Old Vinyl Flooring Asbestos

Asbestos vinyl flooring was a durable and economical material that offered many aesthetic options to suit a homeowner s taste.

Old vinyl flooring asbestos.

Asbestos containing sheet flooring or resilient flooring product identification. 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. Removing old vinyl flooring with asbestos. Asbestos tiles were popular widely advertised products found in all parts of the u s.

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. Vinyl tiles with asbestos are all 12 12 or 9 9 tiles with asbestos. This article describes sheet flooring products known to contain significant levels of asbestos. An example would be a floor slab made from asbestos cement.

If the flooring was installed between 1952 and 1986 your vinyl flooring might contain asbestos. When vinyl asbestos flooring is crumbling or damaged it is considered friable. Identifying asbestos tile flooring by date. 9 9 vinyl tile and mastic.

One of the best ways to deal with asbestos tile is to leave it in place and cover it with new flooring. Unfortunately vinyl sheet flooring manufactured with an asbestos backing poses a serious exposure risk when it is disturbed. Manufacturers have been using asbestos for decades so asbestos containing tiles come in a vast array of colours styles and sizes. We describe sources of asbestos in older forms of sheet flooring including felt backed flooring rubber backed flooring and vinyl cushion backed resilient flooring products.

Removing vinyl flooring with asbestos requires special safety clothing and breathing respirators. Vinyl tile is an excellent option for sealing in asbestos tiles. If you aren t removing the old floor you may be creating a new floor that is too thick for doors to open and shut or for thresholds to have clearance. The old tiles are relatively thin around 1 8 inch thick so installing new flooring on top.

Asbestos vinyl floor tiles were far from rare. Professionals will not remove the flooring if it is dry. But when vinyl asbestos flooring is in good condition it is considered nonfriable. In this case it needs to be removed very carefully to avoid asbestos exposure.