Does my floor tile or sheet flooring contain asbestos? How to Identify Floor Tiles & Sheet Flooring That May Contain Asbestos - 5 easy questions.

This article series explains how to identify floor tiles that are likely to contain asbestos, by making a simple visual inspection, noting the probable age of the building and age of its materials, and similar clues.

Asbestos-containing Floor Tile Identification in 5 Easy Steps

If you don't want to or cannot have a flooring sample tested, answer the five easy questions below to make a reasonable guess at whether or not the floor contains asbestos.

1. What is the AGE of the Flooring?
   
   Determine or guess at the building age, years when remodeling was done, year when flooring was installed, consider number of layers and layer materials.
   
   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.
   
   To identify a particular asphalt-asbestos or vinyl-asbestos floor tile pattern & color, start in the image group most likely to be the same age as your building.
   
   If you don't find your floor tile or sheet flooring in our flooring guides by looking forward from that that year, you should also look backwards in the earlier years as your specific flooring pattern & color may have first appeared in an earlier year.
   
   The floor tiles shown above were installed in an older U.S. home between 1952 and 1962 and are almost certain to be an asbestos-containing product.
   
   If you know the manufacturer of your flooring, find the brand name floor tile links and other floor tile ID articles included in
   
   ASBESTOS FLOORING IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INDEX - all brands, all years .
   
   If you don't know the brand name of your flooring, continue with steps 2-5 below.

...

2. What is the General Floor Tile Pattern and Size:
   
   match against pattern guides given in the indexes we just cited
   
   at ASBESTOS FLOORING IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INDEX - all brands, all years
   
   Watch out: Unusual (photo below), very small or very large floor tile dimensions and thickness are not a reliable indicator of asbestos-content. Asbestos containing floor tiles were produced in a wide range of thicknesses and dimensions as well as in custom sizes, patterns, shapes, and cutouts.
   
   See ASBESTOS FLOOR TILE DIMENSIONS for details.

Above: custom cut inlay in an asbestos floor tile installation of an older home.

Below: dominant floor tile colors, discussed next.

3. What are the Dominant Floor Tile colors
   
   The flooring dominant colors and pattern can often can confirm a floor tile age, style, and manufacturer.
   
   The 9-inch predominantly-black and predominantly beige asbestos-containing floor tiles above almost certainly are asbestos-containing flooring, easily identified in the Armstrong product line from the 1950's and 1960's.

Below: Armstrong Marble Tile Ferrara & Beige floor tile pattern No. 55070-121 data from original packaging.

We also offer this ASBESTOS FLOOR TILE IDENTIFICATION COLOR KEY - photo guide but frankly the number of floor tile or sheet flooring colors and patterns is so large and there is so much variation in what people call a color or pattern that I find color-keys a bit overwhelming.

4. Look for a flooring brand, pattern name, number, style
   
   If accessible, look for stampings or markings on the back of floor tiles or sheet flooring or if available, on the flooring box or packaging.
   
   Occasionally we can find extra floor tiles stored in an attic, basement, or garage. An earlier owner or perhaps the floor installer left these for future repairs.
   
   If you have flooring packaging, take a look at the packaging, box brand, label, floor tile style or pattern.
   
   Often the manufacturer and product or serial number can identify flooring in exquisite detail.
   
   If you can not see a flooring brand name or pattern for your floor, as you usually won't, try the four steps given below, combined with a look through the various asphalt or vinyl asbestos floor tile manufacturer's ID guides given in this article series.
5. Lab testing of flooring for asbestos content:
   
   if you face a costly dusty messy demolition it may be appropriate to have a sample of the flooring tested.
   
   If you have time and about $40. U.S.D. you can also have a flooring sample tested for asbestos using one of the certified asbestos testing labs in
   
   this ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST.
   
   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.
   
   Generally the safest and most-economical approach is to leave asbestos-suspect flooring in place, covering it over. In that case you do not need to test a sample of your floor for asbestos.
   
   However IF you must demolish the floor AND you cannot remove it without creating a dusty mess, STOP and either treat the floor as presumed to contain asbestos or have a sample tested.
   
   Our ARTICLE INDEX includes contact information for certified asbestos test labs in your country.
   
   Watch out: the presence of fiberglass fibers as an ingredient in some products does not allow us to rule-out the presence of asbestos in those products as well. Fiberglass and asbestos were combined in some products, particularly fabrics and yarns.
   
   See details at FIBERGLASS ASBESTOS COMBINATIONS
   
   

So Do These Floor Tiles Contain Asbestos or Not?

The most common question we receive from readers, often along with a photo of flooring, is "Do you think this flooring contains asbestos?"

The Short Answer: treat old floors as PACM - Presumed Asbestos Containing Material

The age of building and of flooring, as well as country location as well as flooring type and pattern all figure into a guess about whether or not it is likely to contain asbestos.

For floors made or installed in North America before 1986 it would be prudent to treat the floor as presumed to contain asbestos. So if your floor dates from the 1960's it's likely to contain asbestos.

Intact, undisturbed by sanding, grinding, sawing, chopping, etc., asbestos-containing asphalt or vinyl tile or sheet flooring is not friable -it does not readily release detectable levels of harmful asbestos into the air of the building where it is installed.

