Thread: Cement shingle over wood?

During today's inspection, I was proceeding assuming this was asbestos cement siding until I arrived here (see photos). This house was built in the late 50's. At this point, there is evident a wood shingle behind the cement-like shingle. I then realized that looking up, under all of the top layer shingles I could see wood shingles underneath. If this was done at the time of original installation, why? If the top shingle is a second layering, it means they were all painstakingly inserted under the wood shingles and I don't see that being done as consistently as this appeared. The second photo shows through the crack that the shingle extends all the way up to the nail in the wood shingle. The wood shingles all end about 1/4' short of the top shingle. I am also questioning my "asbestos-like" assessment as the broken shingle does not look like I would expect cement to break. What am I so obviously missing here?

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My guess only; the wood shingles were simply covered over by cement shingles because the owner did not want the additional cost of removal.

Circa 1950 cement shingles most likely contain asbestos but laboratory testing would be needed for confirmation.

I am stumped. Thinking about calling the Psyshic connection?
It looks like they installed full wood shakes with each full course of cement siding.
Installed at same time course by course.
Belt with suspenders?
Fireproof the wood shingle? Contract required fireproof wood shake.

My guess is there is no sheathing only ( shakes attached to cross members.)

What you are showing is an older style of using the least amount of shingles to cover the most ammount of surface.
First.
The outer shingles appear to be wood. If they are cementious, i've never seen one with that sharp a detail. And why would cement deteriorate along the bottom edge like wood?
And I've never seen cement shingles break along the grain like the damaged section of that photo.

Second.
Because the shingles are set with a 13-16 inch reveal, they need a backer board to extend the bottom edge of the shingle out far enough for water to drip properly from one down to the next.
That's why the starter coarse quality shingle was used underneath.
More often, an inferior grade cardboard type piece of crap filler is used that soaks up water like a sponge and caused all kinds of problems.

If they are in fact cement, which I doubt, in my foot in mouth daily way
Then the wood shigles are installed for the same reason as above.
And, As stated by Ray, 1950's used Asbestos, not cement shingles.
Why use a perfectly good product, when you can use a perfectly good product that you can later sue the world over
So, are you sure it's not wood?

Ah, yes. The hoof in mouth prize goes to me. Wood they are. I came down with a severe case of tunnel vision, got into my rookie head that they were cement based and stopped looking at the obvious. Reviewing my other pics I am having a hard time figuring out how I didn't see they were wood.

Today's lesson (one of many): Stop thinking I know so much and recognize how much I have to learn. I appreciate the feedback and apologize for the stoooooopid question. Great first post! (Recognized them as wood before submitting report but after verbalizing opinion to client. Is there room for two hooves?)

Oni, No worries, I just hope you put wood in the report.
Most things you will see on the outside of a home are meant to channel or drip water away from the home.
If you just think, Where does the water start and where does it end, and what is going to cause problems in between, it's faily obvious.
And No question is stupid, not asking question is being stupid

Originally Posted by Oni Shaw

Ah, yes. The hoof in mouth prize goes to me. Wood they are. I came down with a severe case of tunnel vision, got into my rookie head that they were cement based and stopped looking at the obvious. Reviewing my other pics I am having a hard time figuring out how I didn't see they were wood.

Today's lesson (one of many): Stop thinking I know so much and recognize how much I have to learn. I appreciate the feedback and apologize for the stoooooopid question. Great first post! (Recognized them as wood before submitting report but after verbalizing opinion to client. Is there room for two hooves?)

Yes I had some of those just last week, 1950 house. They are a decorative cedar shingle, painted umpteen times. I saw asbestos shingle sitting in my truck, but looking up at the ends of the under layer, saw wood as you did. The wood shingles have a bit of flex to them.

I found a pic of a cement-based shingle from that era. It was next door, so I just sneaked a quick snapshot off. They tend to break off across the corner, not like wood.