Cement siding from 1975 (floor, paint, asbestos, install)
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I need to drill a 4" hole for a dryer vent thru this siding. Do you think it will work well with a carbide hole saw ? Has anyone done it ? Any advice would be great.
Don't see why not. WET the area and keep it wet, as that siding undoubtedly contains asbestos and breathing the fibers is not good. If you have a covid mask, all the better.
Yes, I regularly pounce on those who freak out over asbestos, but this is a simple and easy way to stay relatively safe. The hole saw, of course, wants to be grounded and plugged to a GFCI outlet.
Chances are it will crack, however, you might be better off line drilling it with a very small bit and if it does crack, install a painted wood cap over the siding and then mount the louvered dryer vent over the wood plate.
I'd use a slow speed on the drill motor driving the hole saw, wet everything (not so much for dust control and potential asbestos as to keep the cutters cool), and you should be OK. If you have any flexibility in where to cut the hole, pick a spot where you're not making thin portions of siding. It MIGHT be possible to secure a small piece of plywood to the siding first (how? Using RTV silicone would be best for the cutting, but tough to clean it off) - then if you get any chatter the plywood should absorb it to some degree. I'm thinking similar to how you put masking tape over plywood to limit splintering when you cut it.
Think of the material as similar to thin floor tile. Don't lean into the saw, take your time. I drilled small holes for cables in the stuff on one of my homes and didn't have a problem.
Think of the material as similar to thin floor tile. Don't lean into the saw, take your time. I drilled small holes for cables in the stuff on one of my homes and didn't have a problem.
To piggy back, let the saw do the work, not your body weight. Keep a spray bottle on hand for water.
I'm not asking because it might contain asbestos. I'm wondering if the siding will break or crack while doing it.
Well, it would depend how well the siding is backed up and how sharp the hole saw is.
Is this by chance the shingle style siding? Maybe just remove the one piece and cut it? Or, if a square hole would work, use a 4” right angle grinder and a diamond blade. And again, keeping the siding moist will control dust.
Might be better to use a smaller hole saw, make multiple holes, then cut in between and round the hole off. We're not talking high precision machining here.
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