When possible the safest, least expensive, and most-recommended approach is to leave the floor alone, in place, and to seal or cover it over with a new layer of material.

Leave in Place an Asbestos-Suspect Floor in Good Condition

For the floor shown in the reader-photo above and others in sound condition and well-adhered to their subfloor, we suggest leaving the floor in place and covering it.

Then see ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD REDUCTION for steps to take to protect the floor or cover it over.

and see ASBESTOS FLOORING LEFT IN PLACE for an example of using sealants on the floor surface to protect it from damage and shedding.

However some circumstances including a floor in poor condition or some building renovation work might justify floor removal.

Safe Removal of an Asbestos-Suspect Floor in Poor Condition

If in any doubt about the asbestos content of a floor, when facing a costly asbestos removal project you might want to have a floor sample tested for asbestos to confirm that costly handling is needed.

Take a look

at ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD LEVEL ASSESSMENT

In that case also

see ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST to choose a certified asbestos testing lab to test a sample from your floor.

Watch out: don't just start hacking and chopping up an old floor that may contain asbestos - as the worker is doing in our reader's photo above.

Making a dusty mess not only exposes the worker and occupants to an asbestos hazard but it also is likely to lead to the need for an expensive asbestos dust clean-up job.

Then before beginning to remove the floor, see these articles

See ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD LEVEL ASSESSMENT for help in deciding if your floor is in such poor shape that something must be done.

See ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD REDUCTION for help in reducing the hazard of a floor that is to be left in place.

See ASBESTOS FLOORING REMOVAL GUIDE if you must remove an asbestos-suspect floor covering.

 

Please, before sending us email asking to identify floor tiles, sheet flooring, linoleum, etc., try using

our ASBESTOS FLOORING IDENTIFICATION procedure

or our photo catalog of floor tiles and sheet flooring that may contain asbestos beginning

at ASBESTOS FLOOR TILE IDENTIFICATION PHOTOS 1949-1959

• For identification guides to all brands 
  
  of asphalt asbestos, vinyl asbestos, and similar flooring products
  
  see FLOOR TILE / SHEET FLOORING PHOTO GUIDES - list of photo guides
• To identify unknown flooring products:
  
  at ASBESTOS FLOOR TILE PHOTO ID REQUESTS we include additional photographs of both tile and sheet flooring products submitted by readers with requests for more information.
• To identify resilient or sheet flooring or sheet-forms 
  
  of resilient flooring that may contain asbestos are now found
  
  at RESILIENT SHEET FLOORING ID GUIDE

...

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Is it safe to leave this asbestos-suspect floor tile in place ?

Hi, thank you for this page. Lot of great info. The tile pictured is the original 12x12 tile used when the home built in 1973.

I am going to assume it has Asbestos but want to know if based off the pictures, you can tell it's in good enough shape to leave in tact and simply to not disturb it.

FYI, the tile removed in the corner was done many years ago, not recently.

Also early last year we did have mold remediation done in this room as you can see the sheetrock from that back wall is removed. This was all done by mold remediation professionals.

Not sure if this would affect your answer but figured I would let you know. Thank you! - On 2023-11-29 by Joe

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher

@Joe,

I'd treat the floor in your photo as presumed to contain asbestos - and the article above will help you on how to minimize a asbestos hazard.

By the way it looks as if that building has had a history of leaks at the wall and perhaps some sheathing or sill rot as well as perhaps a mouse problem.

Thanks

Dan

Followup by Joe

@InspectApedia Publisher, thanks for the info, I am going to have this floor tested just to be safe, but I assume in the meantime as long we don't disturb the tile we should be OK?

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher

@Joe

That's right; asbestos-containing floor tile isn't friable. As long as you're not creating a dusty mess it's not going to produce a detectable hazard in a home.

Followup by Joe

@InspectApedia Publisher, thank you very much. I have been having a near panic attack since I had the realization this morning that this could be asbestos and I was harming my children.

I was running a dehumidifier and an HEPA filter in here for the last few months after we had the mold on the wall removed. I hope that didn't cause any issues to kick up asbestos dust.

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher - If the floor tiles that remain are securely glued down you could just paint with a floor sealant

@Joe,

That sounds to me as if you've got things under control as long as you're not seeing ongoing water entry or active insect infestation at that wood wall and sill.

If the floor tiles that remain are securely glued down you could just paint with a floor sealant.

[this reader question and our response was originally posted on our Contact page]

Need help identifying these 12x12 inch asbestos suspect floor tiles

We found these 12”x12” tiles under the carpet in our basement glued directly to the cement. The home was built in 1952. In having trouble finding this tile in the asbestos ID guide. - On 2023-09-03 by C-Portland

Reply by InspectApedia DF (mod) - Asbestos-containing Shattered stone or stone chip patterns were very popular and made by Armstrong and others

@C-Portland,

That looks like one of the shattered stone or stone chip patterns that were very popular and made by Armstrong and others. Similar patterns are shown here

CHIP PATTERN FLOORING ASBESTOS

and on some of our Armstrong pattern pages. Use the Search box on any page with the words "Armstrong shattered stone" and several of the pages will show up in the results.

Given your home’s age, it could very well contain asbestos as might the backing and/or mastic used. If it is in very poor condition or if it must be demolished as part of building renovations, it should be treated as presumed to contain asbestos and handled accordingly.

