In dealing with houses with asbestos siding the local habitat for humanity found it best to just remove the asbestos siding and then install rigid foam and vinyl siding.
How to put vinyl siding over asbestos siding.
A common remodeling practice is to install new vinyl or aluminum siding over cement asbestos shingle siding as well as over many other older siding materials when the old siding has become damaged leaky or cosmetically ugly.
Asbestos containing shingle siding is extremely hard to begin with age increases that hardness.
Also if you could somehow use a pneumatic tool the shattered siding wouldn t be able to move anyways.
The nails used to install it were most probably drilled at the factory or onsite.
However removing the asbestos siding first though more expensive is the best alternative in the long run.
Choose a paint that is mold and mildew resistant as well as waterproof.
As for the old siding replacing it or tearing it down usually always leads to legal matters.
When you nail siding to the house remember to nail the siding.
I have asbestos siding hard brittle shinglelike covering my whole house.
I have used a pneumatic stapler to install siding over asbestos but the siding was hardboard not vinyl.
The asbestos was installed over original wood board siding 3 4 thick.
Start by hooking the siding on the bottom of the starter strip with the nail holes facing upward.
A typical procedure is to install furring strips on the existing wall avoiding breaking the existing siding.
Now that you have your backer board up and set firmly in place you can put the siding up safely without worrying about the asbestos falling down behind the siding.
Applying a layer of sheathing or sheets of foam insulation over the asbestos then covering it with vinyl siding is a common practice.
Would i hang the vinyl siding directly over the asbestos or would i put some sort of foam or insulation board or something over it first then hang the siding.
Asbestos siding though hard can flake over time which will lead to the possibility of you inhaling the asbestos.
If the job had been done right the house would have been a total loss.
I ve seen house fires where the vinyl siding burned off only to reveal the superior asbestos shingles underneath which saved the house.
But be sure to check your local building codes first to see if it is allowed in your area.
Painting the asbestos siding will help prevent this from happening.