Is There Asbestos In Old Vinyl Flooring

Some asbestos containing flooring products were manufactured we estimate as early as the late 1920 s.

Is there asbestos in old vinyl flooring.

Working with asbestos flooring can release toxic dust. Vinyl is a type of plastic that has long been a popular material for floor tiles and sheets. In the 1940 s 1970 s and were produced by some manufacturers armstrong as late as 1980. Asbestos in linoleum and vinyl flooring because linoleum was invented long before vinyl people often refer to both types of flooring as linoleum but there s a big difference.

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. New vinyl laminate flooring hardwood engineered floating flooring and carpeting can all be successfully installed over asbestos tiles. Asbestos has been used in vinyl wallpaper since the 1920s and vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring rose to prominence in the 1950s. For about 35 years flooring companies included asbestos when they manufactured the vinyl tiles.

The wondrous new no wax flooring sold by companies such as congoleum put a glossy sheen on post war american prosperity. But the flooring companies aim wasn t so much to make the floor tiles fireproof as it was to make the tiles more durable. Asbestos is a mineral that lends fireproofing qualities to any substance it is mixed with. We are told that the paper layer can contain from 40 to 70 percent asbestos.

Linoleum is an all natural floor covering composed of dried linseed oil wood dust cork and jute and it doesn t 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. Click here to read more. Asbestos was used in vinyl wallpaper from the 1920s and in the vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring that rose to prominence in the 1950s.

Old vinyl products that contain asbestos remain in many buildings across the u s creating a hazard for contractors and do it yourself renovators. As with any asbestos containing material acm the first step to finding asbestos in linoleum sheet flooring and vinyl tiles is. Stain proof fireproof stylish and affordable vinyl products strengthened through the inclusion asbestos in their manufacture were a very popular choice in many new zealand houses.