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Hi Tamar,

Is it a sheet material or tile? If it is tile, those that were made with usually came in 9x9 dimension, instead of 12x12. Not a foolproof indicator though. If you dont want to remove the vinyl, I would suggest laying down a plywood subfloor over the vinyl that can be fixed to the joist below, before attempting a new finish.

emma

oops. i meant to say that those with asbestos were usually a 9x9 inch tile.

yeah, but why would you want to keep asbestos there. I know that asbestos is not damagining if not touched. But if it was me, I would remove it just for a piece of mind. I would hire a professional to do it. I understand the budget issues, but don't play with your wellbeing or your childrens (given that is the plan)

that actually looks a lot like the cork floor we have in the kitchen.

With older vinyl tile floors the mastic can also be asbestos based so if you do do the work yourself, please make sure and wear a resperator. Also if the paint in the apartment hasn't been updated it could be lead-based. This is generally only a problem if it flakes but as Anusha73 mentioned if you have or plan to have children you may want to check and deal with the paint at the same time.

If you are worried about either the paint or the floor you can have an environmental engineer test the finishes in the apartment. It shouldn't be too expensive to have this done as I assume the space isn't too large.

In some cities there are grants to remove dangerous materials from inside homes so you may want to see if there is anything like that available to help offset the costs.

Good luck.

While it may not be an attractive thought, asbestos tile or linoleom may be removed safely if it is solid and not crumbling. In other words, if you can peel it back without having to chip away at the surface or the tiles disintegrating, the asbestos will not become airborn. Asbestos fibers were used to strengthen the fabric -- it is bonded inside the vinyl. The original floor, if from the 1920s, likely pre-dates asbestos. The top layer, if from 1930s-80s, does not, though that does not mean it necessarily contains asbestos.

If you want to leave it down, the post above provides the right guidance. First, drive roofing nails anywhere the tile/linoleum is loose or bubling. Then, wither (i) 1/4 plywood -- stagger the joints, or (ii) self-leveling concrete.

If that is the original kitchen, I doubt that there is hardwood floors underneath. I have not seen that in vintage NYC housing.

Hope you don't have them. Removing asbestos cost money and involve regulations. You can't mix in regular trash. That's why in old houses, many owners just keep putting new tiles over old one. Ask professionals to take a look before you start, estimating are free! If you find asbestos, check NYC.gov. You'll find the rules and regulations for removing asbestos.

I'm speaking as an environmental professional with an asbestos practice here, so please apply all legal disclaimers to the free advice. I'm so happy to see so much accurate information in the comments so far - there are all sorts of asbestos myths floating around in the general public (the biggest of which being that asbestos is illegal - not true!).

len is right - the removal and disposal of asbestos containing building materials is heavy regulated for the protection of workers and the public, and professional certifications are required by federal law to sample and remove asbestos materials. Testing is inexpensive; removal and disposal can be rather less so.

In addition to the expense of remediation, leaving an asbestos floor intact and installing new over it is often far less hazardous than removal. If the floor is in good condition (i.e., not so damaged that it's creating dust), then it's very unlikely that it's causing a hazardous condition - it's not releasing fibers to the air. If you remove the floor, then you're breaking tiles, scraping up mastic, possibly sanding - that is, potentially creating a release of fibers where before there was none.

Do indeed check your local regulations, and please don't try to take on asbestos (if you have it) yourself.

I'm glad this came up, because it's something homeowners should be much more aware of when doing home improvement projects. Similar concerns potentially apply to carpet mastic, plaster, and wall board, to name just a few.

Yes, have it tested. I think I used a company called Western Analytical. You mailed them samples. My sheet flooring did have asbestos (which the contractor mistakenly ripped out anyway). However, I spoke with the Asbestos Unit (yes, one exists) for NYC, and luckily, this was the one kind of asbestos that is transitory (that is, it doesn't stay in your lungs and is far less damaging).

Test it!

BTW, we did have pine flooring underneath, but since the adhesive also had asbestos, I didn't try to get them refinished and put cork flooring over it. You may want to consider the floating cork flooring if it has asbestos, because it seems to be able to be put on with only minorly disturbing what's below.

And (sorry to be annoying and post all these separately), yes, we did do floating cork flooring--only, because our contractor screwed up, it went over where the flooring had been pulled up.

I pulled up six layers of old linoleum in my last apartment, and got down to plank subflooring that wasn't hardwood, but was better than the linoleum. I oiled it with linseed oil, which came out to my liking, though it meant no one would ever be able to refinish it.

I didn't wear any type of respirator, though reading the posts above, I realize I maybe should have. I had a comfort-type dust mask because the carpet that was over the linoleum was moldy and dusty (this place was n-a-s-t-y). I probably would have gone ahead even if I'd known about the asbestos hazard, but that doesn't make it good advice to do so. If you're doing a lot of work (or a little) invest in a real respirator at least.

Testing for asbestos isn't a bad idea. Living in NYC is hard enough on our poor lungs. Asbestosis is no joke.

I think that floating cork flooring in an excellent idea. You can either hire a contractor or put it together yourself. As opposed to cork tile, however, a floating floor (which usually clicks together in 1'x3' panels) will be a more substantial height change from your existing floor and will require a transfer (an edge piece that borders your kitchen floor that will cause people who aren't used to it to catch their feet and stumble). Floating floor is usually about a 1/2" thick? With the negatives (if you consider those to be negative) out of the way, cork flooring is naturally fairly antimicrobial so inhibits the growth of mold and other ickies. It is warm and soft, so easy on bare feet and when you are standing for a while. It is resilient, sound deadening and easy to maintain. A cork floor in the kitchen should probably be sealed with a natural wax (if you seal with was v. polyurethane you can spot treat the floor for gauges, scuff marks, etc.) I suggest click together flooring and possibly OSMO finish (from Europe - but sold in the states through this site). The great thing for you about the floating floor is it is all DIY! You don't need a contractor! I've actually put one together myself, and it was easy enough that even I could do it!

www.environmentalhomecenter.com

these guys mail order.

PS If you decide to remove the flooring to subfloor, please use a trained, accredited professional. You might look into AFM Safecoat, a paint that was developed to block the off gassing of harmful chemical additives in ply board, etc.

I have a very tight budget(receptionist salary sending child to college) and would like to replace the tiles in mine and my daughters bedroom.

The tiles are at least 40 years-old 9x9 linoleum which from the earlier messages lead me to believe that they have asbestos in them.

my questions are for the DIYers, does installing plywood atop the old tiles minimize the hazardous environmental conditions in my home? and, will I have to remove the baseboards already there?

thanks

coco: if the tiles are still intact, it would probably be safer to just leave them in place and put the new flooring on top (don't know if you'd need plywood on top or not). You'll probably have to remove the baseboards and reinstall them atop your new floor covering.

All: you can get a sample tested for asbestos for relatively cheap (~$15/sample in St. Louis). If you test the tile, you should also test the mastic (glue). However, if you're going to leave it in place, you may be better off not testing it, so you don't have to disclose that your home 'knowingly' contains asbestos when/if you sell.