Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 13, 1999 06:38am | #1

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   I doubt the vinyl would be a good underlayment. Others will correct me if I'm wrong, but a 1/4" layer of Durock or equiv. screwed down should do fine, plus thinset over & under it -- ASSUMING the slab is adequately flat. (We have 60's tile too, definitely asbestos.)

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 13, 1999 03:10pm | #2

   *Have you priced removal? Or have you tried to remove the tile without sanding. It only becomes dangerous when turned to dust. Homeowners can dispose of this a lot cheaper than contractors.Rick Tuk

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 13, 1999 03:47pm | #3

   *Travis, Check the adhesion to the slab of the existing tile. If the tile is stuck tight,meaning,you can't scrape it up with a tool like a blade of some sort, you can lay your tile directly on the existing tile using the proper thinset material. Your tile supplier will have the right stuff. Mapei makes a product called Kerilastic, I think its called,that adheres to vinyl substrates. I've used it and two years later all is well. The tile has to TIGHT to the slab to do this!!

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 13, 1999 11:16pm | #4

   *Good to hear Stinky -- out tile is like that, thoroughly cemented down. I'm surprised it will stick well without abrading the vinyl first. I still think I'd like a cementious underlayment ... or more likely I may try Delta-FL product ... if I ever get 'round to it (my home).

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 14, 1999 11:29pm | #5

   *Travis,If your tiles measure 9"x9",then they are most definately asbestos.

2. 
   Guest_ | Oct 16, 1999 10:18am | #6

   *Do not sand or mechanically pulverize this tile in any way.If you remove it, also be careful with the black glue(called cutback mastic) underneath as it may also contain asbestos.

2. 
   Jeffer_ | Oct 20, 1999 02:15am | #7

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   Re: black mastic that may contain asbestos...

   I may have some of this on my basement floor...any way I can tell for sure?

   Some of my tiles are loose and cracked, others are solid. I'd like to rip the works up in favor of lino...good idea or not?

   Thanks in advance.

3. 
   Guest_ | Oct 21, 1999 04:38pm | #8

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   The mastic and tile may or may not contain asbestos. I'd assume they do. I had some in my basement and found an original box with some tiles left in it and it read on the box"beautiful asbestos tile". When I did commercial tile work questionable vinyl tile was always abated.

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 21, 1999 09:22pm | #10

   *Hey, this whole asbestos-is-bad thing is a bunch of BS! (cough, cough) I (cough, cough) ... why I used to (cough) use the stuff to (cough, cough, hack, hack) use the stuff as fake snow on the Christmas tree! (cough, cough, gasp....)I do miss my lung. Thank you, Amchem Products, Inc.; A.P. Green Industries, Inc.; Armstrong World Industries, Inc.; Certainteed Corp.; C.E. Thurston and Sons, Inc.; Dana Corp.; Ferodo America, Inc.; Flexitallic, Inc.; GAF Corp.; I.U. North America, Inc.; Maremont Corp.; National Service Industries, Inc.; Nosroc Corp.; Pfizer, Inc.; Quigley Co., Inc.; Shook & Fletcher Insulation Co.; T & N, PLC; Union Carbide Chemicals and Plastics Co.; and United States Gypsum Co. (Others have gone bankrupt.)

4. 
   Travis_Layman | Oct 21, 1999 09:22pm | #9

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   We own a split level house and want to replace the existing wall to wall carpet in the finished basement with ceramic tile.

   In preparation to do this, I pulled the carpet up in a corner to reveal if there was tile underneath the carpet. Indeed, there was tile. This house was built in the 60's and I am concerned it could be asbestos tile.

   Ideally, I would like to remove this tile, but this would be cost prohibitive to have a professional do.

   If the tile seems to be slightly damaged, but for the most part well adhered to the concrete slab, is there a problem installing ceramic tile over them? If this is not a problem, what should we use to further encapsulate the tile before installing the ceramic tile? What type of adhesive do you suggest?