Ask any tradesperson working on older Victorian homes what material comes up most often, and “fibro” will be near the top of the list. Asbestos cement sheeting — commonly called fibro — was one of the most widely used building products in Australia for over 40 years. If your home was built or extended between the 1940s and late 1980s, it’s very likely present somewhere.
What Is Fibro, Exactly?
Fibro is a flat cement sheet reinforced with asbestos fibres, originally prized for being lightweight, fire-resistant, weatherproof, and cheap to produce. It was used for:
- External wall cladding
- Internal wall and ceiling linings
- Eaves and soffits
- Bathroom and laundry wall sheeting
- Garage and shed construction
Because it was so versatile and affordable, fibro became the default building material for project homes, extensions, sheds, and outbuildings right across regional Victoria — Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Seymour, and beyond.
How to Recognise It
Fibro sheeting is typically flat, rigid, and around 4–6mm thick, often with visible joins between sheets covered by timber battens or cover strips. Weathered fibro can develop a slightly rough, chalky surface, small surface cracks, or a faded, uneven paint finish. That said, visual identification alone is never reliable enough to confirm asbestos content — proper testing is the only way to know for certain.
Why Fibro Is Classed as Non-Friable — and Why That Still Requires Care
Read more about non-friable vs friable asbestos. Because the asbestos fibres are bonded within the cement matrix, fibro is classified as non-friable asbestos. In good condition and left undisturbed, it’s generally low risk. The danger arises when it’s:
- Drilled, cut, or sanded
- Broken during demolition or storm damage
- Water-blasted or aggressively cleaned
- Left to weather and become brittle over decades
Any of these can release asbestos fibres into the air, at which point the health risk becomes identical to friable asbestos exposure.
Common Situations Where Fibro Causes Problems
We regularly get called out for jobs where fibro has been disturbed unintentionally — a homeowner drilling into a wall to hang a shelf, a DIY renovation stripping old cladding, or storm damage cracking roof sheeting. In almost every case, the person involved had no idea the material contained asbestos until it was too late to prevent disturbance.
What to Do If You Have Fibro
If you know or suspect your property has fibro sheeting:
- Don’t drill, cut, sand, or move it yourself.
- Get it professionally tested to confirm asbestos content.
- Plan any renovation or demolition work around a licensed removal, not before it.
- If it’s in good condition and you’re not renovating, leave it undisturbed and monitor its condition over time.
We Handle Fibro Every Week
At Myers Asbestos Removal, fibro cement sheeting is one of the most common materials we remove across Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Seymour and the surrounding regions. With over 10 years of experience, we know exactly how to identify, test, and safely remove it in full compliance with WorkSafe Victoria requirements.
Call Garry on 0433 305 521 for a free quote before you touch that wall, roof, or shed.