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Buildings Surveys & Assessment of ACMs
Management of Asbestos in Buildings
Surveying asbestos since the early 2000s
The black bitumen glue can contain asbestos too
What Are Asbestos Vinyl Floor Tiles?
These are the tough, plastic-feeling floor tiles often found in kitchens, hallways and other passageways. They were popular because they lasted for decades, largely thanks to the asbestos fibres mixed into them. Along with asbestos cement and Artex, asbestos vinyl floor tiles are probably the most common asbestos product found during asbestos surveys. Chrysotile (white asbestos) was added to the vinyl to increase its strength and durability, and the tiles were manufactured from the early 1950s right through to 1986.
The Telltale Signs
If the tiles are small, typically 9 inches by 9 inches, and stuck down with a thick, black, tar-like glue, that is almost certainly asbestos vinyl tile. Both the tile itself and the black glue beneath it usually contain asbestos, so both need to be considered, not just the visible tile.
Bitumen Adhesive
The tiles were often laid on a bitumen adhesive that also contained chrysotile. This black adhesive is tough to remove and is very often simply left in place when a floor is re-covered, rather than stripped back. This means it is not uncommon for modern flooring products to return a positive asbestos test result, not because the new flooring itself contains asbestos, but because of the old bitumen adhesive still bonded to the subfloor beneath it.
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Is It Dangerous?
You can walk on asbestos vinyl floor tiles, mop them, and live with them underfoot for decades without any issue. The fibres are trapped within the vinyl itself, so an intact, undisturbed floor poses no meaningful risk.
The danger arises if the tiles are sanded, ground, cut, or lifted forcefully, all of which can break up the vinyl and release the fibres bound inside it. Sanding down old flooring to prepare for a new surface is a particularly common way these fibres are unintentionally disturbed.
Where They’re Found
Asbestos vinyl floor tiles are found extensively in schools, offices and any area that would originally have had high foot traffic, such as kitchens and hallways in both commercial and residential properties.
What to Do If You Have Them
If your existing vinyl tiles are in good condition and undisturbed, the safest option is often to leave them in place, or to lay new flooring directly over the top rather than lifting them. If removal or lifting is unavoidable, for example as part of a full refurbishment, this is generally classed as non-licensed work under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, but it still requires a competent person, the correct PPE, and proper wetting-down procedures to prevent fibre release. Testing the tiles and the adhesive beneath them at a UKAS-accredited laboratory will confirm exactly what you are dealing with before any work begins.
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