Asbestos cement, genericized as fibro, fibrolite (short for "fibrous (or fibre) cement sheet") or AC sheet, is a building material in which asbestos fibres are used to reinforce thin rigid cement sheets.[1]
A pre-WW2 house in Darwin, Australia. The roof is sheeted with corrugated fibro sheets and the walls with flat fibro sheeting, with fibro battens covering the joints.
Example of asbestos cement siding and lining on a post-war temporary house in Yardley, Birmingham. Nearly 40,000 of these structures were built between 1946 and 1949 to house families.
Although invented at the end of the 19th century,[2] the material was adopted extensively during World War II to make easily-built, sturdy and inexpensive structures for military purposes, and it continued to be used widely following the war as an affordable external cladding for buildings.[3] Advertised as a fireproof alternative to other roofing materials such as asphalt, asbestos-cement roofs were popular, not only for safety but also for affordability.[4] Due to asbestos-cement's imitation of more expensive materials such as wood siding and shingles, brick, slate, and stone, the product was marketed as an affordable renovation material. Asbestos-cement faced competition with the aluminum alloy, available in large quantities after WWII, and the reemergence of wood clapboard and vinyl siding in the mid to late twentieth century.
Asbestos-cement is usually formed into flat or corrugated sheets, or into pipes, but can be molded into any shape that can be formed using wet cement. In Europe, cement sheets came in a wide variety of shapes, while there was less variation in the US, due to labor and production costs. Although fibro was used in a number of countries, it was in Australia and New Zealand that its use was most widespread. Predominantly manufactured and sold by James Hardie & Co. until the mid-1980s, fibro in all its forms was a very popular building material, largely due to its durability. The reinforcing fibres used in the product were almost always asbestos.
StateLibQld 2 152895 James Hardie and Wunderlich float ready for the Victory Day procession in Brisbane, 1946
The use of fibro that contains asbestos has been banned in several countries, including Australia, but as recently as 2016,[update] the material was discovered in new components sold for construction projects.[5]
When exposed to weathering and erosion, particularly when used on roofs, the surface deterioration of asbestos cement can be a source of airborne toxic fibres.[6] Exposure to asbestos is directly related to a number of life-threatening diseases, including asbestosis, pleural mesothelioma (lung) and peritoneal mesothelioma (abdomen). Fibre cement sheet is still readily available, but the reinforcing fibres are now cellulose rather than asbestos.[7] However, the name "fibro" is still applied to it for traditional reasons.
Products used in the building industry
Roof sheeting, known as Hardies "Super Six."
Roofs - most usually on industrial or farmyard buildings and domestic garages.[8]
Flat sheets for house walls and ceilings were usually 6 and 4.5 mm (0.24 and 0.18 in) thick, 900 and 1,200 mm (35 and 47 in) wide, and from 1,800 to 3,000 mm (71 to 118 in) long.
Battens 50 mm (2.0 in) wide × 8 mm (0.31 in) thick, used to cover the joints in fibro sheets.
"Super Six" corrugated roof sheeting and fencing.
Internal wet area sheeting, "Tilux".
Pipes of various sizes for water reticulation and drainage. Drainage pipes tend to be made of pitch fibre, with asbestos cement added to strengthen.[9]
Moulded products ranging from plant pots to outdoor telephone cabinet roofs and cable pits.
Cleaning of asbestos cement
Some Australian states, such as Queensland, prohibit the cleaning of fibro with pressure washers, because it can spread the embedded asbestos fibres over a wide area. Safer cleaning methods involve using a fungicide and a sealant.[10]
In popular culture
The 1973 song, "Way Out West", by The Dingoes, later covered by James Blundell & James Reyne, mentions living in a "house made of fibro cement". Fibro is also referred to several times on the Australian TV show Housos.
^"Asbestos Cement Sheets". Asbestos.com. The Mesothelioma Center. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
^McLaughlin, Robert W. and Henry A. Jandl. Asbestos Cement: A Basic Building Material. Princeton University School of Architecture. Princeton, New Jersey, (1959).
^"APT - Attitudes Towards Asphalt Roofing" (PDF). Docuri.com. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
^Asbestos found in $1.2b Perth Children's Hospital, says WA Health Minister, ABC News, 14 July 2016, retrieved 3 October 2016
^Campopiano, A.; Ramires, D.; Zakrzewska, A. M.; Ferri, R.; D'annibale, A.; Pizzutelli, G. (2 June 2009). "Risk Assessment of the Decay of Asbestos Cement Roofs". Annals of Occupational Hygiene. 53 (6): 627–638. doi:10.1093/annhyg/mep036. PMID 19491148. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
^. Consumer Build. Archived from the original on 2006-10-10. Retrieved 2012-06-05.
