What Does Asbestos Look Like Under Vinyl

Look at your property deed title or tax appraisal to find the year your house was built.

What does asbestos look like under vinyl.

Unfortunately vinyl tiles and sheet flooring that contain asbestos pose a potential exposure risk. Asbestos ceilings can be found in many forms which include asbestos fibre cement sheet fibro vermiculite spray applied ceilings. The vermiculate look like popcorn and many of you might remember your old high school science lab with this material. I am not sure the right image attached.

Asbestos is found in a wide range of products and materials and was also used in its pure form. If the material is in good condition it normally does not pose a threat because the asbestos is enclosed in vinyl preventing the fibres from escaping. Unfortunately vinyl sheet flooring manufactured with an asbestos backing poses a serious exposure risk when it is disturbed. Vinyl or asphalt tiles that have these colors in it have a high likelihood of asbestos fibers.

On 2020 06 13 by josh. The vinyl acts as a binder that holds the asbestos fibres within a solid matrix. Pretty much all asphalt based darker core floor tiles and most vinyl floor tiles from the 1960s would contain asbestos. 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.

Here is the flooring in question from a 1962 home. Common in homes built in the 20th century black mastic was used as an adhesive for ceramic tile linoleum and other flooring materials. Top will not appreciably raise the height of the floor. Josh that looks like a vinyl asbestos floor tile.

I took up 6 tiles of this stuff in a friend s basement. 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. Step 3 date the tiles. Asbestos in different products and materials.

Keep in mind unless your tiles are cracked and the adhesive is exposed any asbestos in your flooring is not actively dangerous. In asbestos tiles can degrade and cause the tiles to look grimy or discolored in spots. However if your home was built before 1980 there may still be asbestos mastic under your floor tile. Asbestos ceiling tiles are also comonly used.

Whilst asbestos containing products can be difficult to identify from visual inspection alone we have put together some helpful guidance to help you understand what it may look like in different materials and locations around the home.