In the Recommended Articles list just above on this page, see the live links for

ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD REDUCTION
ASBESTOS FLOORING REMOVAL GUIDE

 

Could this old flooring contain asbestos: 9x9" green floor tiles

Working on a house from the 1880's. Under several layers of various flooring I came across green 9"x9" tiles. I got it tested for asbestos and it came back negative.

Upon proceeding to remove the green tiles we found they were covering another black and tan set of tiles also 9"x9" however the backing to this very thin tile was a mesh like fiber that Ive never seen before.

Do you believe this could have asbestos or is this a tile that existed prior to asbestos tiling. Attached is a photo of the back of the tile. - On 2023-08-26 by George

On 2023-08-27 by InspectApedia Publisher - jute backed 9x9 green tiles in a pre-1900 Philadelphia PA home

@George,

With the apology that no one with any sense would promise you that an item does not contain asbestos based just on a photo and no idea of age, adhesives used, or the rest of the composition of the floor covering, all that said, the backer looks like jute with some coating.

This is a backer on tiles, not sheet flooring?

Let's see the upper or exposed side of the tile.

Followup by George

@InspectApedia Publisher, Thanks for the speedy response. There isn't a mastic backing adhering this product to the floor (it appears to have been nailed down. It peels up like a linoleum sheet (not like individual tiles).

I was hoping you could identify the type of material then if it typically contained asbestos. The photo previously provided was the actual back of the "tile". The photo being provided here is of the top of the flooring.

Note: this material was in a high end, custom made home in Philadelphia.

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher

@Anonymous, George:

Thank you for the added detail and photos; certainly by appearance alone and the home's U.S. location, both of those floor coverings are old enough that they could contain asbestos.

I would either treat the materials as presumed to contain asbestos (PACM) or if you are faced with a dusty demolition, have samples of floor coverings, all layers, and any adhesives tested for asbestos.

It looks as if the upper layer of flooring was adhered to an intermediate backer, perhaps of fiberboard?

I see some jute like flooring backer material that can but rarely does contain asbestos. But 1950's or 1960's 9x9" green floor tiles like those in your photo as well as the black and white tiles in the lower layer are likely to contain asbestos and should be handled accordingly.

Do these look like 1960s asbestos-containing floor tiles?

I have been using your site for some time, which has been a most valuable resource to me and many. I tried using your asbestos identification page to identify a 12x12 tile from a home built in 1965, but with no luck. Do these look like asbestos-containing tiles?

- On 2023-08-04 by MM

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher - Yes

@MM,

While no one can assert with 100% confidence the asbestos content in a floor tile from just a photo, the age that you give (1960) suggests that yes that floor could contain asbestos.

Some sources claim, incorrectly, that 12x12 floor tiles don't contain asbestos. That is not correct, though I would agree that SOME 12x12 floor tiles made in the U.S. before 1986 did indeed not contain asbestos.

In any event the floor looks in great shape.

Follow the advice at ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD REDUCTION

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos-Flooring-Hazard-Reduction.php

 

 

Asbestos in wood parquet flooring adhesive?

Hi,
This is a home in Florida built in 1969. The house has Terrazo concrete floors but part of the living room has wood parquet flooring. I’m not sure when this parquet wood floor was installed.

Do you think the adhesive under the wood parquet flooring contains asbestos? We need to rip it off and we are just gonna leave the concrete terrazo for a few years. - On 2023-07-31 by Rachel

Reply by InspectApedia DF (mod) - 1969 flooring, backing, and/or adhesive may contain asbestos

@Rachel,

It’s possible that the adhesive contained asbestos given the age of the building. Short of having a sample tested, we can’t tell from a photo if that’s the case. You can read more about parquet flooring at

PARQUET FLOORING HISTORY, PROPERTIES, REPAIRS
https://inspectapedia.com/interiors/Parquet-Flooring-Guide.php

If you must remove it, then you’ll need to follow the necessary steps for asbestos flooring removal. See

HOW TO REMOVE ASBESTOS CONTAINING FLOORING
https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos-Floor-Removal.php

Let us know if you have additional questions.

To be clear, the wood of a wood parquet floor will not, of course be an asbestos product.

But yes the mastic adhesive used to glue the floor down might contain asbestos.

As long as that mastic is undisturbed and remains beneath a layer of intact flooring there is little reasonable chance that there is any asbestos worry from that material.

I'm told these white floor tiles contain asbestos - is that true?

I have been informed that perhaps these tiles in my apt contain asbestos or there is asbestos underneath. Can you please let me know if this may be true by these photos below?
Thanks

- On 2023-07-18 by D M

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher

@D M,

We can't say what is underneath the tiles in your apartment, though certainly some older adhesive mastics used for tile installation contained asbestos.

Asbestos or asbestos-suspect flooring or mastic adhesive that has been covered over by a new layer of non-asbestos flooring would not be a current asbestos hazard in a building.

As for the tiles that we can see, I can't say how old they are nor where (country, city) the building is located, nor its age - all of which can help rule-in or rule-out a concern fore asbestos.

Try

DOES THIS FLOOR CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 easy questions to tell if your FLOOR probably contains asbestos -

live link given in the Recommended Articles on this page.