^"Asbestos Cement - Where it was used and how to identify it?". Asbestos-Sampling.com. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
^"Where can you find asbestos? Asbestos cement". Hse.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
asbestos, cement, fibro, redirects, here, other, uses, fibro, disambiguation, genericized, fibro, fibrolite, short, fibrous, fibre, cement, sheet, sheet, building, material, which, asbestos, fibres, used, reinforce, thin, rigid, cement, sheets, house, darwin, . Fibro redirects here For other uses see Fibro disambiguation Asbestos cement genericized as fibro fibrolite short for fibrous or fibre cement sheet or AC sheet is a building material in which asbestos fibres are used to reinforce thin rigid cement sheets 1 A pre WW2 house in Darwin Australia The roof is sheeted with corrugated fibro sheets and the walls with flat fibro sheeting with fibro battens covering the joints Example of asbestos cement siding and lining on a post war temporary house in Yardley Birmingham Nearly 40 000 of these structures were built between 1946 and 1949 to house families Although invented at the end of the 19th century 2 the material was adopted extensively during World War II to make easily built sturdy and inexpensive structures for military purposes and it continued to be used widely following the war as an affordable external cladding for buildings 3 Advertised as a fireproof alternative to other roofing materials such as asphalt asbestos cement roofs were popular not only for safety but also for affordability 4 Due to asbestos cement s imitation of more expensive materials such as wood siding and shingles brick slate and stone the product was marketed as an affordable renovation material Asbestos cement faced competition with the aluminum alloy available in large quantities after WWII and the reemergence of wood clapboard and vinyl siding in the mid to late twentieth century Asbestos cement is usually formed into flat or corrugated sheets or into pipes but can be molded into any shape that can be formed using wet cement In Europe cement sheets came in a wide variety of shapes while there was less variation in the US due to labor and production costs Although fibro was used in a number of countries it was in Australia and New Zealand that its use was most widespread Predominantly manufactured and sold by James Hardie amp Co until the mid 1980s fibro in all its forms was a very popular building material largely due to its durability The reinforcing fibres used in the product were almost always asbestos StateLibQld 2 152895 James Hardie and Wunderlich float ready for the Victory Day procession in Brisbane 1946 The use of fibro that contains asbestos has been banned in several countries including Australia but as recently as 2016 update the material was discovered in new components sold for construction projects 5 Contents 1 Health effects 2 Products used in the building industry 3 Cleaning of asbestos cement 4 In popular culture 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHealth effects EditWhen exposed to weathering and erosion particularly when used on roofs the surface deterioration of asbestos cement can be a source of airborne toxic fibres 6 Exposure to asbestos is directly related to a number of life threatening diseases including asbestosis pleural mesothelioma lung and peritoneal mesothelioma abdomen Fibre cement sheet is still readily available but the reinforcing fibres are now cellulose rather than asbestos 7 However the name fibro is still applied to it for traditional reasons Products used in the building industry Edit Roof sheeting known as Hardies Super Six Roofs most usually on industrial or farmyard buildings and domestic garages 8 Flat sheets for house walls and ceilings were usually 6 and 4 5 mm 0 24 and 0 18 in thick 900 and 1 200 mm 35 and 47 in wide and from 1 800 to 3 000 mm 71 to 118 in long Battens 50 mm 2 0 in wide 8 mm 0 31 in thick used to cover the joints in fibro sheets Super Six corrugated roof sheeting and fencing Internal wet area sheeting Tilux Pipes of various sizes for water reticulation and drainage Drainage pipes tend to be made of pitch fibre with asbestos cement added to strengthen 9 Moulded products ranging from plant pots to outdoor telephone cabinet roofs and cable pits Cleaning of asbestos cement EditSome Australian states such as Queensland prohibit the cleaning of fibro with pressure washers because it can spread the embedded asbestos fibres over a wide area Safer cleaning methods involve using a fungicide and a sealant 10 In popular culture EditThe 1973 song Way Out West by The Dingoes later covered by James Blundell amp James Reyne mentions living in a house made of fibro cement Fibro is also referred to several times on the Australian TV show Housos See also EditCemesto Eternit Fibre cement TransiteReferences Edit B A Group Glossary Archived August 19 2006 at the Wayback Machine Asbestos Cement Sheets Asbestos com The Mesothelioma Center Retrieved 2020 01 20 McLaughlin Robert W and Henry A Jandl Asbestos Cement A Basic Building Material Princeton University School of Architecture Princeton New Jersey 1959 APT Attitudes Towards Asphalt Roofing PDF Docuri com Retrieved 7 September 2018 Asbestos found in 1 2b Perth Children s Hospital says WA Health Minister ABC News 14 July 2016 retrieved 3 October 2016 Campopiano A Ramires D Zakrzewska A M Ferri R D annibale A Pizzutelli G 2 June 2009 Risk Assessment of the Decay of Asbestos Cement Roofs Annals of Occupational Hygiene 53 6 627 638 doi 10 1093 annhyg mep036 PMID 19491148 Retrieved 7 September 2018 Fibre Cement Consumer Build Archived from the original on 2006 10 10 Retrieved 2012 06 05 Asbestos Cement Where it was used and how to identify it Asbestos Sampling com Retrieved 2021 10 06 Where can you find asbestos Asbestos cement Hse gov uk Retrieved 7 September 2018 Water Blasters PDF Queensland Government Retrieved 2016 01 31 External links Edithttps web archive org web 20061117143719 http www nsw gov au fibro Advice if you have FAC in your home This material related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Asbestos cement amp oldid 1133295345, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
