How to Identify Possible Asbestos Floor Tiles

Older floor tiles are one of the materials Baton Rouge homeowners ask us about more than anything else. If your home was built before the 1980s, it is reasonable to treat the flooring as a possible concern until you know otherwise.

What to look for

Asbestos was used in vinyl and asphalt floor tiles for decades. A few patterns show up again and again in older Louisiana homes:

• 9-inch and 12-inch square tiles are the most common. The 9-inch squares in particular were widely produced with asbestos.
• Dark colors, especially faded reds, browns, and greens, show up frequently.
• A black or dark brown adhesive beneath the tiles, known as mastic, can also contain asbestos.
• Sheet vinyl flooring and its paper backing are another common source.

What appearance cannot tell you

None of these signs confirm asbestos. Plenty of older tiles look exactly like asbestos-containing tiles but do not contain any, and the reverse is also true. The only way to know is to have a sample tested in a laboratory.

What not to do

Do not pull up tiles, scrape adhesive, or sand the subfloor to investigate. Breaking, grinding, and dry-scraping are exactly the actions that release fibers into the air. If you are planning to replace old flooring, have it tested before the tiles come up.

The practical path

If you are renovating an older Baton Rouge home and the flooring is in good condition, you can often install new flooring over it. If the tiles are damaged, loose, or in the way of your project, that is the time to test and, if needed, have them removed professionally.

For a closer look at the removal process, see our asbestos tile removal service page.