Questions & answers about whether or not ceramic wall or floor tiles contains asbestos or lead.

This article series discusses the question: "Do or did tile grout, tile bedding compounds, thin-set mortars, or tile mastic used with ceramic tiles contain asbestos or lead ?"

Q&A: Does Ceramic Floor Tile or Ceramic Wall Tile Contain Asbestos?

These questions & answers about asbestos content and lead content in ceramic tile or tile grout were posted originally

at CERAMIC TILE, ASBESTOS / LEAD? - be sure to see that article.

[Click to enlarge any image]

 

On 2021-11-16 by Asbestos grout in kitchen counter/shower, window, garage?

Hi, just rented a 1920 house for few months and want to make sure I am safe here. Is any asbestos danger possible from using these things and spaces?

Grout/caulk in kitchen counter tiles and sink and in shower tiles?

The kitchen counter worries me since its used daily. (photo #1) Window cracked paint/caulk? (photo#2) Garage floor, there are some dropping? (#3) Garage ceiling with parts of plaster/mud? (#4) Garage walls? (#5)

Also neigbour 1970 house is changing big windows and I could see piece of wall on the floor there and they just tearing and cutting the wall then dry sweeping it, and without bagging just throwing into open truck, while wind blows right from their house to our house while the windows are open here and I am worried to walked around, should I be?

They asked me to visit them. Thank you very much!

...

On 2021-06-19 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator

@Rebekah,

We don't have an answer to the risk regarding grout around a cabinet installed in 1983 except to say that the data, which is quite limited, suggest that asbestos in that product would not be usual.

What would make sense would be to do your demolition and removal using wetting and other methods to minimize dust and dust exposure.

On 2021-06-19 by Rebekah

Thanks for your response to my question about sanding tile in the 1983 building. Yes! I have discovered the no-sand paint products!!

Now my remaining question is: If I remove a bathroom vanity that has tile grouted around it, do I run a significant risk of potential asbestos in the grout/adhesive being an issue? The building is in Minnesota.

Question: is there asbestos in a 1983 ceramic tile bath floor or wall tile?

Rebekah 2021/06/17

...

Hi! I’m doing a facelift project on some bathrooms in a building built in 1983. I plan to paint the tile and this will necessitate sanding the tile, grout, and any exposed adhesive. I’ll attach some photos. Do you think there’s a chance I’m dealing with asbestos ingredients?

Moderator reply:

I'm not sure you're correct that you need to send the tile and grout, and in fact I think you're going to find that that's practically impossible to do so in any useful way.

...

If you clean the soap film and scum off of the surface using any household cleaner, you will find that there are paints that are designed by the manufacturer to burn it to a ceramic surface.

About the asbestos part of the question, even though asbestos would be uncommon in ceramic tiles of that age in many countries we don't know where your building is located nor where the tile was made.

So we can't rule out the possibility of asbestos.

Sanding if you attempted to do that and were able to actually grind off the ceramic surface of the tile, would create a terrific dust hazard. I don't recommend trying it.

Question: is my hexagonal bath tile flooring an asbestos hazard?

Matthew Ferguson 2021/06/10

Would this hex tile flooring be suspected of having asbestos? The house resides in Baltimore Maryland. Thank you in advance for

any feedback .

Moderator reply:

Matthew

No one can say with certainty that your floor does or doesn't contain asbestos without testing, but please read the article above where you'll see that the chances are slim;

When we are discussing asbestos hazards in a hard - non-friable material like ceramic tile and grout, even if there was asbestos in the material there is no reasonable chance of measurable release of airborne asbestos from such a material unless it is being disturbed by demolition or similar conditions.

Question: hazards of tub tile wall demolition

I have a question we removed ceramic tile from 2 bathrooms in our 1967 home. So obviously
Too late for us to prevent exposure we may have had. But how common was asbestos in mortar beds with metal lath and ceramic tile on top? This is a photo of some of the debris - by F, 2021/05/20

Moderator reply:

Watch out: plaster and tile and grout dust is hazardous regardless of whether or not it contains asbestos, as it contains respiratory abrasives and irritants and contaminants such as fine silica partiulates.

