Any flooring experts around? old lino asbestos content.

This lino is from before 1968, exactly when however, we don’t know.

It’s backed onto what looks like hessian and has a red residue that’s also on the wood floor.

Is there any possibility it has asbestos in it?. Any help much appreciated.

I’d say probable rather than possible

We regularly get tiles tested, Almost always contain asbestos

They’re not Marley tiles which a low level of asbestos in them and haven’t come across a tile with hessian backing before, so I’d guess no. You could get them tested, but they are not harmful unless you grind them up and inhale them. Check out the HSE web site for removal advice, which is basically a dust mask and throw away overalls, double bag them and take to a waste facility that accepts them.

OK, I’ve found somewhere local that tests and It’s only £30. Probably better knowing before I get the sander out. Thanks all.

Its probably not asbestos, we used to sample quite a few of the old lino floor like the one in the pic and they are usually negative. The general rule with floor tiles is if they are hard and brittle they are asbestos. If you are near surrey you can drop us a sample off in a plastic bag and I will sample it for you. If you have any questions about sampling drop me a message.

Paul

Old Lino was made from cork / chalk / linseed oil / and hessian and the glue was Lignum paste and water soluble
folks liked it cos it was natural
and that certainly looks like old Lino to me

nowt to worry about

And yes I am old enough to have fitted lino early 70s

Yes that’s definitely Lino, as said above asbestos is hard and brittle and doesn’t have hessian backing

I’ve just taken up a load of old brown brittle tiles laid on our concrete floor (but underneath the old floor surface). We needed them up sharpish. Didn’t occur they’d have asbestos in. I still have 16 sq metres to do, but wondering what to do now. Goes off to google……..

From googling we seem to have/did have Marley tiles. Trouble I’m half way through getting rid. Most came up with little persuasion, but impossible to keep in tact. And it was a little dusty but it has been anyway with general building work we have been doing. Tad worried now then….

I did the exact same this weekend Beagle, only all mine are up now and in bags in the garage.
I’ve read that its in the adhesive too and I scraped up some of that as well because I didn’t want any loose crumbly bits before I lay levelling compound over the top.
I asked the builders how to get rid of the tiles and they just said scrape them up so I did, never mentioned they might have asbestos in.

We had similar in a 1930’s house under the carpet…I ripped it all up and stuck it in bags. Then started worrying that it was asbestos.

It had a fabric backing with red colour with an oily residue and a stiff top.

I convinced myself that it wasn’t asbestos.

The name ‘linoleum’ derives from the original material which has a burlap backing infused with linseed oil (hence the linole…linseed oil).

Lino began to refer to similar flooring and some contained asbestos.

I looked up pictures of asbestos and it didn’t appear to match. Mine wasn’t dusty though.

I may have been wrong…it’s done now and no point worrying about it. At least that’s what I’m telling myself so that I don’t worry.

To the OP – Yes there is a chance it contains Asbestos and the only way you’re going to know is to get it tested.
I have a positive result from a hessian backed tile that looked just like that the other year when refurbishing an office.
Once you know you can decide what to do about it.

If it’s a positive..Removing tiles is generally a non licensable task and an excellent guide is produced by the HSE http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/a23.pdf.
If you’re not happy with that then I’d recommend getting the professionals in. This kind of task is not as eye-wateringly expensive as other asbestos removal jobs as there’s no enclosure to build – worth getting a quote or two.

Regards

Jeff

Tad worried now then….

Seriously, nothing to worry about. Carry on taking them up but use a dust mask if you’re worried.

Is that the smell…of astroturf? I think it is!

There’s sometimes asbestos in Artex and similar products (until mid 1980s), around boiler flues, ironing boards, guttering, roof products, the list goes on. Some types were banned in the UK in 1985, the rest in 1999, if your house pre-dates this then do your research

Did get it tested, no asbestos.