Vinyl floor tiles that contain asbestos were frequently used by construction teams, contractors and developers, for several decades. Actually, until the 1970s, asbestos flooring was the No. 1 preference of contractors and developers for installation in new homes because it was readily available and heat resistant, which made it an ideal insulator. Since it does not stain or scratch easily, it had an outstanding reputation because of its durability. Asbestos tile flooring was ideal for both residential and commercial construction. Aside from that, the price to make asbestos floor tiling was considerably low which made it even more attractive to the producers and consumers. Since asbestos utilization was officially permitted, floor tiles manufacturing continued until 1980. Asbestos had characteristics that made it sought-after as a floor tile, prior to the prevalent awareness of its risks.

How to determine if your floor contains asbestos?

Step 1- When examining your floor tile, look specifically at the color and see if it is dark brown, dark grey or even black. This is usually a pretty good indication if your floor contains asbestos, as vinyl and asphalt tiles were typically held in darker colors.
Step 2 - Find out when the flooring was installed. Between 1920 and about 1970 asbestos was widely used as a bi-product in a variety of different floor tiles. It was also utilized in manufacturing older vinyl flooring. Generally this type of flooring came in nine-inch square tiles and it is distinctively thicker compared to modern vinyl flooring.
Step 3 - Send an example of the floor tiles in question to a testing laboratory. A qualified laboratory will verify the presence of asbestos in the given sample. Inquire the specific requirements with the lab but typically they would need three different samples with no less than ¾ inches in length and width. When cutting the sample out of the tile with a utility knife, use a mask and put  them in a safe plastic bag. Cover up the part from which you detached the sample with adhesive tape.


Studies have confirmed that regular cleaning, waxing, or washing of asbestos flooring will not result in an increase of risk levels of asbestos exposure. To avoid release of asbestos fibers from the flooring tiles, these rules are should be kept in mind:

• Do not ever rub down floor tiles with pressure
• When you strip the floors, make use of low scrape pads at velocity less than 300 as well as utilize soaked cloth.
• Dry polishing is okay after the flooring was finished.
• Damaged and broken asbestos floor tiles should be removed by expert asbestos removal contractors.