In the U.S., asbestos in ceramic tile itself not really very common; no one can say for certain what's in tiles or mortar from a photo - you'd at least want to know the age of the materials and their origin.

What you can do now, if it would ease your worry, would be to look for some settled dust that missed getting cleaned-up after your bath renovation.

You might find that atop horizontal trim such as over a window or door.

If you can find that old dust you can send a sample of it to an asbestos test lab or to any forensic lab who an identify the particles. IF there is a high level of asbestos in that dust that'd be diagnostic.

See TEST KIT for DUST, MOLD, PARTICLES: INSTRUCTIONS https://inspectapedia.com/sickhouse/Adhesive_Tape_Particle_Test.php

for an easy, low-cost way to collect settled dust samples.

Don't send them to us - send your sample to a certified asbestos test lab.

On 2021-05-14 - by (mod) -

@Zulu,

Asbestos is possible, though not so likely, in ceramic tile and its mastic; unfortunately nobody can say from the photo alone;

If your work is going without creating dust and debris it's not likely that even if the mastic-adhesive does contain asbestos, that there's a detectable airborne asbestos hazard from that source.

On 2021-05-13 by Zulu

Hi I have posted an image below. 1st pot on the forum please be kind. Am I dealing with Asbestos mastic here? Ceramic mosaic tiles have come of clean, there isn’t a glue texture attached to it. Age 1980 maybe.

On 2020-09-12 - by (mod) -

It's not so likely but still possible especially if the product is old stock, though a search has not found reports specifically pointing to asbestos in Spanish ceramic tile.

IN any event it's not friable;

On 2020-09-12 by Alex

i have a spain made gres monococcion single fired tile by azulejera alcorense. Do you think it might has asbestos? Thanks!

On 2020-08-11 - by (mod) -

Tilu

Some marble contains asbestos - depending on where it was mined.

Here are a couple of examples

Germine, Mark, and John H. Puffer. "Distribution of asbestos in the bedrock of the northern New Jersey area." Environmental Geology 3, no. 6 (1981): 337.

Jehan, Noor, and Irshad Ahmad. "Occurrence of tremolitic asbestos in Nowshera Formation Ghundai Tarako, district Swabi, North Pakistan." Journal of Himalayan Earth Sciences 40 (2007).

On 2020-08-10 by Tiiu Roiser

Greetings. I'm looking to install a new back splash and floor tile. Does natural marble contain any asbestos? Does it matter what country it is from? I'm looking at marble from Turkey and Spain. I don't trust anything from China. I'll be doing all the install and cutting myself and have little children around. Thank you in advance for any information.

On 2020-05-30 - by (mod) -

Nicole,

Some of those tan tile adhesive mastics contained asbestos - not particularly friable unless you're doing demolition.

Some of those in turn can be dissolved with water.

Ceramic tiles might contain asbestos themselves, but if you're not sawing or breaking-up the tiles, they're the personification of a "non friable" material that is therefore low-risk.

On 2020-05-30 by Nicole F

We just took down a backsplash in our house built in 1962 (America). The tiles just say Malaysia on the back. I believe they are porcelain. They measure 2.5 inches. The behind them looks like peanut butter. Are these a possible risk?

On 2020-11-02 by (mod) - shattered stone or "broken tile" ceramic floor installed in square segments, 1960s

Maura

Than you for the question and floor photo

A ceamic mosaic floor tile pattern set in mud (tile cement for other readers not familiar with that term) would not, in the U.S. be likely to contain asbestos and in any event is not friable.

There were similar looking asphalt or vinyl-asbestos floor tiles by Armstrong in a Shattered Stone pattern.

