Vinyl-asbestos floor tile photos for 1973 & surrounding years:

Photo guide to asphalt asbestos and vinyl asbestos floor tiles made or installed close to 1973.

Tthis article series provides a guide to identifying asphalt-asbestos flooring (1917 - ca 1960) & vinyl asbestos floor tile (ca 1952 - 1986), giving a full catalog of floor tile and sheet flooring identification photographs, product names, styles, colors, and vinyl-asbestos floor patterns, and colors for asbestos-containing floor tile products made between about 1930 and 1986 - flooring materials that are reported to or have been confirmed to contain asbestos in asbestos fiber or asbestos powder-filler form.

These flooring products typically contain chrysotile asbestos, and possibly other asbestos forms. Some of the tile adhesive mastics used also contained asbestos.

1973 - Armstrong Excelon Vinyl Asbestos Floor Tiles, Complete Pattern & Color Guide, 9x9 & 12x12-inch

These questions & answers about identifying asbestos-containing flooring manufactured or installed in 1973 were posted originally at ASBESTOS FLOOR TILE IDENTIFICATION PHOTOS 1973, COMPLETE GUIDE - be sure to see the photo guide and identification help givenb there.

Asbestos is safe and legal to remain in homes or public buildings as long as the asbestos materials are in good condition and the asbestos can not be released into the air.

If you do not know the brand name of your flooring you can take a quick look at example photos of the product line of each manufacturer given at ASBESTOS FLOORING IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INDEX - all brands, all years .

[Click to enlarge any image]

On 2018-06-13 by (mod) - tips for removing tile mastic or cutback adhesive

I would test a suitable solvent. Most likely you're talking about asphalt-based adhesive. That can usually be softened with a paint thinner or odorless paint thinner compound

Watch out: there may be serious breathing and fire hazards,

so make sure you read the instructions and take the appropriate precautions.

Some other adhesives that were used later, typically tan in color, may be water-soluble. You always want to try the least aggressive solvent first.

For most situations it's actually less expensive, safer, and makes more sense to leave the adhesive in place and to cover it over with a new layer of flooring.

Watch out: as we warn at MASTIC, CUTBACK ADHESIVE, FLASHING CEMENT ASBESTOS, some adhesives, both asphalt based (black cutback adhesive) and later latex-based (tan or brown adhesives) contained asbestos, though the material is not easily made friable.

On 2018-06-12 by Sherry

How do you remove hard black cutback that was under tiles

On 2018-01-01 by (mod) -

Zach, regarding your embossed stone green hue floor tile [shown above]

I have not seen your exact flooring pattern either. From the age of the home, unless you think the flying went in after 1984-85, it would make sense to treat the flooring as presumed to contain asbestos.

If the floor is in good condition, there's no reason to panic but you may want to cover the floor or seal its surface as described in this article series.

Watch out: the realtor is not a neutral party to sale of a home, and knows that she or he is can not be held liable for making statements about the home, its construction, nor its hazards, so you must do your own due-diligence inspections and if appropriate, tests, when buying a home.

On 2018-01-01 by Zach

Hey there - I've read through as much as I could on here and I can't tell if my flooring is suspect or not.

The inspector claimed he didn't think it was asbestos but I'm starting to wonder now.

House was built in 1968 and I think the flooring was done after that. See pics attached [shown above]

. Any idea?

On 2016-08-24 by (mod) - Asbestos in Armstrong 1973 Cedar 5B918, and Palomino Beige 5C926 or possibly Pecan Beige 5C913

You can treat those floor tiles as presumed to contain asbestos.

On 2017-06-19 by Michele Elias

We are in the process of renovating our basement which was finished originally in the Spring/Summer if 1973.

The flooring appears to be Armstrong tiles, 9 X 9 X 1/8", Standard Asphalt tiles. The colors are Cedar 5B918, and Palomino Beige 5C926 or possibly Pecan Beige 5C913. Is there some way we can tell for sure that there are vinyl/non-asbestos tiles?

Would a photograph be helpful?

On 2016-08-24 by (mod) -

A

If you search InspectApedia for LINOLEUM SHEET FLOORING GUIDE you'll see an article with identifying photos as well as a discussion of what linoleum is, how it's made, and what it contains - not asbestos.

