Tile adhesive is one of the most common sources of asbestos in older homes. The adhesive behind wall and floor tiles in bathrooms and kitchens in particular often contains asbestos if the tiles were laid before asbestos was banned – across the EU by 2005 at the latest, and in many countries considerably earlier. In this article we explain why tile adhesive is a risk material and how to find out whether it contains asbestos.
Why is there asbestos in tile adhesive?
From the mid-20th century, asbestos was added to adhesives to improve their technical properties. The asbestos fibres made the adhesive stronger, more flexible and more heat-resistant. These properties were especially valued in wet rooms such as bathrooms and kitchens, where the adhesive had to withstand changes in temperature and moisture.
Asbestos was used in adhesives until it was banned. Use was at its highest in the 1960s and 1970s, when a large share of today's apartment buildings and houses were built.
Tile or tile adhesive?
It is important to understand that the wall and floor tiles themselves usually do not contain asbestos. The risk lies in the adhesive between the tile and the wall or floor. So it is not enough to remove a tile and have it tested – the sample must be taken from the adhesive.
During renovations, people often remove a tile and send it for testing while the adhesive behind it is never checked. This is a common and frustrating mistake, because it is precisely the adhesive that is most likely to contain asbestos.
How to take a sample of tile adhesive
To take a sample of tile adhesive, you need to remove a tile. Carefully lever the tile off with a chisel or knife. Once the tile is off, scrape or chisel off a piece of the adhesive. The sample should be about 2–5 centimetres in size.
Wear an FFP3 respirator and protective gloves when taking the sample. Do not use too much force, as that creates unnecessary dust. Put the sample in a resealable plastic bag and clearly label which material it is and where it was taken from.
Tile adhesive in bathrooms and kitchens
Bathrooms and kitchens are the most common places for tile adhesive containing asbestos. Both rooms have a lot of tiling on walls and floors, and the adhesive under each surface may date from a different period and have a different composition.
In the bathroom, tile adhesive is particularly problematic because demolition in a small space creates a lot of dust. In the kitchen, a renovation often involves removing the tiled splashback above the worktop and the tiled floor. In both cases the adhesive must be tested before demolition.
What happens if the tile adhesive contains asbestos?
If the analysis finds asbestos in the tile adhesive, removing the tiles and adhesive must be carried out as asbestos removal work. This means that a specialist asbestos removal contractor does the work with the right protective measures – enclosure, negative pressure and personal protective equipment.
Asbestos removal is routine work for professionals and can be fitted into the renovation schedule. The cost is reasonable in relation to the safety that professional removal provides. Sanding or chiselling off adhesive containing asbestos without protective measures, on the other hand, is dangerous and breaks the occupational safety rules for asbestos.
Summary
Tile adhesive is a common source of asbestos in older homes. Before you remove wall or floor tiles, the adhesive should be tested with a laboratory analysis. The sample is taken from the adhesive exposed after removing a tile, sealed in a bag and sent to the laboratory. The result tells you how the demolition must be done safely.