Exterior Siding I have never seen

**David D. Whitt** · 05-12-2010, 06:37 AM

Exterior siding on a 1950's home in the country. The panels appear to be an asphalt type covering on top of a cardboard middle section then a backing. Looks like they are installed in 24"x48" sections. This is the only exposed part. The homeowner has put vinyl siding over the rest of it. It feels like shingles when you rub them but looks like a tire tread. What I mean is its not flat, it has ridges and valleys.

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**Scott Patterson** · 05-12-2010, 06:47 AM

Looks like Insulbrick aka. Gettobrick...

Insulbrick is a fiberboard sheathing coated with tar and an embedded granular material. The surface is usually embossed and colored to look like brick or stone. It was typically nailed on to a plank sheathing. Panels of Insulbrick are often 48 inches wide and 16 to 24 inches tall. Adjacent pieces at the top, bottom and sides are connected with overlapping flaps built into the panels.

Insulbrick was or is a brand name like Coke or Kleenex

A while back over on The Inspectors Journal they had a good thread on this.

**Rick Cantrell** · 05-12-2010, 06:51 AM

There were several types of Asphalt siding used. Most popular in the 40s and 50s. Pretty much like asphalt roofing, sometimes it was asphalt roofing.
Some, like what is shown, look like stone, while sometimes it looks like brick, sometimes it was just plain ol roofing.

Last I checked (about 20 years ago), it was still being produced.
It was used on some of the buildings in the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes"?
(Been there, it was filmed just outside Macon GA)

**Rick Cantrell** · 05-12-2010, 06:59 AM

" Looks like Insulbrick aka. Gettobrick."

I've not seen it much in the Getto, mostly in the rural areas.

**David D. Whitt** · 05-12-2010, 07:57 AM

I just did a Google search on "insulbrick". Ghetto Brick came up as one of the search results. Thanks again guys.

**Jim Robinson** · 05-12-2010, 01:36 PM

That reminds me of the central PA coal country. They had a lot of asphalt sided houses in that area.

Philip · 05-12-2010, 08:59 PM

Mastic was one of the manufacturers. I believe it contains asbestos. It was actually one of the first 'maintenance free' products available to home improvement salesmen going door to door. Then came the alum siding.