Vinyl Vs Asbestos Flooring

Even tho they quit making flooring in 1978 with asbestos they sold remaing stock probably into the mid 1990 s.

Vinyl vs asbestos flooring.

In standard sheet vinyl and vinyl tiles the base layer is usually fiberglass which is then coated in pvc vinyl and a plasticizer. It also was installed over tongue and groove wood floors particleboard and plywood. Identifying asbestos tile flooring by date. You have to keep from making dust.

That means it is safe to walk on but not safe to scrape sand or use power tools on. Stain proof fireproof stylish and affordable. You could also seal it with a coat of epoxy floor paint. Asbestos tiles were popular widely advertised products found in all parts of the u s.

While asbestos is useful as a binding agent in the manufacture of vinyl and rubber floor coverings it isn t needed to make linoleum tiles or sheet flooring. Asbestos vinyl flooring was a durable and economical material that offered many aesthetic options to suit a homeowner s taste. Asbestos backed sheet vinyl flooring was commonly installed in many ways including over hardwood softwood and concrete floors. However you re not completely in the clear because asbestos was a common ingredient in the mastic used to hold these flooring materials to the subfloor.

I don t recognize that exact flooring pattern jack and am guessing it s an early 1980s vinyl sheet flooring. 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. The black cutback adhesive had more asbestos than the vinyl. Our photo left shows armstrong excelon 12x12 vinyl asbestos flooring made in 1972 identified in our floor tile photo guide asbestos floor tile identification photos 1949 1959 detailed photo guide to asphalt asbestos and vinyl asbestos floor tiles and resilient flooring produced in 1900 1980.

The removal procedures described in this publication address the removal of asbestos backed sheet vinyl only if. If you have to scrape up cutback keep it misted with water. If the flooring was installed between 1952 and 1986 your vinyl flooring might contain asbestos. But when vinyl asbestos flooring is in good condition it is considered nonfriable.

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. Unfortunately vinyl sheet flooring manufactured with an asbestos backing poses a serious exposure risk when it is disturbed. The resulting sheet is printed and embossed with a surface print layer. Asbestos vinyl floor tiles were far from rare.