Yes it was and remains common to install ceramic tile that is sold in rectangular or square segments pre-adhered to a mesh backer.

That lets the tile setter install the flooring in a rather uniform pattern far more rapidly than if she had to set every one of those small ceramic tile bits individually.

This Q&A were posted originally

at ASBESTOS FLOORING IDENTIFICATION

On 2020-11-02 by Maura

Hi!-
Found this tile underneath a floating floor in the bathroom. It appears to be mosaic tile laid in mud with no visible seams unless you "zoom out".

Home was built in 1961 and we have original ceramic tile in other parts of the house so I assume it is tile that was laid with a square-ish template. Just want to be sure that I am not missing something

Question: do these Italian ceramic tiles contain asbestos?

2020/05/06

Hi.. I recently rented a house in center of a city in Italy and I’m concerned that these tiles contain asbestos.. would you tell me if these look like they have it? And if they do, given that some of the tiles are very loose is it safe to live here?

Thank you - Anonymous by private email

Moderator reply:

Are we looking at ceramic glaze on terra cotta-based tiles?

Reader follow-up:

I think so. The entire floor is covered with these 15*7.5 cm tiles. They have a greenish color and the part that's broken looks like clay.

I asked the owner if they have one Icould see but they didn't.And like a lot of houses in italy this one was also built the ban of using asbestos and not renovated ever since. thank you for taking the time to see

Moderator reply:

Yep that's a ceramic on clay tile.

No one can tell you from looking alone if that tile contains asbestos - though usually it won't.

And if the floor is basically intact it's not shedding material at any measurable level.

Details of what we know about this question are at

CERAMIC TILE, ASBESTOS / LEAD?

please take a look there and of course I welcome follow-up questions or comments.

I'll post your photos, keeping you anonymous unless you want otherwise, at that page to see if any of our readers has seen your specific tile. The more we know about the location (country, city) and age of the building the better the guess.

Reader folllow-up:

Thank you for checking it . This is a really nice house ( except for the really old floor)and it would be a shame to leave it for asbestos..

Moderator comment:

Certainly you could cover the flooring with just about anything - perhaps a resilient floor - IF the tile is damaged and shedding - to eliminate your worry. Not as nice, perhaps, as ceramic but if the flooring is in bad shape (doesn't look so in your photos) you could avoid further damage as well as prevent any dust and debris from the floor.

On 2020-04-23 - by (mod) -

Thanks for the helpful comments, Paul. I agree. We have confirmed asbestos use in thin set mortars and tile mastics including the tan coloured water-solvent-based latex adesives used with some ceramict tile and slate tile setting, and incidentally, also in black asphalt-based mastic adhesives used in vinul floor tiles.

See MASTIC, CUTBACK ADHESIVE, FLASHING CEMENT ASBESTOS

On 2020-04-22 by Paul Roscoe - Asbestos found in some thin set tile mortars

If It’s old it’s gold as we say in our industry . If you research enough it is clear that thin set mortars did contain asbestos. They are not found in all but some, you can find manufacturers who made/sold it in the U.S but in the U.K not so easy but we do indeed find it here aswell we get several positive results every year. It all depends on the age (1950s-late 1970s) and as we know most old tiles have been replaced during renovations so you’ve got to get lucky so to speak to find it but I believe it will have been more common than first thought.
Also one of the large asbestos manufacturers in the U.K. Turner and Newall also sold small ‘poilte’ asbestos cement tiles coated with a enamel / ceramic coating to look like ceramic tiles, I have one in a display cabinet.

On 2020-01-07 by Anonymous

Thank you so much, that is very helpful

On 2020-01-07 by (mod) -

Asbestos is unlikely,

See if you can find the MSDS for the product

On 2020-01-07 by Ahmad

Thank you so much, as for the product that I used, here is the link for the company products:

VITRA-FIX & VITRA-THERM CERAMIC TILE ADHESIVES [PDF] retrieved 2020/01/12 original source: http://www.morentrade.com/docs/Building%20Chemicals01.pdf

and I attaching an image of the product that I used. As you can see, it says cement base Adhesive.

