Asbestos Floor Tiles

From the 50's until the 80's asbestos fibres (Chrysotile) were used in polyvinyl plastics often used as floor tiles and stair nosings (see right).  These products are common in offices and factories especially in stairwells.

Plastic is formed of a polymer combined with a fibrous binding agent to produce a material that is strong and composite but also maleable. Asbestos was an ideal binding agent because it was very strong and hard wearing. These materials form the lowest risk of all asbestos containing materials because polymers do not decompose and the asbestos fibres remain protected for many years. 

As well as the tiles, asbestos was also used in the bitumen adhesive (see Bitumen)  used to affix the tiles to the floor and in the paper backing (100% Chrysotile). The same paper backing can also be found on some linoleums.

Removing asbestos floor tiles can cause significant fibre release because it normally involves scraping . There are specialist tile scrapers on the market but these make the job quicker rather than safer. It is VERY difficult to remove bitumen adhesive (as you would expect) and it is often safer to carpet over tiles. We'd recommend using a specialist if you have a large volume of product to remove (the waste alone warrants using a contractor).

Removing floor tiles is a tricky business. Use our quote form to get prices from specialist removal companies or if you suspect your tiles may contain asbestos you can get a sample taken and analysed.

Got a trade name? You can find a comprehensive list of asbestos trade names here.