rest of the wall. With a little bit of shimming and fussing, the old stucco was tucked safely away, and we were ready to install new siding.

What a great colour palette on this home. James Hardie’s Gray Slate siding with Arctic White trim saves some of the charm of the original design, but getting rid of the cream coloured stucco allows the striking red door to stand out even more than it originally did. This is a great example of how a simplified exterior design can sometimes be the best way to boost overall curb appeal.

The best thing about this project is that even though we hit a huge roadblock with the positive asbestos test, we were still able to deliver the design the homeowners wanted without having to increase the cost of the job.

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