Old Vinyl Flooring Asbestos

If the flooring was installed between 1952 and 1986 your vinyl flooring might contain asbestos.

Old vinyl flooring asbestos. When vinyl asbestos flooring is crumbling or damaged it is considered friable. Manufacturers have been using asbestos for decades so asbestos containing tiles come in a vast array of colours styles and sizes. Asbestos tiles were popular widely advertised products found in all parts of the u s. While asbestos is useful as a binding agent in the manufacture of vinyl and rubber floor coverings it isn t needed to make linoleum tiles or sheet flooring.

However you re not completely in the clear because asbestos was a common ingredient in the mastic used to hold these flooring materials to the subfloor. Our photo left shows armstrong excelon 12x12 vinyl asbestos flooring made in 1972 identified in our floor tile photo guide asbestos floor tile identification photos 1949 1959 detailed photo guide to asphalt asbestos and vinyl asbestos floor tiles and resilient flooring produced in 1900 1980. Unfortunately vinyl sheet flooring manufactured with an asbestos backing poses a serious exposure risk when it is disturbed. The old tiles are relatively thin around 1 8 inch thick so installing new flooring on top.

One of the best ways to deal with asbestos tile is to leave it in place and cover it with new flooring. Removing vinyl flooring with asbestos requires special safety clothing and breathing respirators. 9 9 vinyl tile and mastic. Professionals will not remove the flooring if it is dry.

Asbestos was used in vinyl wallpaper from the 1920s and in the vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring that rose to prominence in the 1950s. Asbestos vinyl floor tiles were far from rare. Vinyl tiles with asbestos are all 12 12 or 9 9 tiles with asbestos. Identifying asbestos tile flooring by date.

Vinyl tile is an excellent option for sealing in asbestos tiles. Removing old vinyl flooring with asbestos. Whether your tiles are 12 12 9 9 or any other size they are all equally likely to contain asbestos. Asbestos vinyl flooring was a durable and economical material that offered many aesthetic options to suit a homeowner s taste.

One of the biggest factors of installing a new floor over the old is thickness. Like floor tiles vinyl sheet flooring is a long lasting and economical material and it also offers more aesthetic options to suit a homeowner s taste. In this case it needs to be removed very carefully to avoid asbestos exposure.