Seeking suggestions for flooring installations.
I wanted to get some ideas for a project we have coming up. We have to install a wood floor in a 5th floor coop. The floor is on a concrete slab covered with asbestos tile. What would you guys do in this situation.
I was planning on a 6mm cork underlayment and a engineered floating floor. I don’t think I will need a vapor barrier on top since there is asbestos tile but I could be wrong. If I did need a vapor barrier should I just go for an intergrated system like floor muffler?
This will be my company’s first enginnered and floating floor install, and product selection is a whole different beast. Do you guys reccomend and manufacturers over another? We are leaning twords Bruce/Armstrong. Is 5/8″ going to be better than 3/8″? How are the locking floors, because I don’t quite trust them.
Thanks, I appreciate any tips or suggestions.
Replies
If this is a complete remodel (not just a floor replacement) bite the bullet and get the asbestos removed.
I'm sure there are differences of opinion....
>>If this is a complete remodel (not just a floor replacement) bite the bullet and get the asbestos removed
I'm sure there are differences of opinion, but th several seminars I've attended on asbestos and remediation* have recommended encapsulating asbestor flooring - i.e. just covering it over.
Tearing it out just adds risk of asbestos contamination....
For pre-finished flooring - the higher the price the better/thicker the coating.
Some click together is a bear, some goes sweetly together. Experiment
=====
*Probably 6 such seminars over the years, including by large environmental remediation co's (who have an economic interest in recommending removal), EPA types, and industrial hygenists.
See, also: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/ashome.html#4:
. . . .
Don't sand or try to level asbestos flooring or its backing. When asbestos flooring needs replacing, install new floor covering over it, if possible.
,
Floors are about the easiest asbestos to deal with for removal. Check out your big companies -- they have standing policies to remove all asbestos any time they do a major upgrade on a building. And in some cases, in the case of flooring, they do it even when there is no other upgrading going on.
i agree with dan, get the asbestos out first. there are underlayments for click floors that have an integral vapour barrier on them. i have used the bruce 3/8 click floor and found it very easy. probably because there is real wood on top and not just a picture of wood
The point about doing abatement now is that sooner or later it will have to be done, and it only gets more expensive over time. Eventually the space may become unmarketable because of the asbestos there.
An advantage of floors, especially over concrete, is that the work can be done wet, meaning there's a lot less containment worry/work vs, say, ripping down an asbestos ceiling or pipe insulation.
Kahrs
Check out this flooring. It is very nice-goes together well following the instructions. Good wear layer.
and I'm sure more than armstrong.
http://www.kahrs.com/us/Consumer/Pages/start.aspx
That's one of the ones we're looking into. Also colonial craft.