On 2023-06-21 by Phoebe Does this1973 flooring look like asbestos-containing vinyl?

Does this look like asbestos vinyl? House built in 1973, other areas of the house are quite newly renovated, except this part which is near the laundry area, and only a small part.

Reply by InspectApedia DF (mod)

@Phoebe,

From just one photo, we can’t know for sure. Have you reviewed the 5 simple questions above on this page to help arrive at an answer?

For floors made or installed in North America before 1986 such as your was, it would be prudent to treat the floor as presumed to contain asbestos.

If in any doubt about the asbestos content of a floor, when facing a costly asbestos removal project you might want to have a floor sample tested for asbestos to confirm that costly handling is needed.

Watch out: don't just start hacking and chopping up an old floor that may contain asbestos.

Making a dusty mess means more risk of asbestos exposure and also is likely to lead to the need for an expensive asbestos dust clean-up job.

Then see these articles (live links in the Recommended Articles list just above on this page):

ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD REDUCTION - for help in reducing the hazard of a floor that is to be left in place

ASBESTOS FLOORING REMOVAL GUIDE - if you must remove an asbestos-suspect floor covering

 

 

On 2023-06-05 by Red - Asbestos combined with fiberglass as carpet backer or padding?

I was told that matting may have been made with asbestos and fiberglass. I'm assuming this carpet has been laid around 1985-1990?

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher - need citation that states carpet padding in some cases was made by combining asbestos and fiberglass

@Red,

Thank you for the question.

If you could go back to the source or person who told you that carpet padding in some cases was made by combining asbestos and fiberglass, and ask them for any source or citation or reference supporting that assertion, that would be very helpful as that's not a product that we have found.

Will this Manhattan apartment flooring from 1998 contain asbestos

Hi - this was placed around 1998/1999 - it's the original flooring from when my building was built (It's 399 Chambers Street, NYC NY 10282 Lot 16 Block 210).

- On 2023-05-09 by Concerned Manhattan Resident

Reply by InspectApedia Editor - No, 1998 U.S. made flooring won't have asbestos

@Concerned Manhattan Resident,

Flooring bought for a 1998 NYC installation was most-likely manufactured a decade or more after asbestos was no longer in use in those products. You should be fine.

Asbestos in badly damaged 1960's floor in Argentina

La casa fue construida a principios de la década de los 60. Tiene estos pisos en 2 habitaciones. Es de color beige. Uno se despegó ya que estuvo deshabitada durante algunos años.Ubicada en Buenos Aires, Argentina

For other readers:

The house was built in the early 60s. It has these apartments in 2 rooms. It is beige. Some fell off since it was uninhabited for some years. Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina - On 2023-02-22 by Cintia

Reply by InspectApedia Editor - significant damage to this flooring raises risk

@Cintia,

Hay un daño significativo en este piso y, dada la antigüedad, sería prudente tratar el piso como si se supusiera que contiene material de asbesto.

Tenga en cuenta que además de las baldosas, tanto el respaldo como el adhesivo pueden contener asbesto.

Los pisos rotos deben limpiarse con aspiradora HEPA y paño húmedo, y la eliminación y limpieza posteriores deben usar los métodos descritos en

CÓMO ELIMINAR BALDOSAS QUE CONTIENEN AMIANTO

Lea más sobre el riesgo de los pisos de asbesto aquí

REDUZCA EL PELIGRO DE LAS BALDOSAS O LOS PISOS LÁMINOS DE AMIANTO

For other readers:

@Cintia,

There is significant damage to this flooring and given the age, it would be wise to treat the flooring as presumed to contain asbestos material.

Keep in mind that in addition to the tiles, both the backing and the adhesive may contain asbestos.

Broken flooring should be cleaned up using HEPA vacuuming and damp wiping, and further removal and cleanup should use the methods described at

HOW TO REMOVE ASBESTOS CONTAINING FLOOR TILES

Read more about the risk of asbestos flooring here

REDUCE THE HAZARD OF ASBESTOS FLOOR TILES OR SHEET FLOORING

 

Asbestos in 1980's Excelon Palatial Alba Beige Peel and Stick tiles

@InspectApedia Editor ,
Thanks for finding that! That's definitely it. I didn't take any good photos with my phone of the tile, but I'll upload three images from the listing (assuming that's allowed) that show the tile.

There were actually three boxes of different tile patterns, but I only grabbed the 21602 Alba Beige image, wish I had rotated the other two boxes to show the model numbers for the picture. They were all the same brand of Armstrong Excelon Peel and Stick Floor Tile.

I'm looking to buy a house that has some suspect floor tiles.

Luckily, the previous owner still has some of the tiles in the original box. Any idea of this line of 12x12 tiles are known to contain asbestos?

The house was built in Minnesota in 1981 if that helps.

- On 2023-02-07 by ersh1 -

Reply by InspectApedia Editor

@Ersh1,

Yes, that tile is most likely to contain asbestos. We list that pattern in our article here

BEIGE, BROWN, TAN OR WOOD-TONE ASBESTOS FLOOR TILES

Keep in mind the safest and simplest thing to do is to cover the flooring with new flooring or seal it. Information on those options are in the Recommended Articles list found near the end of this page.

We'd like to see a photo of the tile flooring in place as well if you would like to share a photo of that as well.