As I mentioned this was almost 10 years ago.

Appreciate your help.

On 2020-01-07 by (mod) -

Ahmad

By now, in most places in the world, I would expect manufacturers to have all stopped including asbestos in tile mastic.

However I can't say that I know that for a fact about the specific product that you have bought.

On 2020-01-07 by Ahmad

Hello,
I have installed Travertine floor tile back in 2010, and I used tile cement/glue that was made in Turkey at that time

. I am planning to remove it now and I am wondering if the glue has any asbestos in it.

I did lot of research but all i can find is that Turkey has complete ban in Dec 2010, but there was a partial ban before that, however, i couldn't find if construction material was included in the partial ban,

is there a way to tell other than testing?
Thanks.

On 2019-10-15 by (mod) -

Ashley

As the materials of concern are now gone all that's left might be a test of representative samples of settled dust to ask the forensic lab if there are high levels of hazardous mateirals (such as asbestos or silica) or even low levels of particles that for other reasons raise an IAQ concern.

That will not (nothing can) assess your prior exposure to unknown dust hazards but it'll tell you if further cleaning is warranted..

On 2019-10-15 by Ashley

Hi, I am kind of concerned about a small project that I undertook about a year ago. I know it's too late now to do too much although I know there is still some lingering dust on things. My home was built in 1980-1981 and there was a small area of tile in front of my fireplace.

I don't know when the tile was actually placed, if it was at the time of building or later.

I'm not super concerned about the ceramic tiles themselves but I am worried about the grout that was used.

I used a variety of things to remove the tiles including a grinding saw and there was a lot of dust as the material was very hard. It seemed more like cement than anything (gray and hard), if memory serves, although I think there may have been some reddish clay-colored material as well.

There were two styles of ceramic tile (possibly two installations with different grouts). I am kicking myself for not collecting samples at the time but now am worried that I may have lingering dust in the house and am concerned that I may have exposed myself while removing the material. Any thoughts or whether there are ways to do any type of swab testing of the room at this point? Thanks.

On 2019-09-04 by (mod) - Army Asbestos Testing Program contact information

Nomad

Thank you for the important comment; I'm not suprised as I've already found and cited some ceramic tiles that contained asbestos, though it's uncommon in North America. But your report is particularly helpful; if you have reports or even photos that'd be even more useful.

But if all you've got is the memory, I'm a bit stuck; we don't know who might have performed testing: a european asbestos lab or a lab in another country, even the U.S. that was contracted with the US military.

Keep in mind that worrying about this may be worse for your health than the tiles themselves. The hazard from an asbestos-containing ceramic tile would in my OPINION occur if the tiles were ground, chopped, sawn etc. so as to create a dusty mess. Othewise the particle release is likely to be below the limits of detection. Ceramic tile isn't friable.

One source occurs to me: you could contact the Army Asbestos Testing Program to ask if they were the people handling tests of materials from Iraq.

Army Public Health Center

8252 Blackhawk Road
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5403 USA

OR possibly one of these two sub-programs

Environmental Health Risk Assessment Division
Email Address: usarmy.apg.medcom-aphc.list.ehrad@mail.mil
Telephone Number: 410-436-2953
DSN: 584-2953
Mailing Address: U.S. Army Public Health Center Env. Health Risk Assessment Division 8252 Blackhawk Road (Bldg E1675) ATTN: MCHB-PH-HRA Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5403

Environmental Health Sciences and Engineering
Email Address: usarmy.apg.medcom-aphc.list.org-ehe-ofcdir@mail.mil
Telephone Number: 410-436-2306
DSN: 584-2306
Mailing Address: Army Public Health Center ATTN: MCHB-PH-EHE 8252 Blackhawk Road Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5403

