Asbestos Backed Vinyl Sheet Flooring

To know for sure submit a flooring sample for laboratory analysis.

Asbestos backed vinyl sheet flooring.

Some asbestos containing flooring products were manufactured we estimate as early as the late 1920 s. Manufacturers often made this type of flooring with a friable asbestos backing which means asbestos fibres are easily released into the air if the sheet flooring is disturbed or damaged. I unknowingly tore up some. However you re not completely in the clear because asbestos was a common ingredient in the mastic used to hold these flooring materials to the subfloor.

We describe sources of asbestos in older forms of sheet flooring including felt backed flooring rubber backed flooring and vinyl cushion backed resilient flooring products. Cost for such testing is minimal typically 25 per sample. Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring poses a significantly greater asbestos exposure risk than floor tiles or wallpaper. Vinyl sheet flooring comes in large pieces and is usually cut to the size of the room and laid down in one piece.

It also was installed over tongue and groove wood floors particleboard and plywood. Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring has two layers a top layer of vinyl and a bottom layer made from paper that contains asbestos. We include research citations on asbestos use in sheet flooring backer materials. Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring poses a significantly greater asbestos exposure risk than floor tiles or wallpaper.

The backing of the vinyl sheet didn t crumble or anything like that but it did separate when i ripped the sheet off the floor. Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring can be more dangerous to remove than tiles if proper precautions are not practiced. While asbestos is useful as a binding agent in the manufacture of vinyl and rubber floor coverings it isn t needed to make linoleum tiles or sheet flooring. Not all sheet vinyl flooring has asbestos backing.

The removal procedures described in this publication address the removal of asbestos backed sheet vinyl only if. Manufacturers often made this type of flooring with a friable asbestos backing which means mineral fibers are easily released into the air if the sheet flooring is disturbed or damaged. Asbestos backed vinyl sheet flooring is where the backing the side attached to the floor see figure 1 contains friable easily broken asbestos material. What is asbestos backed vinyl sheet flooring.

Dry asbestos particles are lighter than air wet ones are less prone to become air borne. Asbestos backed sheet vinyl flooring was commonly installed in many ways including over hardwood softwood and concrete floors. Are you sure there is asbestos in your flooring. Asbestos backed vinyl sheet flooring and vinyl tiles containing asbestos.

Laboratories are listed in the yellow pages of your phone book under asbestos consulting and testing. Asphalt based asbestos floor tiles and later plastic or vinyl based asbestos flooring were popular in the u s. Figure 1 asbestos backed vinyl sheet flooring.