Followup by ersh1

@ersh1,
White and blue decorative pattern

Red brick pattern

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher - red brick pattern may indicate asbestos containing flooring

@ersh1,

You'll find photos of and comments on similar (not an exact match) red brick pattern floor tiles at this website - try using the on page search box for "red brick floor pattern"
to find

SHEET & TILE FLOORING ASBESTOS ID-BRICK PATTERN ID

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Brick_Pattern_Sheet_Flooring_Identification.php

Then add the basic, contextual information that you'll need for your floor: country and city of location, estimated building age, estimated floor age.

More help is at

DOES THIS FLOOR CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 easy questions to tell if your FLOOR probably contains asbestos -

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/DIY-Asbestos-Floor-Test.php

Does this blue marble pattern vinyl flooring have asbestos?

Does this vinyl flooring have asbestos

On 2023-01-16 by Kim pervier

Reply by InspectApedia Publisher

@Kim pervier,

That's not a floor pattern we know. Please, in the Recommended Articles above, click the live link for and review the suggestions at

DOES THIS FLOOR CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 easy questions to tell if your FLOOR probably contains asbestos -

On 2023-01-16 by Leah

This is a picture of vinyl that has been partially pulled up due to renovation in our basement (we had a basement systems company put in a new drainage system a few months ago), and now the underlay is partially exposed.

Does this underlay look like it has asbestos in it? I have no idea how old the vinyl is, I thought the previous owners finished the basement in the 90s but maybe it goes back further than that?

On 2023-01-16 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Leah,

I understand that you don't know the age of the floor, but there is a bit more information you might have that's useful in answering your question, such as the country and city of location, the building age, and other suggestions at

DOES THIS FLOOR CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 easy questions to tell if your FLOOR probably contains asbestos - https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/DIY-Asbestos-Floor-Test.php

It's possible that that's a floor from the 1970s or later if it's in the U.S. If so treat it as presumed to contain asbestos.

On 2022-12-22 by Julius

Do these floors contain absestos? I removed them last year and am now concerned that they are. My home was built in 1961. Also like to add that the village inspector made the previous home owners cover the basement flooring in which they did with a vinyl roll.

On 2022-12-22 by InspectApedia (Editor) - wood parquet pattern flooring with black mastic

@Julius,

Possibly yes, step through the easy questions above to make a reasonable guess. Treat the floor as presumed to contain asbestos

On 2022-12-12 by Anonymous

Does this have asbestos

On 2022-12-12 by InspectApedia (Editor)

@Anonymous,

Without any information at all about your flooring - age, location, etc., we can't give you a definite answer.

But your flooring looks very similar to some 1960s and 1970s patterns that we would presume to contain asbestos.

Please see the live link just above for

DOES THIS FLOOR CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 easy questions to tell if your FLOOR probably contains asbestos -

See other articles in this series as well to help you decide how best to deal with it. If in good condition, the safest and simplest is to leave it in place and seal it.

 

On 2022-12-10 by RE - Asbestos in floor tile made in Taiwan in 2018?

Hello! Your site has been incredibly informative - and scary! I have done some research and presumed that the peel and stick tile I was tearing from my kitchen was asbestos-free. I think the roll vinyl underneath it does.

So two questions -

1) the peel and stick vinyl is 6X6 and says "maid in Taiwan, 8511". I could not find anything like that by searching. But I also read Taiwan allowed asbestos until 2018, so now I'm worried. How do I determine if this vinyl is asbestos? (I went through the 5 steps - I think the remodel happened in 1984. No black adhesive, very thin flexibleish vinyl peel and stick.

2) I am taking the tiles off by wedging into them and pulling them/ripping them. Should I be concerned that I may damage the asbestos roll vinyl below it? Any answers are appreciated n

On 2022-12-10 by InspectApedia (Editor) - Asbestos in floor tile made in Taiwan in 2018? Not likely

@RE,

I would be surprised if vinyl flooring made in Taiwan in 2018 still contained asbestos if it was produced for export to countries worth it material is not used, but your question is a perfectly reasonable one if you have no other information.

Since You say the flooring was made in2018, a recent year, I'm guessing the company who made the flooring is still a business. So if you can identify them you could simply ask the question directly.

First, though, don't panic about this question as the anxiety can be a greater health hazard than the flooring.

That said, Is asbestos flooring is safe and legal to leave and place if it's in good condition and not being ground chopped sawn or otherwise pulverized.

If you need to remove flooring and you can pick up pieces of it intact without creating dust, the hazard has got to be extremely low even if the floor tiles do contain asbestos.

Or if the flooring is well adhered you would leave it in place and simply install a new floor for it.

On 2022-12-10 by RE

@InspectApedia (Editor), woops my apologies! I meant that the floor is most likely from 1984 remodel, but that the tile says "made in Taiwan" so I didn't know if they were able to continue mass producing even if asbestos tiles wee being faded out by then in the US.

When we pull them up they "snap" break, but they do not create dust. Maybe that's an indication that they're not asbestos, as they don't shatter they just snap break?

On 2022-12-10 by InspectApedia (Editor) - "break the tile and look for dust" asbestos test has no sound basis

@RE,

Unfortunately your "break the tile and look for dust" asbestos test, while clever, has in my opinion no sound basis.