APHC Phone Numbers
Toll-Free Number: 1-(800) 222-9698
Staff Duty Officer: (410) 436-4375
DSN: Dialing from within CONUS 584-4375
DSN: Dialing from OCONUS (312) 584-4375
Secure Fax: (410) 436-7301
Public Affairs Officer: (410) 417-2937

Media inquiries: usarmy.apg.medcom-aphc.mbx.pao@mail.mil
Website: https://phc.amedd.army.mil/topics/workplacehealth/ih/Pages/Army-Asbestos-and-Lead-Programs.aspx

On 2019-09-04 by Nomad Construction

I tested some material in Iraq in 2003 are various locations dated from 1950 to 1988 that showed 35% asbestos.

All of the material was from Mediterranean, communist and other businesses in the middle east.

How can I find out what company actually performed the test and what the material actually was? I took so many field sample and slept, drank and ate in al of these areas for 18 months at a time.

On 2019-08-24 by (mod) - drilling through ceramic wall tile - hazards?

Re-posting from private email:

Anonymous asked:

Nice website. Very helpful. But before I start drilling, can you comment on whether or not I should take any precautions above and beyond what I would typically do for drilling?

I have to drill into a 4x4 tile in an old shower and am modestly concerned.

Moderator reply:

What are you drilling? Ceramic tile? In the U.S. asbestos is unlikely but breathing silica dust still isn't great for the lungs; I suggest just keeping the drill hole wet and drilling slowly with an appropriate bit that will cut the tile

Reader follow-up:

Yes, I have a P100 mask. Was going to do as you say. Keep wet. Vacuum as I go. Thank you.

Moderator reply:

I'm assuming you're drilling small holes to mount a shower door - not much worry; just use damp wipe to clean up not a household vacuum

On 2019-05-01 by (mod) -

Gabrielle

What kind of floor are you showing: concrete with embedded stone chips (asbestos not likely), ceramic tile (see the article above on this page), or a vinyl sheet flooring (possible);

For some easy questions that actually answer the question better than a wild guess, see DOES THIS FLOOR CONTAIN ASBESTOS? https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/DIY-Asbestos-Floor-Test.php

On 2019-05-01 by gabrielleines25

We are planning on redoing kitchen floor can you tell me what type it is how likely it may have abesitos?

IMAGE LOST by older version of Clark Van Oyen’s useful Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

On 2019-03-24 by (mod) -

Reader query - do these "Crystal" bath tiles from H&R Johnson LTD in the UK contain asbestos - anonymous by private email.

Reply:
I'm assuming you're in the U.K. (good luck with the Brexit fiasco) since that's the home of the manufacturer of their tile.
You might drop them an email to ask if they ever used asbestos in their tile or tile grout

https://www.johnson-tiles.com/company/
Johnson Tiles
Customer Service Enquiries ales@johnson-tiles.com?01782 524000

General Enquiries nfo@johnson-tiles.com 1782 575575

Sample Ordering
Samples@johnson-tiles.com 1782 524043

London Studio and Showroom
Material Lab
10Great Titchfield Street,
London W1W 8BB?020 7436 8629

info@material-lab.co.uk

Please keep me posted on what the company replies, What we both learn may help me help someone else.
IMAGE LOST by older version of Clark Van Oyen’s useful Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

On 2019-03-23 by (mod) - asbestos regulation murky in the U.S.

Thanks for the comment, Philip, we agree with one another.

Keep in mind that public resistance to friable asbestos in consumer products and many others has, however, meant that manufacturers switched to alternative materials and stopped using asbestos in most goods.

A typical example among construction products is the fiber cement siding industry (nee asbestos cement siding).

In the case of ceramic tile, asbestos content in ceramic tile in North America would be rare.

On 2019-03-23 by Philip

Officially/technically we did not stop, the ban and phaseout of asbestos was overturned by the 5th circuit court of appeals.

