I am expanding my kitchen and family room, and will extend oak flooring throughout to match existing. The original flooring under carpet & kitchen tiles is sheet vinyl glued down. This house was built late 60’s, so, do I have asbestos in the glue, and if so should I leave sheet vinyl in place and run the new oak strip floor over ? This stuff is really stuck to the subfloor. I would prefer to remove. Any suggestions on methods to remove, or if sound, leave in place ?
Robert
Replies
Greetings rp,
This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again.
Perhaps it will catch someones attention that can help you with advice.
Cheers
'Nemo me impune lacesset'
No one will provoke me with impunity
Happy New Year!
I believe your concern about asbestos lies in the vinyl material itself. The adhesive would not have asbestos in it except maybe some particles pulled off the underside of the vinyl itself.
Usual removal process is try to get a putty knife or sturdy scraper under the vinyl and lift it off. If it is resistant to lifting a commercial heat gun played over the immediate area will soften the vinyl and the adhesive, allowing it to lift off and then you should be able to scrape up some of the softened adhesive on a second pass with the scraper.
Just be careful you don't overheat and keep a spray bottle of water and some backup water to cool down any sudden flash of flame should you have overheated the area. Good ventilation should be provided to remove any fumes or vapor. If the vinyl does contain asbestos you should refer to your local landfill and EPA office for the safe handling and disposal of the vinyl. Asbestos removal is an involved and complicated operation that requires proper safety gear, equipment, and work site isolation.
Regards,
Virginbuild.