The exterior is slate? or similar and parts are damaged, and some the frame is also damaged to nail the slate to.
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @BigdogBaker. It's sensational to have you join us and many thanks for your question on cladding a garage.
That sounds like a really interesting project. It would help a lot to see some photos of the garage, especially the damaged areas, so we can better understand what you’re working with. If you’re not sure how to upload images here, I can walk you through it.
Slate was traditionally used more for roofing than walls, so it’s a bit unusual but not unheard of depending on the build. If you can share a few shots of the exterior and the framing behind it, that’ll give much better context. The other possibility is cement sheeting, which is commonly used for outbuildings. Given the age, be very mindful that it could possibly contain asbestos, so do not disturb it until verified otherwise by a professional or through testing.
From what you’ve described, if parts of the frame are damaged, you may need to repair or replace those sections first before reattaching any slate tiles. The integrity of the frame is key, otherwise anything you fix on the surface won’t hold up long-term.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Thanks, Mitchellmc, I am traveling up the Coast this weekend (The Entrance) from Sydney and will take photos and send them.
PS I am not by any means a builder, but am building some skills with the aim of retiring up The Entrance and buying a place that needs some care so I don't get bored in my retirement.
Cheers
Thanks for the update and the photo, that really helps, @BigdogBaker.
From what you’ve shown, that cladding is fibrecement sheeting rather than slate. Given the age of the structure, there’s a very real possibility it contains asbestos, so the first and most important step is to have the sheeting professionally tested before doing anything else.
If it does turn out to be asbestos-containing material (ACM), your options become quite limited. Disturbing it, even for what seems like minor work, can release hazardous fibres. That means:
If the sheeting is confirmed to contain asbestos, the only proper long-term solution, especially if there’s structural damage, is professional removal by a licensed asbestos contractor, followed by repair and recladding.
Once you’ve got confirmation either way from testing, feel free to share the results here and we can walk through the safest and most practical repair options from there.