Of course many people use "linoleum" as a generic word for what flooring people call "sheet flooring" - sold in sheets and possibly made of vinyl, rubber, linoleum, or other older products.

You're welcome to use the page-bottom CONTACT link to submit photos for comment. It'd be helpful to see both the pattern of the flooring and also its under-side.

On 2016-08-24 by A.

I have a home built in 1974. Underneath the carpet in the den I have noted what looks to be the original linoleum floor. My wife and I have been discussing replacing the carpet with either new carpet or laminate.

Obviously, the previous homeowners placed the carpet directly over the existing floor...I'm assuming due to concerns about asbestos, but I do not know if that is the case. Do you have a recommendation? If I was able to send a picture to you, could you tell me if it contains asbestos or not? Thank you.

On 2016-03-17 by (mod) -

James: it would be prudent to treat the floor as PACM - presumed asbestos containing material. In the ARTICLE INDEX above you'll find advice on ASBESTOS FLOOR HAZARD REDUCTION

On 2016-03-09 by James

Have a home built in 1973...main floor bathroom has a peeling/lifting vinyl?? floor..not floor tiles...hopefully attaching picture...cannot find a match on any pattern...too old to determine brand...possibly Ernst from many years ago...possible asbestos? Thank you!

Question: Armstrong diecut inserts from around 1952 - ways to seal these floors?

Am looking for information on Armstrong diecut inserts from around 1952. Also are there any recommended ways to seal these floors so you can enjoy the look but without any asbestos concerns? Thanks, Sarah - Sarah 6/23/11

Reply: gentle cleaning followed by floor restorer clear coating protects from asbestos fiber release

Sarah:

Our photos show examples of some of the diecut flooring inserts from the 1950's; I'm not sure what other information you seek.

About sealing vinyl-asbestos tile floors, especially in residential use where school or public regulations and public access worries don't apply, I've had great success using clear-coating floor restorer products.

As you can see at ASBESTOS FLOORING LEFT IN PLACE, we just did this recently in a New York home. The floor was washed with mild detergent and water. Then we used a spray cleaner recommended by the floor resetorer manufacturer. The spray cleaner removes old wax residues. Next we used a magic marker to color in some gouges that had marred the floor surface. Finally we coated the flooring with the floor restorer product. The floor looked new, and great.

In sum, if you maintain a hard clear coating on top of the floor surface you won't be releasing any measurable level of asbestos fibers by normal foot traffic.

Also see ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD REDUCTION for more ways to reduce the asbestos hazard in asbestos-suspect or presumed asbestos-containing flooring.

Question: asbestos tiles under carpeting

Found what I believe to be asbestos tiles under carpet in all 4 bedrooms of a house my daughter purchased.

The house is 100 + age so this indicates these tiles would be asbestos. Some are damaged through age and also have been stapled to hold the underpad of carpeting and also the carpet tack around the edges.

What is the hazard of the staples and tack? Should we be concerned about fiber leakage thru these holes and various damage in the rooms. Thank you - Leaha 9/7/11

Reply:

Leaha

Shile one cannot assert the age of a flooring material necessarily from the age of a house (as flooring can be installed long after original construction) it's reasonable to use caution about old-looking flooring in a 100 year old home before knowing much more.

But it's unlikely that there would be measurable asbestos particle movement up through wall to wall carpeting over floor tiles; the hazards would more likely arise during demolition.

See ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD REDUCTION (article link at the ARTICLE INDEX the bottom of this article ) for advice about minimizing the hazards should you need to remove material.

If nevertheless you are worried about the health and safety of building occupants, you'd want a professional inspection for all conditions there; a loose railing or step or a fire hazard could be a greater risk that should not go ignored.

Finally, you could order asbestos tests on settled house dust or even air sampling if you are very anxious about the matter; frankly those steps would not be my first concern.

Question: identifying various other brands and product numbers of floor tiles

do you know if the SEARS brand HOMART 64-7169 asphalt floor tile contained asbestos? - Paul Wright 9/22/11

Have you heard of Dura Floor Plastic Asphalt Tiles? Do they contain asbestos? - Jo Lynn Judka 10/24/11

I have 12" x 12" tile in the basement just like the pattern San Roque Gold 57161 from 1980.

