What Is Vinyl Asbestos Tile

Asbestos is a mineral that lends fireproofing qualities to any substance it is mixed with.

What is vinyl asbestos tile.

Sbestos was once considered a miracle material used in everything from paint and pipe insulation to even tiling. Who produced vinyl or asphalt asbestos flooring. Vinyl is a type of plastic that has long been a popular material for floor tiles and sheets the problem is there could be traces of asbestos adhesive that are holding them in place that is. But that changes as soon as you decide to remove it.

Vinyl is a type of plastic that has long been a popular material for floor tiles and sheets. Intact asbestos tiles are not a major risk and can in fact be left in place and covered with other materials such as carpet vinyl linoleum or concrete. Tiles that are disintegrating should be. 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.

Unfortunately vinyl sheet flooring manufactured with an asbestos backing poses a serious exposure risk when it is disturbed. Unlike many asbestos containing materials vinyl asbestos flooring is generally safe to be around. Asbestos floor tiles were manufactured in three sizes. Step 3 date the tiles.

One of the biggest factors of installing a new floor over the old is thickness. One of the best ways to deal with asbestos tile is to leave it in place and cover it with new flooring. But that changes as soon as you decide to remove it. What are asbestos floor tiles.

Many asbestos floor tiles including old vinyl asbestos flooring is generally safe to be around. Vinyl or asphalt tiles that have these colors in it have a high likelihood of asbestos fibers. 9 x9 12 x12 and 18 x18. One of the main ingredients used in old asbestos tiles was asphalt so they were primarily made in dark colors only.

The old tiles are relatively thin around 1 8 inch thick so installing new flooring on top. However once considerable testing proved that it was a killer the miracle became a nightmare to deal with and remove. Another time period that asbestos floors were popular in was between the years of 1920 and 1960. For about 35 years flooring companies included asbestos when they manufactured the vinyl tiles.

It is possible to make a tentative identification of floor tiles based on the individual tile pattern color and thickness. But the flooring companies aim wasn t so much to make the floor tiles fireproof as it was to make the tiles more durable. Vinyl asbestos floor tiles were produced by a number of manufacturers and the decorative tile patterns were varied often annually as styles and tastes changed.