Vinyl Underlay Asbestos

Thin luan wood or cement board.

Vinyl underlay asbestos.

Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring can be more dangerous to remove than tiles if proper precautions are not. Construction workers used asbestos felt as an underlayment for shingles and it was also sometimes the main material used in built up roofs. When you remove that floor covering to make way for new flooring you may encounter the mastic and wonder whether it is safe to remove the main concern surrounding this question is that black mastic often contains asbestos. 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.

Product details helping to ensure floorboards are sturdy long lasting and eliminate movement vinyl and cork underlay is a high quality internal underlay used over timber plywood or particle board floors to provide a smooth base for laying either vinyl or cork flooring. Asbestos minerals are microscopic durable fibers that were added to vinyl tile flooring for its great durability and heat resistant qualities. Protect vinyl or cork floors against movement. 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.

Above we show a 9 x 9 cork patterned vinyl asbestos floor tile found in a 1960 s ranch style home in new york. Cork pattern vinyl asbestos floor tiles were produced in at least three hues by armstrong as well as montgomery ward and sears and possibly kentile and other companies. Asbestos felt was often laid under linoleum vinyl and asphalt floor tiles for padding and insulation. Asbestos containing sheet flooring or resilient flooring product identification.

Dry asbestos particles are lighter than air wet ones are less prone to become air borne. Asbestos is safe and legal to remain in homes or public buildings as long as the asbestos materials are in good condition and not tampered with. Common in homes built in the 20th century black mastic was used as an adhesive for ceramic tile linoleum and other flooring materials. Removing large sections of the underlayment will reduce the amount of asbestos released.

This article describes sheet flooring products known to contain significant levels of asbestos. As long as the asbestos tiles are solid you can cover them with sheet vinyl luxury vinyl plank laminate engineered wood solid hardwood or just about any other type of flooring. The underlayment should be wet with water before removal. You can assume this floor tile contains asbestos.