Old Vinyl Sheet Flooring Asbestos

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.

Old vinyl sheet flooring asbestos.

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. Unfortunately vinyl sheet flooring manufactured with an asbestos backing poses a serious exposure risk when it is disturbed. This article describes sheet flooring products known to contain significant levels of asbestos. This will entail peeling the sheet vinyl from the flooring beneath if the backing does not separate in the process or removing the sheet vinyl in sections with the underlayment attached.

One armstrong world industries vinyl resilient sheet flooring product thought to have been installed in 1967 was tested in a lab and found to contain 70 percent asbestos. Always test for asbestos fibers before removing any older vinyl sheeting. If black tar is adhering to the vinyl it is almost a 100 asbestos containing fiber product. Removing old vinyl flooring techniques.

We are told. A majority of the vinyl. Sheet vinyl flooring should be removed to avoid or minimize disturbance of the asbestos containing backing. Asbestos containing sheet flooring or resilient flooring product identification.

Asbestos vinyl flooring was a durable and economical material that offered many aesthetic options to suit a homeowner s taste. Asbestos removal is a hazardous process best undertaken only by a qualified professional. If you are removing the original vinyl floor from a home prior to 1980 you will need to locate a licensed asbestos abatement contractor to test your floor. Prior to the 1980s asbestos vinyl sheet flooring was very popular in homes.

Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring can be more dangerous to remove than tiles if proper precautions are not practiced. Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring has two layers a top layer of vinyl and a bottom layer made from paper that contains asbestos. A vinyl sheet flooring that looks like the above has a high chance of asbestos. Such products some sold under the brand name solarian were installed as recently as 1980 long after governmental restrictions on asbestos were initiated.

Before you begin the project to remove old vinyl flooring in your home you need to determine if the flooring contains asbestos.