Fibre-cement cladding – peeling or flaking paint
This page applies to fibre-cement sheets with battened joints, jointers or an open-drained joint.
If the cladding was installed before the mid-1980s, there is a possibility that it may contain asbestos fibres. Polite and Fibrolite are two examples of asbestos-cement cladding. For paint failure on this cladding, follow the steps outlined here.
For paint failure on texture-coated flush-finished fibre-cement cladding, see the page here.
Causes
Thermal expansion and contraction
Loss of adhesion due to moisture being absorbed by the substrate
Poor initial substrate preparation
Solventborne (alkyd) paint applied over waterborne (acrylic) paint
Listed under: Exterior, fibre-cement, cladding, walls, fibre-cement cladding
Cause
Thermal expansion and contraction
Repair
- scrape and/or sand off loose paint; allow to dry; sand until surface is sound; prime; paint with a minimum two coats of semi-gloss or high gloss acrylic paint
Cause
Loss of adhesion due to moisture being absorbed by the substrate
Repair
-
scrape and/or gently sand off loose paint. Waterblasting is not recommended for fibre-cement claddings. Total paint removal may not be possible
-
when the surface is clean, sound and completely dry, paint with a minimum two coats of good quality acrylic paint suitable for fibre-cement, following the paint manufacturer’s instructions
Cause
Poor initial substrate preparation
Repair
- scrape and/or sand off loose paint; seal; paint with a minimum two coats of semi-gloss or high gloss acrylic paint
Cause
Solventborne (alkyd) paint applied over waterborne (acrylic) paint
Repair
- follow the first repair, gently removing as much of the solventborne paint as possible, and repainting with waterborne paint
Cause
Surface was dirty when painted previously
Repair
- follow the first repair, ensuring that the cladding is completely clean and dry before starting to paint
Cause
Dark colours
Repair
- scrape and/or sand off loose paint; seal; paint with a minimum two coats of light coloured semi-gloss or high gloss acrylic paint