When Did They Stop Making Asbestos Floor Tiles

However as a favor to future owners of your house make some note of the fact that asbestos tiles are under the new flooring.

When did they stop making asbestos floor tiles. Intact asbestos tiles are not a major risk and can in fact be left in place and covered with other materials such as carpet vinyl linoleum or concrete. In floor tiles asbestos is used primarily for its insulation properties and its ability to resist fire. Asbestos floor tiles were manufactured in three sizes. 9 x9 12 x12 and 18 x18.

Resilient sheet flooring containing asbestos was also produced finding wide use as early as 1968. When asbestos tiles were still in production they came in three sizes. But that changes as soon as you decide to remove it. Armstrong produced the excelon tile series beginning with a plastic asbestos floor tile series in 1954 referring to the product as vinyl plastic asbestos floor tiles beginning in 1955 and vinyl asbestos tiles from 1957 to 1980.

You could also cover the tiles with new vinyl flooring linoleum or even ceramic tiles. Vinyl is a type of plastic that has long been a popular material for floor tiles and sheets. If the tiles were installed between 1966 and1980 there s a slight chance they contain asbestos it is always best to undertake a full asbestos survey to be sure. In addition to the tiles themselves a layer of mastic a type of adhesive below the tiles is also likely to contain asbestos.

Tiles that are disintegrating should be. That way no one will be endangered years from now when they start to rip up the new flooring and find asbestos tiles beneath. Asbestos has been used in vinyl wallpaper since the 1920s and vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring rose to prominence in the 1950s. The wondrous new no wax flooring sold by companies such as congoleum put a glossy sheen on post war american prosperity.

Unlike many asbestos containing materials vinyl asbestos flooring is generally safe to be around. If floor tiles were installed between 1920 and 1960 there s a good chance they contain asbestos because most flooring tiles manufactured during this period did. These types of ceilings are also referred to as dropped ceilings or acoustic ceilings they are created by suspending a framework from the roof or upper floor and inserting ceiling tiles into the open spaces thereby creating a space between the ceiling and upper floor or roof. 9 inch squares 12 inch squares and 18 inch squares.

Vinyl tiles with asbestos are all 12 12 or 9 9 tiles with asbestos. A suspended ceiling is more likely than other types of ceilings to contain asbestos tiles. The most common size for asbestos tiles is 9 inches by 9 inches. If you re already suspicious about the potential for asbestos measure the tiles to see if they fit one of these three sizes.