Covering 9X9 tile in basement (asbestos potential)
Hello. I am remodeling the basement of the 50+ year old house we bought recently. The floor is covered with those old 9X9 tiles, which the inspector and real estate agent both said I should assume contain asbestos. Rather than rip them out and deal with trying to remove the mastic, I am inclined to simply cover the old tiles (some of which have cracked) with a new flooring. While carpeting seems like a safe choice, I don't really want to have tacks driven into the old tile for fear of releasing asbestos into the air (we have a young daughter). Does anyone know what the best way would be to manage this project? Could I have a moisture-resistant base pad glued to the floor and then glue carpet on top? Is there any kind of carpet that can be attached to the walls (instead of the floor)? I know I'm grasping at straws here, but any ideas would be appreciated. There are a number of people who make a living out of removing asbestos and they try to scare people. If there is asbestos in your tiles it is embedded and will never do you any harm. Every day you breath in asbestos that is in the air almost everywhere. It does no harm. Asbestos is only a problem to people who work with it on a day to day basis and it gradually builds in their lungs. Common sense says do not drill into or cut asbestos with power tools and it remains inert and harmless. Lay a fully floating OSB or wood floor over. If you have the head room 3 inches of polystyrene insulation under the new floor will give you a nice warm floor. You could always consider installing rubber back carpet. Another idea that I have never tried but thought might work would be to glue down the smooth edge (carpet tack strips) with polyurethane construction adhesive and remove and not use the provided nails if you want to go with underpad and traditional carpet. Just another idea that might work and provide you with the safety you are looking for. Thank you both for your great ideas. They are much-appreciated. took out my vinyl asbestos floor tiles from a basement room last winter. Yes, the vinyl in the tiles encapsulates the asbestos and the tiles pose little danger unless the are totally disintegrating. The biggest trouble is disposing of asbestos...Only certain landfills will take asbestos materials and then only under their strict guidelines. The loose asbestos insulation is the real dangerous stuff because disturbing it can release fibers into the air to be breathed in. I read a lot of stuff on asbestos and people who smoke and work in shipyards and smoke a lot face the most danger, not you and I who breathe in and out thousands of times a day. Think about what you might be breathing in every day of your life just walking around outside...YUK. Bean-e-doo is great for removing the evil dried-up black mastic. Must apply several times, letting it soak a few hours each time. Best of all it is soybean based and non-toxic...soak up with floor dry....but again must be able to dispose of that properly too...Free delivery here...Concrete stain, pigment and supplies for stained concrete floors Western Analytical Lab in California will test materials for asbestos...and fast e-mail results to via PDF in a day or so...Go to Western Analytical Laboratory - Asbestos Testing Lab Water down the tiles to reduce fibers from becoming airborne...Wear an asbestos-approved mask...wear golves...maybe get a cheap disposable hazardous waste suit....try using a drywall blade to scrape under the tiles to pop them off the floor without breaking and you should be fine. Get thick black heavy-mil contractor bags for the tiles...You might want to check with a local landfill to see if they take asbestos (first) and how they want the materials packaged...if you want them to accept your waste. I am glad I got my tiles up off the floor...will be installing hardwood floor over dimpled plastic underlayment on bare concrete next winter....after i took up the floor tile, i looked up and thought...hmmmmmm..i wonder if those are asbestos ceiling tiles....they weren't, but asbestos was put in nearly everything 50 years ago...good luck. Here is a link with some more asbestos info...Asbestos | Indoor Air Quality | US EPA I don't know if this was the right thing to do. But basement was the same way, and I wanted to use part of it for a family room. I bought those OSB squares with the plastic dimple on the back. It made a free floating with a air space underneath. Then after six months or so, when I was sure there won't be a moisture problem, I laid down carpet. I only lost about a inch or so of head room. But with a 7' ceiling people still duck around the ceiling fan. Yeah...I think the basement ceiling is probably too low to hang a ceiling fan. I was thinking of going with pot lights between the rafters so nothing hangs down in an already low ceiling. As long as you don't disturb the old tiles, you can do whatever you want.!!!!! Someone above suggested that some contractors will try to scare you into something that is not needed, he is RIGHT.
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