The EPA did ban several cardboard and paper products along with new uses of asbestos. And under the air pollution standards the EPA banned certain applications that could release fibers asbestos fibers when applied or after drying such as sprayed on acoustical ceilings.

Worse yet we have no, I repeat no, governmental organization that screens or tests products for asbestos, rather you are required, by law, to test building suspect building materials prior to renovation, remodeling, or demolition activities that would disturb them regardless of the date of manufacture and installation.

The EPA does have a proposed new use rule, which is important because it may if passed provide some funding to test new materials for asbestos and their likelihood of releasing hazardous fibers.

Question: I removed some 6" ceramic tiles that I estimate were from the late 70's or early 80's - would these ceramic tiles contain asbestos?

A few years ago I removed an area of ceramic tiles from the floor of my house. They were about 6inches square and 0.5 inches deep and were ceramic or possibly concrete.

I am unsure of there age but estimate late 70s early 80s Would it have been likely that these tiles contained asbestos or were asbestos containing tiles restricted to the vinyl type? If it makes any difference our location is England.

Any information you could give would be gratefully received Thanks - A.H. PS - your website is great and really useful

Reply: asbestos-ceramic tile risks, history in the UK, recommendations

From the age you give, and considering that the ceramic tiles could have been in stock for some time before they were installed, having been thus made in the 1970's, they indeed could have contained asbestos, particularly depending on the country of origin.

We have some lab reports confirming asbestos in certain ceramic tiles from the Mediterranean and asbestos in some other floor tiles such as some terrazzos, but we have not yet located an authoritative source that documents that asbestos was ever used as a component of ceramic floor tiles or wall tiles.

Watch out: A more likely asbestos hazard one might encounter when removing ceramic floor or wall tiles would be an asbestos-containing tile mastic - the glue that was used to secure ceramic tiles on walls and floors in a thin-set installation methods.

You would not expect to find asbestos below ceramic tiles at an older installation at which the tiles were bedded directly into cement - the "thick set" method for tile installation.

The history of asbestos use and regulation in the UK could have permitted your ceramic tiles, installed in the 1980's, to contain asbestos.

A brief-history of asbestos usage and asbestos regulation in the UK

A documented asbestos-related death in the UK occurred as early as 1906. Asbestos regulation began in the UK in 1931, and in 1965 mesothelioma had been documented there. Imports of asbestos into the U. K. peaked in 1967.

By 1970 the UK had banned the import of raw crocidolite and amosite asbestos was banned (voluntary ban) in 1980.

More strict licensing regarding asbestos handling and remediation did not begin in the UK until 1980s. The first UK Asbestos- material licensing regulations date from 1983, while in the U. K. asbestos-containing product prohibitions date from 1985 with UK asbestos material regulation amendments in 1988, 1992, 1994 and onwards to a final "comprehensive ban" in 1999. Silverdell, [7]

The actual hazard of their removal would have depended on their condition, how they were removed, and the quantity. Generally the asbestos released from ceramic tiles removed relatively intact should be quite low.

Please take a look at CERAMIC TILE, ASBESTOS / LEAD? , where we discuss ceramic floor tiles that may contain asbestos, the hazards and some recommendations.

At References at the end of this article we cite authoritative sources for that information.

On 2019-03-23 by (mod) - Clarifying status of "ban" on use of asbestos in many products vs actual use of asbestos in those items

Thanks for the comment, Philip, we agree with one another.

Keep in mind that public resistance to friable asbestos in consumer products and many others has, however, meant that manufacturers switched to alternative materials and stopped using asbestos in most goods. A typical example among construction products is the fiber cement siding industry (nee asbestos cement siding).

In the case of ceramic tile, asbestos content in ceramic tile in North America would be rare.

On 2019-03-2 by Philip

Officially/technically we did not stop, the ban and phaseout of asbestos was overturned by the 5th circuit court of appeals.

The EPA did ban several cardboard and paper products along with new uses of asbestos. And under the air pollution standards the EPA banned certain applications that could release fibers asbestos fibers when applied or after drying such as sprayed on acoustical ceilings.

