Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Dec 29, 2014 11:00 pm I am replacing the flooring in my kitchen built in 1959. I lifted the lino which was stuck to masonite, and then lifted the masonite to find what appears to be a thin green mat. I am wondering if any of you can instantly recognise this product. If it is asbestos I am weighing up whether to have it professionally removed (assuming it is asbestos) or just lay the new flooring over the existing masonite without lifting any more of it. I do not intend to try removing it myself without first having it properly tested to see if it is asbestos or not. If it is asbestos I will certainly not try to do it myself, so please don't panic. It appears to be stuck to the pine floorboards pretty well. Strangely, whatever it is, it was not used in any of the other rooms with lino. I am presuming that if we do get it removed it would be done by removing the floorboards themselves and replacing the whole floor? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Does this look like asbestos? 2Dec 29, 2014 11:22 pm Doesnt look to be asbestos, but if the green stuff is an old lino the backing could quite likely contain asbestos. Only sure way of knowing is to have it tested. Asbestos (friarble asbestos) was used as the backing to lino and usually appears as a white/off-white material on the reverse side of the lino. To remove it requires a person holding a Class A asbestos removalist licence. So what ****** under/behind the green material might be questionable. What is that material on the far bottom right? Parts of that look a little suspect. The general rule of thumb, any house prior to about the mid 80s could contain asbestos. A 1959 house would almost certainly contain asbestos, so should be treated as such (or be tested) if you are not sure. I have done asbestos identification courses as part of my job as an Environmental Health Officer and that was always drummed into us Dale - Building Newbie Proserpine, QLD Re: Does this look like asbestos? 3Dec 30, 2014 11:14 am Thank you for the response, you have given me some peace of mind. I had a bit of a panic attack when I uncovered it as I don't know what to look for, with my only experience with asbestos being cladding and fencing. It only appears under the masonite, the lino itself was glued directly to the masonite with nothing between them. I will proceed as if it is asbestos anyway until testing proves otherwise, and if my housemate decides she wants to look into removing it then I will get it tested and bring in the professionals as needed. My preference is to leave it and the masonite in place. It is pretty well stuck to the floorboards, and is then sandwiched with masonite on top, and then flooring on top of that, so I suspect that this might be one of those cases of leaving it is safer than removing it (assuming it is even asbestos). The material at the bottom right of the picture is a concrete/mortar pad that used to be under a fireplace/wood burning stove. It has never been covered with any flooring, and I have since covered it with fresh self levelling concrete. Re: Does this look like asbestos? 4Dec 30, 2014 1:52 pm Sounds good! Just be careful if you plan on disturbing that old concrete under the fireplace. Asbestos was used in some cement products as well, particularly around fireplaces etc as asbestos has excellent resistance to heat and fire. It was used in pretty much everything back in the day! Dale - Building Newbie Proserpine, QLD No the fireplace doesn’t work. It’s been enclosed. I’m not sure what was removed, as it was done quite some time ago - well before what I can see with photos online… 2 9113 What you are looking at is fibrous plaster, true gypsum, it is cast on horizontal beds with fibers included to give strength. I has no Asbestos in it. Houses before 1985… 2 4258 4 1462 |