Asbestos(?) floor tiles and adhesive
Discussion
I’m in the process of redoing my landing and hall, and after removing the previous owner’s horrible laminate hall floor I found vinyl floor tiles. I was about to start chipping them off, when I though ‘hang on, this is old stuff, what about asbestos.’ These tiles could have been put down any time between 1930 and about 1980 so a high chance the tiles and the adhesive contain asbestos. Someone has already had a go at removing them and given up (probably the previous owner).
I’ve not touched them so far, only covered up with some boards and sheets, but does anyone have any advice on how to proceed? I need to get under the floor to run some new electrical cables, and move the radiator pipes so it does have to be disturbed. In an ideal world I’d like it all gone, so what’s the safest way of doing that? I don’t mind replacing the floorboards if needed. The floor is to be carpeted but that can’t be done over the top, as it’s uneven.
I’ve not touched them so far, only covered up with some boards and sheets, but does anyone have any advice on how to proceed? I need to get under the floor to run some new electrical cables, and move the radiator pipes so it does have to be disturbed. In an ideal world I’d like it all gone, so what’s the safest way of doing that? I don’t mind replacing the floorboards if needed. The floor is to be carpeted but that can’t be done over the top, as it’s uneven.
I can't tell from the photos but even if they are asbestos they are probably very low risk. The school I work in has them everywhere and when they do occasionally lift there isn't a huge reaction (despite there being management protocols coming out of our ears).
The site team just glue them back down. If they are too far gone they remove and replace with a new tile. No full suits and full masks etc. like with other work I've seen; just a prompt response.
If it was me I'd wear the same mask that you would for heavy sanding and have lots of thick bags. Put the tiles in bags and then tie them off.
Check with someone else first though - I'm not an expert.
The site team just glue them back down. If they are too far gone they remove and replace with a new tile. No full suits and full masks etc. like with other work I've seen; just a prompt response.
If it was me I'd wear the same mask that you would for heavy sanding and have lots of thick bags. Put the tiles in bags and then tie them off.
Check with someone else first though - I'm not an expert.
Edited by northwick on Saturday 20th April 21:08
Measure them,if they are a metric size there won't be any asbestos in them.
If they are imperial they will have asbestos in them however it will be very low.
I wouldn't advocate anyone touching anything asbestos however you could crunch them up and sprinkle them into your cornflakes the asbestos content is so low.
If they are imperial they will have asbestos in them however it will be very low.
I wouldn't advocate anyone touching anything asbestos however you could crunch them up and sprinkle them into your cornflakes the asbestos content is so low.
Edited by dalzo on Saturday 20th April 21:25
Some interesting reading here OP asbestos floor tiles A customer of mine had to have a load of Marley floor tiles removed last year due to a flood and that involved guys in suits and everything covered in polythene.
Everything you need to know and from an impeccable source
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/essentials/floortil...
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/essentials/floortil...
Good grief … Marley tiles stuck down with bitumen. Heat gun on a low setting to loosen the bitumen and a decent scraper and they will come up in one piece. I have never had a problem with dropping them off at the tip in rubble sacks. Don't even try to take the bitumen up unless you really want to spend a few days on your knees with a stanley scraper, just sprinkle a small amount of dry cement on it and brush it well in to take the sticky away.
Or you could pay someone with a shiny new £1.99 white disposable coverall hundreds of ££££s to take it up and dispose of it 'properly' and I am just an old cynic who will die of asbestos poisoning or something...
Or you could pay someone with a shiny new £1.99 white disposable coverall hundreds of ££££s to take it up and dispose of it 'properly' and I am just an old cynic who will die of asbestos poisoning or something...
BenjiS said:
They’re a smidgen over 9in a side or 22.8cm in metric so hard to call.
Yup old 9x9's , they 100% have asbestos in.as the poster above me, scraper underneath , flip them up trying not to break them (they're only really dangerous if you drill into them,grind them into dust) the scrape a layer of self levelling over the top to kill the adhesive.
Btw once the tiles are lifted the bitumen will activate and go sticky again, its old blackjack adhesive and its nasty stuff to get off hands,carpets etc.
I have taken up 100s of these in the past and they contain something like 0.00001 % of asbestos.
The blackjack is more of a problem as it can get everywhere and is very sticky.
We got flooded last year and I took up the Marley tiles myself whilst the neighbours either side had to have a sample sent away for testing which meant waiting for 3 weeks before the builders could lift the tiles before the concrete could start drying out.
Guess who’s got finished first.
The blackjack is more of a problem as it can get everywhere and is very sticky.
We got flooded last year and I took up the Marley tiles myself whilst the neighbours either side had to have a sample sent away for testing which meant waiting for 3 weeks before the builders could lift the tiles before the concrete could start drying out.
Guess who’s got finished first.
dalzo said:
Yup old 9x9's , they 100% have asbestos in.
as the poster above me, scraper underneath , flip them up trying not to break them (they're only really dangerous if you drill into them,grind them into dust) the scrape a layer of self levelling over the top to kill the adhesive.
Btw once the tiles are lifted the bitumen will activate and go sticky again, its old blackjack adhesive and its nasty stuff to get off hands,carpets etc.
I’m thinking one route may be carefully remove the tiles, then rip out the floorboards and replace, rather than trying to remove the adhesive. as the poster above me, scraper underneath , flip them up trying not to break them (they're only really dangerous if you drill into them,grind them into dust) the scrape a layer of self levelling over the top to kill the adhesive.
Btw once the tiles are lifted the bitumen will activate and go sticky again, its old blackjack adhesive and its nasty stuff to get off hands,carpets etc.
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