Identify Vinyl Asbestos Floor Tiles

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

Identify vinyl asbestos floor tiles.

It is possible to make a tentative identification of floor tiles based on the individual tile pattern color and thickness. What are asbestos floor tiles. Mastic is a type of glue used to adhere tiles and vinyl flooring to the subfloor. But the flooring companies aim wasn t so much to make the floor tiles fireproof as it was to make the tiles more durable.

The asbestos containing tiles could be thick stone like tiles or they could be thin vinyl tiles. Vinyl or asphalt tiles that have these colors in it have a high likelihood of asbestos fibers. Vinyl floor tiles are resilient and cheap making them a logical choice for floors that must withstand constant wear and tear such as in businesses schools and hospitals. If your building was built before 1980 mastic mixed with asbestos may have been used to seal your tiles to the floor.

However here are a few ways you can identify asbestos in your tiles. Wallpaper was one of the earliest vinyl products to include asbestos. 9 9 vinyl tile and mastic. One of the main ingredients used in old asbestos tiles was asphalt so they were primarily made in dark colors only.

2 find out if any of the tiles were installed before 1980. Check for any discoloration check for areas that are grayish brown dark gray dark brown or black. 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. Whether your tiles are 12 12 9 9 or any other size they are all equally likely to contain asbestos.

9 x9 12 x12 and 18 x18. The vinyl acts as a binder that holds the asbestos fibres within a solid matrix. Asbestos floor tiles were manufactured in three sizes. Asbestos tiles can be difficult to identify because you can t see the asbestos in the tile.

Asbestos mastic will also always be black in color. For all these reasons it is very difficult to determine for sure whether or not ceiling or floor tiles contain asbestos. Unfortunately vinyl tiles and sheet flooring that contain asbestos pose a potential exposure risk. For about 35 years flooring companies included asbestos when they manufactured the vinyl tiles.

Examine the condition of the tiles. Mixing asbestos into vinyl floor tiles made them more insulating and resistant to damage. Possible signs of asbestos mastic include discoloration and an oily texture. Step 2 check for discoloration when inspecting the tiles look for parts that are grayish brown dark gray dark brown or black.