Treat the tiles as presumed to contain asbestos or else have a sample tested.

On 2022-12-02 by Tanner

Is it pretty likely this vinyl sheet and backing is asbestos? Built in 1985. Sent it off for testing, but could be a little while before I hear anything back.

On 2022-12-02 by InspectApedia (mod)

@Tanner,

It is possible, yes.

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.

Options for leaving it in place or for removal are discussed in depth in this article series with the live links in the Recommended Articles list found near the end of this page.

 

On 2022-11-27 by AJS Possibility of pre-1986 asbestos flooring product being installed in a 1989 house

Hello - thank you for these very informative pages on how to spot and handle potentially asbestos containing materials in your home! I have an important question I don't see addressed here.

Our home was built in 1989 itself - the year asbestos products were made illegal. However, that's right on the "cusp" so it's hard to know how well that ban was being enforced right at that moment in time. Furthermore, we've been told the builder of the home was known for taking a number of shortcuts.

We're going to proceed with some testing for our own home, but I thought it might be useful for other readers to consider this question and view your answer:

How likely is it that unscrupulous, "lazy," or "budget-minded" builders may have "used up" asbestos-containing products already in their inventory in the first few years after the ban?

On 2022-11-27 by InspectApedia (mod) -

@AJS,

In North America, 1986 was the last year that asbestos was allowed for use in asphalt or vinyl floor tiles or sheet flooring, not 1989. We don't know where your home is located as we have readers from around the world.

Is it possible that 'old' material might have been installed after that date? Yes, although 3 years later is a bit of a stretch. Does it mean the builder was unscrupulous or lazy?

Not necessarily. We have responded to a number of readers over the years in this article series mentioning the possibility of pre-1986 product being installed soon after that deadline.

But if you are still concerned about it, then testing for your home, as you said you're going to do, will give you a definitive answer.

On 2022-10-27 by pk Do these 1990's U.S. floor tiles contain asbestos?

What do you think about these tiles? Do they contain asbestos? They were installed in the 90s. Thank you.

On 2022-10-27 by InspectApedia (Editor) (mod) - No, floor tiles made/installed in the U.S. in the 1990s don't contain asbestos

@pk,..no

On 2022-09-06 by Joseph Johnson Asbestos held in old tan floor tiles?

Does this floor hold asbestos

On 2022-09-06 by InspectApedia-911 (mod)

@Joseph Johnson,

Possibly, yes.

It would be helpful to know the country and city of location and building age.

To make a reasonable guess at the probability that an unknown floor tile or sheet flooring or its mastic adhesive contain asbestos, the best you can without having those materials actually tested for asbestos, you should answer the questions above on this page.

Risk of asbestos in 1950s Lino in Victoria, Australia: easy way to tell?

Hello, we have bought a 1950s house in Victoria, Australia. It appears to have two layers of Lino.

Is there an easy way to tell if this may have asbestos? We want to polish the floorboards underneath. Thank you.

On 2022-09-05 by Kate

On 2022-09-05 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - moss or algae may indicate mold or rot

@Kate,

Thank you for the photo and the question.

Some linoleum sheet flooring sold and installed in Australia may indeed contain asbestos in its backer.

Unless you can find a manufacturer's mark that positively identifies the floor, for flooring that was installed during the era when asbestos was being used in those products, the only way we would be certain about its asbestos content would be to have a sample tested.

In my opinion that's not at all necessary if you're able to simply roll up the sheet flooring and remove it from the home. Roll up the flooring, remove it, dispose of it as construction waste.

To be meticulously safe, after removing the flooring, damp wipe and HEPA vac the wood floor and then proceed with the refinishing as you like.

If you do find any manufacturers markings, codes or stampings post a photo for further comment. I'd also like to see a photo of the actual upper surface patterns of the floor.

Zooming in on your photo it looks like there may be some Moss or algae growing on that floor surface. If that's the case you want to explore the condition of the floor carefully as well as the area below the floor for water related damage such as rot or mold contamination or insect attack.

Do that before you launch an expensive refinishing project. Let me know what you find.

 

 

On 2022-08-16 by Aaron - Guessing at the asbestos risk in vinyl sheet flooring we know nothing about

Asbestos vinyl flooring in my apartment?

On 2022-08-16 by InspectApedia-911 (mod)

@Aaron,

We have no information about your building or flooring country, city, age, history, markings, etc.

But certainly that looks like recent (1990s or later) sheet vinyl flooring; If so that wouldn't contain asbestos.

SO the best guess you can make is by following

DOES THIS FLOOR CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 easy questions to tell if your FLOOR probably contains asbestos -

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/DIY-Asbestos-Floor-Test.php

On 2022-08-26 by Aaron

@InspectApedia-911, It is an apartment that is in a house. I found it was built in 1900, with a renovation in 1950. Location is Bangor, Maine.

Reply by InspectApedia-911 (mod)

@Aaron,

There can certainly be asbestos-containing products in a 1950s Maine home, but the flooring in your photo is newer, perhaps from the 1970s or later.

On 2022-08-16 by Anonymous - Concerned about asbestos in carpet

Asbestos carpet?

On 2022-08-16 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) -

@Anonymous,

What we can see is worn-damaged carpet.

