Our photos above show a typical black floor tile adhesive mastic on the underside of a 9x9 cork pattern vinyl floor tile found in a u s.
Asbestos tile glue color.
It was also resistant to moisture oil grease heat alkalis and acids.
Typical black mastic pattern on vinyl asbestos floor tile underside.
Manufacturers have been using asbestos for decades so asbestos containing tiles come in a vast array of colours styles and sizes.
Asbestos was a common ingredient in plastic cements and sealants for rooftops.
Asbestos mastic will also always be black in color.
If your building was built before 1980 mastic mixed with asbestos may have been used to seal your tiles to the floor.
But there may be traces of other colors such as those from subflooring showing through the mastic or pieces of floor covering that were not completely removed.
Over time weathering exposes the white asbestos fibers in asbestos containing sealant causing it to turn from black to grey.
Home built in 1960.
Here is an asbestos floor tile identification key sorted by primary flooring color.
The good news is that the harmful fibers are securely embedded into the vinyl material so under normal conditions the fibers aren t released into the air.
Some of the flooring tiles have come off and you see thick.
But then asbestos was found to be a health hazard.
Asbestos adhesive was used for asphalt flooring tiles and vinyl or linoleum sheet tile because it strengthened the flooring and made it more durable.
Color photo guide to asphalt asbestos and vinyl asbestos floor tiles 1900 1986 using dominant floor tile color to identify the probable asbestos containing floor tile brand pattern and age.
Mastic is a type of glue used to adhere tiles and vinyl flooring to the subfloor.
How to remove asbestos tiles safely it is always safest to leave asbestos flooring removal to asbestos abatement professionals.
Even if the vinyl flooring is pulled up intact the old adhesive underneath may also contain asbestos.
In addition to the tiles themselves a layer of mastic a type of adhesive below the tiles is also likely to contain asbestos.
As the name suggests black is its predominant color.
Vinyl tiles with asbestos are all 12 12 or 9 9 tiles with asbestos.
You will only see black asbestos mastic after a floor covering has been removed.
Both the flooring and the mastic are likely to contain asbestos.
Possible signs of asbestos mastic include discoloration and an oily texture.
Beige black blue brown tan wood tone gray green red white yellow etc.