Is There Asbestos In Old Vinyl Flooring

Some asbestos containing flooring products were manufactured we estimate as early as the late 1920 s.

Is there asbestos in old vinyl flooring.

Asphalt based asbestos floor tiles and later plastic or vinyl based asbestos flooring were popular in the u s. Stain proof fireproof stylish and affordable vinyl products strengthened through the inclusion asbestos in their manufacture were a very popular choice in many new zealand houses. Asbestos in linoleum and vinyl flooring because linoleum was invented long before vinyl people often refer to both types of flooring as linoleum but there s a big difference. Asbestos has been used in vinyl wallpaper since the 1920s and vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring rose to prominence in the 1950s.

Asbestos was used in vinyl wallpaper from the 1920s and in the vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring that rose to prominence in the 1950s. In the 1940 s 1970 s and were produced by some manufacturers armstrong as late as 1980. But the flooring companies aim wasn t so much to make the floor tiles fireproof as it was to make the tiles more durable. Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring has two layers a top layer of vinyl and a bottom layer made from paper that contains asbestos.

In north america if asphalt or vinyl floor tiles or sheet flooring were made or installed before 1986 treat the floor as presumed to contain asbestos. As with any asbestos containing material acm the first step to finding asbestos in linoleum sheet flooring and vinyl tiles is. Asbestos is a mineral that lends fireproofing qualities to any substance it is mixed with. Working with asbestos flooring can release toxic dust.

Linoleum is an all natural floor covering composed of dried linseed oil wood dust cork and jute and it doesn t contain asbestos. Old vinyl products that contain asbestos remain in many buildings across the u s creating a hazard for contractors and do it yourself renovators. We are told that the paper layer can contain from 40 to 70 percent asbestos. For about 35 years flooring companies included asbestos when they manufactured the vinyl tiles.

Click here to read more. Even ceramic slate and stone tiles can be installed on. New vinyl laminate flooring hardwood engineered floating flooring and carpeting can all be successfully installed over asbestos tiles.