However, this tile is not 1/8 thick but 1/16 and it was peel & stick. Would this contain asbestos? - David 11/27/11

Is there a way I can forward someone a photo of a school floor to determine if it contains asbestos? I am unable to get back into the building It is closed, but the school dept wants to open it again and is saying that there isn't a problem.

I looked through the tiles on your site, but oculdn't find an exact match. The school was built in 1950-1960, but we have no evidence that the tiles have been replaced. Can you help? -

we have an armstrong floor tile (black color) with the following numbers on the back L4 1230 021898. We don't know the year it was installed. Does it contain asbestos? Is there a way to cross reference these numbers? - Dan 5/1/12

We have the San Roque pattern sheet vinyl. Did Armstrong use the same patterns at a later date for their sheet vinyl but without asbestos? We have already started to remove it and I am concerned. - Sue 10/24/2012

We have vinyl sheet flooring that was put in about mid 1984. Is this anything to worry about? When exactly was asbestos banned in the manufacture of sheet flooring? - Peter 11/6/2012

Reply:

David, naturally by email alone no one can say with certainty whether or not a floor tile contains asbestos, but if your flooring matches one of the ACM floor tiles we illustrate here, AND if you are confident about the age (as you suggest) most likely it is an asbestos-containing product.

And yes, for sure there were some peel-and-stick floor tiles that contained asbestos in the tile baking.

That does not necessarily mean that you need a costly asbestos remediation job - it depends on the condition of the surface, use made of the area, etc. If the floor is sound you may have the option of simply covering it with a new material.

JoLynn, sorry we don't have information about DuraFloor plastic asphalt tiles. Do you know the age of the product? You're welcome to send us photos (see the CONTACT link at top, side, bottom of our pages), and I'll research further.

Certainly up to the early 1980's many asphalt floor tile products contained asbestos.

Dan, while we have published product and lot numbers for some floor tile products, there are just too many of them, thousands.

Unlike mechanical equipment like water heaters or furnaces, I have not found a standard of correlation between product numbers and date of manufacture, though it probably was included in widely varying ways by individual manufacturers.

You can narrow down the asbestos question by:

- noting the age of the building itself as that sets the earliest plausible date for its floor materials +/- a year or so to allow for flooring sold from stock

- noting the date of any renovations of the building

- noting whether or not there are multiple layers of flooring or other similar changes that give a renovation history

- noting information on any packaging used for the floor tiles - sometimes an extra box of floor tiles is left and stored in a building, intended to supply future repairs or changes to the floor

- comparing the appearance of your flooring to the photographs we provide in these tile identification articles

- sending a small sample of flooring to a certified asbestos testing lab

For a tile floor of unknown constituents, do not do something foolish such as grinding, sanding, power sawing, or a dusty messy demolition.

Peter,

I think you mngh want to ask Armstrong, but in NY case, if you remove materials following the recommended procedures and avoid making a dusty ness you should be OK

Question: how much asbestos was in floor tile?

How much asbestos did the Armstrong Excelon Standard 12"x12" tiles contain - Loretta D 12/21/11

How much asbestos did the Armstrong Excelon vinyl asbestos floor tiles contain (12"x12", 1972/1973)? - Loretta 12/22/11

Hi! Would you expect the armstrong corlon resilent flooring with the hydrocord backing from the mid 1960s to contain significant amounts of asbestos? I am trying to find some information on it as I think that may be what is in our home..

.the only info I can find is that the backing probably did contain an asbestos and latex composite...I am wondering how likely the composite material would become easily friable if we attempted to remove it... - Kate 2/16/12

Reply:

Loretta, lacking hard science facts I have to give an OPINION that the material is high in asbestos content because in addition to asbestos fibers that gave strength to the tiles, many such floor tiles included a high level of asbestos filler - very ultrafine particles.

We'd need to have a sample for specific testing to obtain an content level measurement.

Question: I started demolishing asbestos-suspect flooring and now my wife is worried. What are my options?