What you should please take a look at to get a best guess at answering such questions is

DOES THIS MATERIAL CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 easy questions to tell if a BUILDING MATERIAL probably contains asbestos -

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/DIY-Asbestos-Material-Test.php

On 2022-06-24 by Anonymous - Freaking out abouit asbestos in my 1969 hbome's flooring

I just pulled up alot of tile up in my home and now I'm freaking out. This home was built in 1969 and did not think of asbestos.

Our home had a small flood and we had no choice but to pull it all up. Can you tell me if thats what it is.

On 2022-06-24 by InspectApedia-911 (mod)

@Anonymous,

Don't freak out, the health hazard from that could be greater than from possible-asbestos flooring.

If you haven't been shopping sanding sawing and making a dusty mess, you haven't created a significant hazard simply by picking up the floor.

See

DOES THIS FLOOR CONTAIN ASBESTOS

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/DIY-Asbestos-Floor-Test.php

 

 

On 2022-04-23 by Ann Carlson Asbestos in this Wisconsin Modular Home Flooring?

BTW - thank you very much. I've read your responses to other people and appreciate your gracious, kind and timely remarks.

This was in a Wisconsin modular home BUT was in the basement - not part of the home itself.

Before we bought the home, I contacted WI homes and asked if asbestos was used in the homes and was advised records from the early 70s were destroyed in a fire.

We recently started pulling it up due to a flood. Initially we were going to leave it, but when we pulled up a piece - the smell of mildew was quite strong.

I've attached a picture of the linoleum - with a strip pulled up next to it.

We have already started the project and are maybe 1/6th of the way through it when it dawned on me that there could be asbestos.

There is an option of leaving the rest of it down and installing a LVP floating floor over it because it isn't that thick. However, I am concerned about the mildew. Obviously if this asbestos backed - that is a bigger concern.

Also - since we have already tore some of this out using a multitool - we have already aerosolized it - what steps should we take for decon?

On 2022-04-23 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - Wisconsin modular home basement flooring

@Ann Carlson,

Thank you so much for your kind words. We work hard on this information so we're really grateful when readers find it useful and trustworthy.

It is safe as well as least-expensive to leave that floor in place, covering it with new flooring.

Damp wipe and HEPA-vac the areas that may have been dust-contaminated.

But there is a higher-priority concern:

If your basement actually flooded such that water went up against the bottom of walls, there is risk that the wall cavities were wet, causing mold growth on the cavity side of paneling or drywall.

You should go to the most- suspect wet-wall area and make some test cuts - 2 x 4 " is usually enough - to look into the wall cavity as well as on the back of and behind any floor-baseboard trim - to see if you find mold or wet drywall.

Address that before installing a new floor.

Let me know what you found.

About "records destroyed in a fire" - that's unfortunate, though convenient for the manufacturer who might be worried about liability for homes built half a century ago.

On 2022-04-16 by Not sure, asbestos tiles? Asbestos risk in white brick pattern floor tiles

We pulled up the carpets and found these tiles underneath. Not sure if they’re asbestos tiles. One of them was broken and could see some black dust on top of the wood.

On 2022-04-16 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - white brick pattern flooring may contain asbestos

@Not sure, asbestos tiles?,

If that floor was installed before 1986 in the U.S. it's likely to contain asbestos.

You can find that white brick pattern in this article series, in the article index or by searching the site for "white brick floor pattern asbestos"

that search will return

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Brick_Pattern_Sheet_Flooring_Identification.php

and

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Armstrong_Tile_List_1974-79.php

 

 

On 2022-04-06 by Concerned Is there asbestos in this 1986 flooring in a Bigfoot Travel Trailer in Canada?

Does anyone know if this flooring has asbestos it was installed in 1986 in Canada in a bigfoot travel trailer from original manufacturer I think it’s linoleum.

It is not tiles . I can’t find any pictures in any of the links on this site that match. Thank you

On 2022-01-19 by Jason H. - these 9"x9" tiles contain asbestos? House was built in 1964.

Does anyone know if these 9"x9" tiles contain asbestos? House was built in 1964.

On 2022-01-19 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator

@Jason H.,

I would treat the floor as presumed to contain asbestos.

Is this old linoleum in our 1936 home an asbestos worry?

We recently moved into this house built in 1936 and went to pull up the old carpet and found some type of vinyl underneath.

Not sure if it’s just water damage or asbestos? - On 2022-01-12 by Jadon

On 2022-01-12 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - 1936 floral pattern linoleum

@Jadon,

That's not vinyl flooring, it's an older sheet flooring product commonly called "linoleum"; in some cases the black asphalt-impregnated backer paper might contain asbestos.

See LINOLEUM & SHEET FLOORING

and also

see LINOLEUM ASBESTOS CONTENT?

If there is water damage, mold, rot, etc. you can safely leave the flooring in place, covered by new material such as sheet flooring or carpeting.

 

On 2017-01-27 by Tim McNeal What's the risk of asbestos in Armstrong Imperial 12"X12" floor tiles dated 2004

We are a church and we are tearing up some Armstrong Imperial 12"X12" floor tiles. we have some photos of the box, pattern number, lot number and we were trying to figure out if it contained Asbestos. The date on the box is August 27,2004. is there any way you can help. 360-471-9593 is my phone number

On 2017-01-27 by (mod) -

Tim, in the U.S. flooring manufacturers stopped using asbestos in floor tiles by 1985 or at latest, 1986.

