Ceramic Tiles Contain Asbestos

Asbestos tiles have traits that make them easier to spot.

Ceramic tiles contain asbestos.

If the tiles or the floor beneath show oily discoloration the tiles very likely contain asbestos. But that changes as soon as you decide to remove it. Identifying building materials containing asbestos helps you plan for removal if you want them gone. The asbestos floor tile identification articles in this series illustrate that with the combination of design appearance and an idea of floor tile age many asbestos containing floor tiles or sheet flooring products can be reliably identified even before confirmation by a test by a certified asbestos testing laboratory.

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. When you remove that floor covering to make way for new flooring you may encounter the mastic and wonder whether it is safe to remove the main concern surrounding this question is that black mastic often contains asbestos. We explain the ingredients in ceramic floor tiles cite authoritative research on the presence or absence of asbestos in these ceramic tile or its absence and we point to sources of confusion about the question of which ceramic products tiles pottery filters contain or ever contained asbestos as a filler or as a fiber strengthen. Abating asbestos vinyl wallpaper and floor tiles does not typically require a license.

Asbestos flooring only causes potential health problems when it gets disturbed so don t panic if you think your home has asbestos tiles. The tiles most likely to contain asbestos are ceiling and flooring tiles. Unlike many asbestos containing materials vinyl asbestos flooring is generally safe to be around. Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring should only be removed by a licensed abatement professional.

However as a favor to future owners of your house make some note of the fact that asbestos tiles are under the new flooring. Common in homes built in the 20th century black mastic was used as an adhesive for ceramic tile linoleum and other flooring materials. Vinyl flooring and wallpaper that contain asbestos cannot be recognized on sight. As you can see this method is not an exact science.

Asbestos is used in these products for a variety of reasons. Asbestos in ceiling tiles. In ceiling tiles asbestos is most commonly used for reducing the amount of noise that spreads from one room to another. Vinyl is a type of plastic that has long been a popular material for floor tiles and sheets.

You could also cover the tiles with new vinyl flooring linoleum or even ceramic tiles.