Browse Forums Flooring & Floor Covering 1 Jan 17, 2008 8:55 am Hi,
I need some advice. In our kitchen, bathroom, back hallway and toilet we have vinyl tiles that contain asbestos. I have had them tested and the glue which has been used to stick them to the floor does not contain asbestos. DH wants to pull them up and sand and polish the floor boards which will look nice if he can get the glue off them. I am concerned about lifting the tiles and also how good polished floor boards will be in wet areas. I would like to either tile or have floating floors as I have read that I can do both these straight over the old tiles. Any advice or suggestions? Thanks, Kathryn. Re: Removing asbestos vinyl tiles and sanding floorboards 2Jan 17, 2008 9:16 am Hi Kathryn,
First things first,,,,,,, It's IMPORTANT that you do NOT try to remove the tiles yourselves. If they are 25+ years old, you can pretty much assume they DO contain asbestos. If you want to be sure, you'll have to take a small piece to a testing lab. The last I heard was it cost about $80 for a test. Legally, materials containing asbestos will need to be removed and disposed of by certified contractors who specialise in this work. Your local council should be able to provide details of such contractors. Again, DO NOT DIY!!!! It is illegal with stiff penalties. Ash. Re: Removing asbestos vinyl tiles and sanding floorboards 3Jan 17, 2008 9:46 am I remember reading somewhere that you can actually do a course at TAFE to become legally certified to remove asbestos. Then you can hire the appropriate equipment and DIY. From what I read, this was more time consuming but much cheaper than paying someone else to do it.
But I would not recommend DIY unless you've done the training. After 4 years - we're in! Re: Removing asbestos vinyl tiles and sanding floorboards 4Jan 17, 2008 9:52 am I doubt there would be any real savings in the case of a one off job.
Besides the training and qualifications, it requires appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment) other equipment and tools. Its definitely a job for contractors whose responsibility it is to carry this work out correctly. Not sure about asbestos training, but I know the lady who trains people to become a qualified mould remediator. Her courses cost around $2,500 each. Re: Removing asbestos vinyl tiles and sanding floorboards 5Jan 17, 2008 9:59 am Ash - I think the article I read was a couple that had to do an entire 4 bedroom house - ceilings and all. And the course was a weekend job at TAFE.
This was the course: http://www.tafensw.edu.au/howex/servlet ... Code=8036A $500 After 4 years - we're in! Re: Removing asbestos vinyl tiles and sanding floorboards 6Jan 17, 2008 10:05 am Thanks guys.
I have had the tiles tested ($60 per sample) and they do contain asbestos. I have also spoke to the local council and they said you can do it yourself but take proper precautions and dispose correctly, although I did read that as of this month you cannot remove more than 10m2 yourself. I am not keen to do it and think it would be easier to leave them there and go over the top obviously with out any drilling. They are breaking up, lifting and generally look awful. Kathryn. Re: Removing asbestos vinyl tiles and sanding floorboards 7Jan 17, 2008 11:32 am If you do it yourself, you need all over protection, breathing masks etc. Then all waste has to be double wrapped in plastic and disposed of.
Get an expert in, pay the exhorbitant money and be done with the hassle. Re: Removing asbestos vinyl tiles and sanding floorboards 8Jan 17, 2008 1:41 pm Added to that - there will always be a bit of tile stuck to the glue, hence when you start sanding you wil be doing the worst thing ever with the asbestos. Sanding it.!!!
I'd get the pros in - get them to do the rough sand of the floor to remove the glue and any possible asbestos. Then take it over from there and do the rest of the sanding yourself. Re will it come up OK. No problems it will look perfect. Wet area. - do you mean bathrooms etc, it';s not normal floor covering, but i understand you can do expoxy finishes to suit these areas like bathrooms etc. Steve Re: Removing asbestos vinyl tiles and sanding floorboards 9Jan 17, 2008 2:24 pm I wouldn't laquer the bathroom floor, boards continually move when you walk on them/through moisture content in the air and under the house and the coating will crack, no matter what it is. Then water will get in and cause problems.
I reckon you should tile the wet areas like bathrooms, toilets and laundries. Re: Removing asbestos vinyl tiles and sanding floorboards 10Jan 17, 2008 2:44 pm OK, the consensus is get someone in if we remove the tiles. I have to add that this is not our dream home, this is our what we can afford while raising four children home. I just want it tidier without spending a fortune.
Do you think I can put down cement sheet, level of course, and tile? Levelling compound Ardit is the best but buy a bag of sand and make sand dam to protect your wood floor 2 15303 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 7239 4 1857 |