Gold Bond Hexagonal Shingles

Product Description

Gold Bond Hexagonal Shingles were a roofing and exterior cladding product manufactured by National Gypsum Company during the period spanning approximately 1954 through 1965. The product took its name from its distinctive hexagonal geometry, a design format that was widely used in mid-century residential and light commercial construction as both a functional weatherproofing material and a decorative exterior finish.

National Gypsum Company, headquartered in Buffalo, New York, was one of the largest building materials manufacturers in the United States during the postwar construction boom. The company marketed its products under the Gold Bond brand, a trade name that became broadly recognized across the construction industry. Gold Bond Hexagonal Shingles were part of a wider portfolio of fiber-reinforced and mineral-composite building products that the company produced during the mid-twentieth century.

These shingles were installed on residential homes, multi-unit housing developments, and smaller commercial structures throughout the United States during their years of production. Their hexagonal shape allowed installers to create a tight, interlocking surface pattern that was marketed as durable and weather-resistant. The product was discontinued after 1965, though installed shingles remained in place on countless structures for decades afterward, continuing to present exposure risks long after manufacturing ceased.

Asbestos Content

Gold Bond Hexagonal Shingles contained chrysotile asbestos as a reinforcing fiber component. Chrysotile, also known as white asbestos, is a serpentine mineral fiber that was the most commonly used form of asbestos in American building products throughout the twentieth century. Its properties — high tensile strength, resistance to heat and moisture, and compatibility with cement and gypsum binders — made it a preferred additive in exterior cladding and roofing materials during the mid-century manufacturing era.

In products of this type, chrysotile fibers were typically blended into the base matrix of the shingle during the manufacturing process, creating a fiber-reinforced composite that was pressed and formed into the finished product shape. This integration of asbestos fibers throughout the body of the shingle meant that the material could release airborne fibers when cut, broken, abraded, drilled, or otherwise disturbed — both during initial installation and during any subsequent repair, removal, or renovation work.

It is important to note that the product category listed in the manufacturing record is pipe insulation; however, available product identification and litigation history associate Gold Bond Hexagonal Shingles with exterior shingle applications under the National Gypsum product line. Researchers and claimants should consult product identification records, safety data documentation, and legal counsel when verifying asbestos content for specific batches or installations.

How Workers Were Exposed

Industrial workers and tradespeople encountered Gold Bond Hexagonal Shingles primarily during installation, repair, and removal activities. Litigation records document that workers who handled the shingles in the course of their regular duties were at risk of inhaling airborne asbestos fibers released from the product.

During installation, workers typically cut shingles to fit rooflines, dormer edges, and other irregular surfaces. Cutting operations — whether performed with hand tools, tin snips, or mechanical saws — were capable of fracturing the fiber-reinforced matrix and releasing respirable chrysotile fibers into the surrounding air. Workers operating in enclosed or semi-enclosed conditions, such as on scaffolding close to wall surfaces or in attic spaces, faced elevated exposure due to limited air circulation and the proximity of dusty work surfaces.

Plaintiffs alleged in civil litigation that workers were not adequately warned about the presence of asbestos in these shingles or the health hazards associated with asbestos fiber inhalation. At the time Gold Bond Hexagonal Shingles were produced and installed, the relationship between chrysotile asbestos exposure and serious pulmonary diseases — including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma — was increasingly recognized within the scientific and medical literature, even if that information was not consistently communicated to workers in the field.

Renovation and demolition workers faced particularly significant risks during later decades. Shingles that had aged and weathered in place could become friable — meaning they were easily crumbled or broken by hand pressure — which significantly increased the likelihood of fiber release during disturbance. Workers tasked with re-roofing projects, siding replacements, or building demolitions in the decades following the product’s installation were exposed without the benefit of respiratory protection, hazard identification, or decontamination procedures that are now required under OSHA and EPA regulations governing asbestos-containing materials.

Litigation records further document that bystander workers — tradespeople working in proximity to shingle installation or removal operations without directly handling the product — also experienced exposure to airborne fibers generated by the primary work activity.

Gold Bond Hexagonal Shingles are classified as a Tier 2 — Litigated Product. There is no dedicated asbestos bankruptcy trust fund associated with this specific product or with National Gypsum Company claims at this time. As a result, individuals seeking compensation for asbestos-related illness caused by exposure to this product must pursue legal remedies through the civil court system.

Civil Litigation

Plaintiffs diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and pleural disease, have brought personal injury and wrongful death claims related to Gold Bond products and National Gypsum Company in courts across the United States. Litigation records document claims alleging that National Gypsum Company knew or should have known of the health risks associated with chrysotile asbestos in its products and failed to adequately warn workers and consumers.

Plaintiffs alleged that the company’s failure to disclose known hazards, provide adequate product warnings, or reformulate its products to eliminate asbestos constituted negligence, strict liability for defective product design and failure to warn, and in some cases fraudulent concealment of known health risks.

Who May Have a Claim

Individuals who may be eligible to pursue civil claims related to Gold Bond Hexagonal Shingles include:

  • Workers employed in roofing, siding installation, or exterior construction trades during the product’s years of use
  • Industrial workers who handled, cut, or removed these shingles in the course of maintenance or renovation work
  • Demolition and renovation workers who disturbed aged or deteriorated shingle installations in subsequent decades
  • Family members of exposed workers who may have experienced secondary exposure through contaminated work clothing

Steps for Claimants

Because no trust fund exists for this product, potential claimants should consult with a licensed asbestos litigation attorney to evaluate their case. An attorney experienced in asbestos personal injury law can assist with identifying product exposure history, obtaining medical documentation of diagnosis, and filing claims in the appropriate jurisdiction. Statutes of limitations for asbestos personal injury claims vary by state, and early consultation is strongly advised for individuals recently diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition.

This article is provided for informational and reference purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Individuals seeking compensation for asbestos-related illness should consult a qualified attorney.