Hi there, being naive and not aware that floor tiles may contain asbestos - I began removing some older tiles from under the carpet in my kids room. After seeing a warning on a Home Depot website - we stopped the removal.

Is there any way of testing or visually confirming the possibility of it containing asbestos? I was working in the area for approximately 2 hours without any breathing apartus, etc. What are my options at this point? My wife is freaking out. Thanks - Sean M 1/22/12

Reply:

Sure: you can send a sample of flooring to a certified asbestos test lab.

It might be a bit early to freak out; if yhou haven't made a dusty mess or ground or sawn old flooring the dust level should be rather low; most flooring products are not very friable.

If you have made a dusty mess, some proper cleanup (damp wiping, HEPA vacuuming) is probably in order, followed by a simple screening check.

Question: I'm having trouble using the small tile identification images

I think I've looked through all the photos here and fortunately, the only one that appears to resemble what I have is in the "1989 & Later Armstrong Accoflex Series Flooring Tiles" image just above this comment box.

UNfortuneately, it is very difficult to be sure from this small image and i am sure what I have is NOT from the UK.

The tiles I have are 12" x 12", 1/8" thick light blue and white (like streaked clouds on a blue sky) resembling "Spruce" above. The tiles are VERY heavy, quite inflexible and have very tiny sparkling crystals throughout.

These physical apsects make me very uneasy. Since the tiles are at least 25 years or more old, should I be concerned? Where might I go for an expert opinion? Thanks. - Scott 2/1/2012

Reply: click on images to enlarge them

We'd be glad to take a look at some sharp photos of the floor tiles that you are trying to identify to see if we can help;

Also, for just about any image found at InspectApedia, just click the image to see a larger, more detailed version.

Question: Test Results for Armstrong Sheet Flooring - 70% Asbestos

In one of the asbestos pages of your site ( this page - Ed.), your second photo is of a sheet layment. The text about the photo clarifies that the person who sent the photo was confused about Armstrong and Congoleum.

I wanted to let you know that I have that exact same sheet layment and had it tested. It's 70% asbestos.

Thought you may want to let readers know so they can save the cost of testing and just deal with the issue accordingly.

I appreciate your site. Thank you for taking the time to put together all the information. - D.H. 10/11/2012

Reply:

Thank you so much D.H. for the floor covering test result confirming asbestos content in this material. We a welcome critique, questions, or content suggestions for our web articles, and as your feedback illustrates, working together and exchanging information makes us better informed than any individual can be working alone.

Question: How much asbestos hazard was I exposed to during our floor renovation project?

We recently partially demo'd a ceramic tile floor in the kitchen of a home built in 1970. We popped the ceramic tiles up with a pry bar and sledge hammer. Beneath the tiles was a linoleum floor covering. I've visually identified the flooring on your website. It is Armstrong, Excelon, Custon Burnham 1972, 57080 Blue.

How much asbestos does this contain? Also, we didn't bother peeling it all up because it was too difficult. We chipped up the remaining ceramic tile on top of it and just covered the remainder of the floor with plywood and fastened the plywood with split drive fasteners.

We then nailed pine plank flooring over the plywood. Do we have any reason to worry about asbestos exposure?

My husband wore a dust mask. - Kelly McCullin 11/13/2012

I have ArmStrong sheet layment in my kicten.There was a layer of newer layment on top I did realize it was the orignal under it. The house was built in 1974. I removed about a there foot area before I realized it.

If i was exsposed to it how much does it take to make you sick and what are the symptoms.I have to think I am not the only one who has done this. - David 11/28/2012

Reply: it depends ... Here is a list of some risk factors when removing flooring that may contain asbestos

David, and also Kelly McKullin:

Unfortunately no one can say with any accuracy whatsoever just what level of hazard you were exposed to during your asbestos floor removal. The variables include:

• the total amount of material disturbed and removed
• the actual asbestos content of the flooring and of other materials, such as mastic, that were disturbed
• the removal methods used to take up flooring, and just how much dust you created
• nature of demolition dust and debris - particle size, therefore airborne particulate levels & duration of particles in the air. For example, picking up a whole floor tile that is already loose may produce almost no detectable airborne particulates, while running power tools, saws, grinders, sanders, hammers, can make a lot of dust
• dust control measures used during the project
• cleanup methods used after the project both in and out of the work area
• remaining dust that could have led to longer term exposure
• individual health history, respiration rate, personal protective gear used or not
• other site & individual -specific data not listed here

If you have specific individual health questions those should be posed to your doctor who knows your personal health history

Presuming that your project is now long over, if you have reason to be concerned, you might want to do some strategic dust sampling to see whether or not the building needs further cleanup

See ASBESTOS REMOVAL GUIDE, FLOORING and ASBESTOS REMOVAL, WETTING GUIDELINES

Question: is it true that Armstrong Excelon floors, even older ones, were asbestos free?

I saw the below narrative on yourwebsite

Shown at left: Armstrong Excelon Vinyl Floor tile, contemporary, popular, sold in 70 colors at retail outlets including Home Depot stores, this modern resilient floor tile does not contain asbestos. [Click any image to see an enlarged, detailed version]

the picture sort of looks like an old floor in a house I just bought a few weeks ago..

THe house was built probably early 1970's or mid 1970's are you saying the excelon vinyl floor, EVEN OLDER ONES were NOT asbestos? it is all so hard to tell as the floor looks like so many on your site> thanks E.K. 8/22/13

Reply: no.

No. Older floors contained asbestos. Modern floors post about 1986 do not

Reader comment

but I read Excelon vinyl 1977 on did NOT, it was the only exception? at any rate I am upset my home inspector said it was not asbestos because it was 12 ft not 9 ft and obviously he did not know what he was talking about

I am not sure if this was original or they put it in years later which would still make it look old but might have been put in , in the 80's for all I know. just no way to know.

I will put a vinyl floor over it shortly but I am living on this floor, excercising on it etc. it is in tact but one piece is damagd and has crumbling in a small area, so it will get covered with new floor

Reply:

12 feet ? What are we talking about here? Perhaps you meant 12-inch vs 9-inch tiles? Asbestos-containing floor tiles were made in both of those sizes.

About the 1977-on I'd like to review the citation to which you refer. Can you give it?

If I were considering a home built even as late as the early 1980's, would not assume that Excelon vinyl nor other brands of asphalt-floor tiles nor vinyl floor tiles nor sheet flooring were asbetsos free - it was simply too tempting and too easy for an installer to use existing stock of flooring that might have been made earlier and that contained asbestos.

In such cases it would be prudent to presume the flooring contains asbestos - which as I've written, does not normally require costly heroic efforts: avoid types of demolition that create dust such as grinding or sawing or mass breakage, and follow the wetting and HEPA vacuuming guildelines.

If one were facing a costly job then it would make sense to actually test the flooring. If one had a home already made dusty by someone doing demolition then it might make sense to test a dust sample as well.

In all events, I am surprised that your home inspector presumes that only 9x9" tiles contained asbestos. That is not the case.

...

Continue reading  at ASBESTOS FLOOR TILE IDENTIFICATION PHOTOS 1973, COMPLETE GUIDE or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• ASBESTOS FLOOR TILE PHOTO ID GUIDE - home
• ASBESTOS FLOOR TILE IDENTIFICATION COLOR KEY - home
• ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD REDUCTION
• ASBESTOS FLOORING IDENTIFICATION
• ASBESTOS FLOORING IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INDEX - all brands, all years
• ASBESTOS FLOORING REMOVAL GUIDE
• ASBESTOS REMOVAL, WETTING GUIDELINES
• ASBESTOS RISK ASSESSMENT
• ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST
• DOES THIS FLOOR CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 easy questions to tell if your FLOOR probably contains asbestos -
• DOES THIS MATERIAL CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 easy questions to tell if a BUILDING MATERIAL probably contains asbestos -
• MARBLE / STONE CHIP PATTERN FLOORING ASBESTOS
• RESILIENT SHEET FLOORING ID GUIDE

Suggested citation for this web page

ASBESTOS FLOOR TILE IDENTIFICATION PHOTOS 1973 ID FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to ASBESTOS HAZARDS

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