Worse yet we have no, I repeat no, governmental organization that screens or tests products for asbestos, rather you are required, by law, to test building suspect building materials prior to renovation, remodeling, or demolition activities that would disturb them regardless of the date of manufacture and installation.

The EPA does have a proposed new use rule, which is important because it may if passed provide some funding to test new materials for asbestos and their likelihood of releasing hazardous fibers.

On 2019-01-02 by (mod) - When did stop using asbestos in ceramic tile grout in the United states

Varying by manufacturer, by 1985 manufacturers had stopped using asbestos in ceramic tile grout in the U.S. regardless of "ban" status.

On 2019-01-02 by joe

When did stop using asbestos in ceramic tile grout in the United states and what year did they stop using asbestos in bathroom tub caulk in United states?

On 2019-01-02 by (mod) - asbestos in tile grout in 1996 would be unlikely

Joe

In most countries around the world (we don't know yours) asbestos in tile grout in 1996 would be unlikely, though in some such as the UK the asbestos ban was not at its peak until 1999.

On 2019-01-02 by joe

I had ceramic tile put down in my house 1996 in every room 6 it was imbedded in cement i think it is called thin set i was wondering if asbestos was used in the grout and if it is a health risk when mopping the floor.

I also have ceramic tile border around the room bet.floor and wall and the grout is loose could that release a dangerous level of asbestos. I also wanted to ask does ceramic grout fillers used today have asbestos. Thank you

On 2016-10-04 by Marcia K

As I am removing wall tiles from my 1983 house, I am seeing a light brown adhesive. Should I be concerned about asbestos?

We are removing ceramic tiles from our wall in our bathroom in Virginia, USA. Our house was built in 1983. The glue appears to be a light brown. Should we be concerned about asbestos?

On 2016-09-02 by (mod) - Some black mastic adhesives contained asbestos.

Some black mastic adhesives contained asbestos. On the other hand it'd be a surprise if the material were friable - that is, crumbly by hand pressure and thus able to make dust.

On 2016-09-01 by Karen & Michael

We have a post war home built late 40s or early 50s. Tiles have been falling off the wall of our ensuite shower for some time. The adhesive originally used looks black. Not sure if this is original shower but should we be concerned?

On 2015-08-11 by (mod) - Is there a chance they or the adhesive/grout could contain asbestos?

Not to be too much of a smartypants, I'm never going to say no to "a chance" but probably? No.

It would be unlikely (though not impossible) that someone installing ceramic tile in 1985 would have got a hold of some older tile mastic (adhesive) or grout that contained asbestos.

It's not something that I'd worry about, and if I were doing demolition I'd want to use dust control regardless of an asbestos worry as there are plenty of other hazards in dust, such as silica.

On 2015-08-11 by Cheryl

Our house was built between1985 & 1990 & has ceramic tiles in kitchen. Is there a chance they or the adhesive/grout could contain asbestos?

On 2013-01-28 by Luis Monfote

removeving non-friable tile and the mastic was noncontaining, is mastic consider to be exposes and a simple encapsulation is enoght.

On 2013-01-19 by j

We have small ceramic tiles in a bathroom in a home built in 1984. These have cracked and come loose. Is there likely to be asbestos in them and/or in the glue, mastic, or whatever was used to adhere the tiles down? We just purchased 13" ceramic floor tiles made in China, PEI rating at 3.

These were purchased at Lowe's for $.57/tile. What are the chances these may have asbestos or other ingredients that might be harmful?

Are materials sold for adhering tiles now, harmful, containing asbestos or other harmful ingredients? I greatly appreciate this site. Thank you very much.

On 2013-01-19 by Steve

So, is it safe to say now in 2013, that the tile I just bought that is made in the USA and the thinset mortar that is made in the USA does not contain any asbestos.

Thanks Steve

...

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