Old vinyl (PVC) floor coverings and vinyl floor tiles, and the adhesive underneath, are common sources of asbestos in older homes. Asbestos is found quite often, especially in floor materials laid in the 1960s and 1970s. In this article we explain how asbestos in vinyl flooring is identified and tested.
Asbestos in the floor covering or in the adhesive?
Asbestos can be in the vinyl floor covering itself as well as in the adhesive layer underneath. Most often the asbestos is found in the adhesive, but the backing of the floor covering can also contain asbestos fibres. That is why it is important to test both: the floor covering and the adhesive underneath.
In many cases the vinyl floor covering itself is free of asbestos while the adhesive underneath contains it. If only the floor covering is tested and not the adhesive, the asbestos goes undetected. That is why the adhesive layer must be included in the sample.
Asbestos in vinyl floor tiles
Old vinyl floor tiles are another common source of asbestos in floors. Tiles measuring 30 × 30 cm in particular, which were popular in the 1960s and 1970s, often contain asbestos. The adhesive underneath can also contain asbestos.
Old vinyl tiles can often be recognised by their size and hardness – old tiles containing asbestos are typically stiff and brittle. Even so, asbestos cannot be confirmed by appearance; the only reliable way is a laboratory analysis.
How do you take a sample of the floor covering?
Taking a sample of the floor covering requires a little care. Remove a small piece of the vinyl floor covering or tile so that the adhesive layer underneath comes with it. You can lift the edge of the floor covering with a knife or chisel and remove a piece.
Remove the sample carefully so that any dust does not spread. Wear protective gloves – a respirator is recommended. It is best to take the sample at the edge of the floor covering or in a corner, where the floor is damaged as little as possible.
How old is the floor?
The age of the floor material is a good indication of the asbestos risk. Vinyl floor coverings and vinyl tiles laid before asbestos was banned in your country (2005 at the latest across the EU, and earlier in many countries) may contain asbestos. It is especially likely in materials from the 1960s and 1970s. If you know when the house was built or the floor was laid, you can estimate how high the risk is.
Bear in mind, though, that age is no reliable indication of asbestos. Not all materials from the same period contain asbestos, and not all newer materials are necessarily free of asbestos if they were laid on top of an old adhesive containing asbestos.
Planning the floor renovation
If you are planning a floor renovation, you should always find out beforehand whether asbestos may be present. If an old vinyl floor covering or vinyl tile contains asbestos, removing it requires asbestos removal work. That affects the schedule, the cost and who is allowed to do the work.
In some cases a new floor can instead be laid on top of the old floor covering containing asbestos, so that no demolition is needed at all. This depends, however, on the condition of the floor build-up and the requirements of the new floor covering.
What to do next
If you suspect asbestos in an old vinyl floor covering or its adhesive, take a sample and send it to the laboratory for analysis. Taking the sample only takes a few minutes, and you receive the result by email on the same day the sample arrives at the laboratory. Then you know for certain how the floor renovation must be carried out safely and in line with the rules.