Hardie's Versilux

**Andy Mac** · 15th July 2007, 03:34 PM

Hi there,
We are about to shift a small house onto our property as an extension. There is a laundry attached to this house with Hardie's Versilux 261 walls, which needs removing. Before I start knocking the sheeting off, does anyone know of any health problems with this stuff? From what I can glean from the Hardie's website its an asbestos-free panelling (Quote: Versilux lining is a cellulose fibre reinforced cement building product. The basic composition is Portland cement, ground sand, cellulose fibre and water.) Does that seem right, given that the house was put on stumps about 20yrs ago...not necessarily when the laundry was built?

Thanks for any advice.

**bitingmidge** · 15th July 2007, 04:06 PM

Andy,

Versilux has been around long before Asbestos was banned.
From memory Asbestos wasn't used after the mid eighties, which is only 20 and a bit years ago after all.

Maybe the 261 is the answer?

I'd tend to be a bit cautious.

Cheers,

P

**les88** · 15th July 2007, 04:18 PM

we used to cut the sheets with fibro cutters if that's any help.
les

**hughie** · 15th July 2007, 04:28 PM

[

Versilux has been around long before Asbestos was banned.
From memory Asbestos wasn't used after the mid eighties, which is only 20 and a bit years ago after all.

All fibre cement products have been around for over 100 years. The process is about 130 years old.

As to Versilux, what age is your house? This will tell you if its got asbestos in the FRC or not. By the mid 80's Hardies were out of asbestos unless some body was selling old stock.Hardies starting getting out of it around 82 by 83-84 it was done.

The thing to watch here is the sand, its silica sand and very bad for the lungs. Its recommended that you wear a dust mask when cutting, P2 at least. All new Hardies FRC products carry a warning about the dangers of silica. If your not sure ring thier help line ''Customer Link"
http://www.workershealth.com.au/facts060.html
http://www.bigsafety.com.au/files/FibroAsbestos.pdf
http://www.bigsafety.com.au/files/respirators.pdf

**Andy Mac** · 15th July 2007, 05:46 PM

Thanks for the replies. I will be wearing a mask or respirator, just for the silica dust. My main concern really is taking a ute load of broken bits to the dump and how that will look. I haven't got the asbestos removal ticket and was wondering if I should package it all up in black plastic anyway...but then that looks like an admission of guilt!

I have to assume the laundry was built after the house was moved there, so around 1985 or later...should really have a look at council approval and confirm the date. Selling of old stock (ie asbestos sheeting) is a real possibility out in this neck of the woods!

Cheers,

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