What are Fibre Cement Boards Made of?

This material is composed of only a handful of ingredients. The first ingredient in fibre cement boards is cellulose fibres. This ingredient is a filler used to reinforce the other ingredients that are mixed in. The purpose of the fibres is to fill in any pores in the cement and make it strong and extra durable.

Next, there is the cement. It is most common to find fibre cement made with Portland cement. This type of cement contains clay, limestone, and iron. The purpose of this ingredient is to bind all of the other ingredients together like a glue. It is the foundation of all the other ingredients and makes sure everything sticks together.

Sand is another core ingredient in fibre cement. The sand gives the material protection and resistance against different types of weather. It helps the board stay strong and durable during windstorms, snowstorms, thunderstorms, sleet, and even hail. You won’t notice any kind of erosion to this material after some rough weather.

The last core ingredient of a fibre cement board is water. The water is what activates that cement and all the other ingredients so they can solidify and become the product that is usable on or inside your home. As it activates, the mixture will begin to harden and lock all of the materials in for the strongest final product possible.

There might be some cases where manufacturers will add some extra additives to their formula. These additives will consist of chemicals that can help the materials bind together and create a more solid structure. If there are added chemicals, the label of the fibre cement board will warn you about it.

How is Fibre Cement Board Manufactured?

Fibre cement board is manufactured using what is called the Hatscheck Process. This process was originally developed for use with asbestos products but has since been altered to manufacture non-asbestos and fibre cement.

During the process, cellulose fibres that are unbleached are pumped through warm water with a specific pH balance. The fibres are refined and mixed into the cement, sand, and any other additives to form the mixture.

The mixture is then put into a mould, vacuumed to remove excess water and cured to form the reinforced, strong, and durable product that is fibre cement. The manufacturing process also takes advantage of what is called autoclave technology. This is when heat and pressure are applied to eliminate any remaining moisture in the fibre cement. This makes the final product extra strong and resistant to water and temperature.