So if your floor tiles were made in the U.S. in 2004 there is no reasonable probability that they contain asbestos.

 

Question: if my tile contains fiberglass can I assume it does not contain asbestos?

2020/04/11 Dave said:

Any thoughts on this tile? Appears to be vinyl with a fiber (glass, I hope) backing. House was built in 1978 but likely had basement finished (and tile put down) later than that.

In Detroit metro area. Water has caused adhesive to dissolve and come up, appears white. I'll add another picture in a subsequent comment.

Reply: NO, not quite: fiberglass and asbestos may have been used together in some products including floor tiles & ceiling tiles, gaskets, ropes, fabrics

White backer on a vinyl floor tile made before the end of the 1980's may contain asbestos. I'd treat the floor thus or have a sample tested.

Fiberglass was combined with asbestos in some products

Although the use of long asbestos fibers diminished in most countries as fiberglass became more-commonly-available, both products continued in use, sometimes together as this research illustrates.

Unfortunately we cannot assume that if fiberglass is present in a floor tile that asbestos is absent. The history of combining those materials in various products, possibly (research ongoing) including flooring, dates at least from the 1930's in North America.

• Bailey, G. "Asbestos yarn reinforced with continuous strand of a polyvinyl alcohol." U.S. Patent 3,751,897, issued August 14, 1973.
• Bijwe, Jayashree, and Mukesh Kumar. "Optimization of steel wool contents in non-asbestos organic (NAO) friction composites for best combination of thermal conductivity and tribo-performance." Wear 263, no. 7-12 (2007): 1243-1248.
• Geier, Ernest C., and Rudolph E. Semmler. "Yarn." U.S. Patent 2,350,504, issued June 6, 1944.
  
  Excerpts: asbestos and glass threads that the advantageous properties of these materials are combined ...
• Gibbons, Willis A. "Asbestos yarn." U.S. Patent 2,179,087, issued November 7, 1939.
  
  Excerpt: Method of producing combined asbestos and glass fiber yarns
• Mathes, K. N., and H. J. Stewart. "Asbestos and glass-fiber magnet-wire insulation." Electrical Engineering 58, no. 6 (1939): 290-294.
• Schneider Andre, French Patent Publication No. FR2416113A2, 1979-08-31 Dust-free fabric based on asbestos - is woven from asbestos yarn sheathed in yarn from glass fibres
• Schneider Andre, French Patent Publication No .FR2405817A1 1979-05-11 Non-dusting asbestos fibre assemblies - with the asbestos enclosed in glass fibre filaments by plating etc.
• Simpson, Donald C. "Combined asbestos and glass fiber yarn." U.S. Patent 2,132,702, issued October 11, 1938.
  Excerpts:
  
  I have discovered that the above mentioned individual shortcomings of the asbestos and glass fibers may be overcome by a combination of the two, and that a superior product, having properties superior to any of the individual properties of the ingredients, may be produced by a combination of the two types of fibers.
  
  Another object of the invention is the provision of a fabric composed of inorganic fibers which may be fabricated into felt or interwoven tape suitable for electrical, heat and/or sound insulation.
  
  Another object of the invention is to utilize the softness, pliability and yieldability more naturally inherent in the asbestos fibers in combinationwith glass fibers, which are much stronger and longer than the asbestos fibers. The individual glass fibers are sufilciently fine and long so that they may be intertwisted or interfelted with the asbestos fibers to form strong yarns which may be safely subjected to the rigors of a conventional loom.
  
  The asbestos fibers serve as cushions for the adjacent glass fibers to assist in the distribution of load
• Novak, Izador J. "Production of composite glass and asbestos yarn." U.S. Patent 2,778,763, issued January 22, 1957.
  
  Excerpt: This invention relates to the production of novel composites of glass fibers and asbestos fibers, and more particularly to the production of fiber glass yarn of new and improved character comprised of glass filaments and fine chrysotile asbestos fibers, wherein the glass filaments are coated with and spaced apart by dry residue of a liquid dispersion of chrysotile asbestos fibers principally of colloidal diameter, i. e. discrete asbestos fibers of from about .02 to about .05 microns in diameter, termed herein unit fibers.
• Haney, James C. "Asbestos Elimination in a Glass Plant." In 41st Conference on Glass Problems, vol. 321, p. 30. John Wiley & Sons, 2009.
  Text includes "Asbestos Fiberglass Floor tile Asbestos tile Vinyl tile high temp."
• Hoopes, Harry P. "Reinforced cementitious insulating material and method of preparation thereof." U.S. Patent 2,747,994, issued May 29, 1956.
• Morrison, Albert R., and Richard F. Shannon. "Coated fabrics." U.S. Patent 2,662,044, issued December 8, 1953.

- further research & citations needed - Ed.

...

Continue reading  at ASBESTOS FLOORING IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INDEX - all brands, all years - complete index to ID guides for asbestos-containing flooring materials as well as to similar floor coverings that do not contain asbestos, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see DOES THIS FLOORING CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - FAQs - asbestos-suspect flooring photos and questions posted originally on this page.

Or see these

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Suggested citation for this web page

DOES THIS FLOORING CONTAIN ASBESTOS? 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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