Asbestos floor tile and vinyl removal in Toowoomba

Asbestos floor tile removal in Toowoomba comes up when someone lifts a corner of old carpet and finds vinyl underneath. Vinyl tiles, sheet vinyl and linoleum were widely used in Australian homes, and some of it contains asbestos. The type of flooring changes the answer, so this guide separates the two cases clearly.

Two kinds of old flooring

Asbestos in flooring comes in two forms, and they are treated very differently.

Vinyl tiles (non-friable). Hard vinyl floor tiles can contain bonded asbestos. The fibres are locked in the tile. These are classed as non-friable, and a Class B licensed contractor can remove them.

Sheet vinyl and linoleum with a backing (friable). Some old sheet vinyl and linoleum has a paper or felt backing that contains asbestos. That backing can be crumbled by hand when dry, so it is friable. Only a Class A licensed removalist can remove it. This is mostly seen in buildings from before the mid-1980s.

Some felt carpet underlay is also friable. So a floor that looks simple on top may be more complicated underneath.

Why you cannot tell by looking

Old vinyl tiles in a faded pattern look much like tiles that are asbestos-free. Size, colour and age are clues only. The only way to know is to have a sample tested by a NATA-accredited lab. Vinyl can be harder to analyse than other materials, so ask a competent person to take the sample.

Our hub on asbestos removal in Toowoomba explains how samples are taken and why that step matters before any renovation.

What not to do

These actions are the usual causes of trouble:

• dry sanding or grinding vinyl tiles or the adhesive under them
• scraping up old tiles with a hard scraper or floor machine
• using a household vacuum to clean up dust or chips
• ripping up carpet and underlay in one go without checking what is underneath
• leaving lifted tiles lying about or putting them in the household bin

Dry scraping and sanding are the biggest culprits. If you have already started and are worried, stop, keep people out of the room and call us. A separate guide covers what to do if you have disturbed asbestos.

Black adhesive and the layers underneath

Under old vinyl you often find a black adhesive. In older buildings that adhesive can also contain asbestos. Tiles may have been laid over the top of earlier flooring, so a room can have several layers.

When we assess a floor we think about:

• the top layer (tiles or sheet)
• the adhesive or backing
• any older floor covering underneath
• the subfloor, such as timber boards, particleboard or a concrete slab
• cracks or gaps where dust and fragments may have fallen

Each layer may need testing.

How removal works

For bonded vinyl tiles, a licensed Class B crew works like this.

1. We confirm what the floor is with a lab sample.
2. We prepare the Asbestos Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS).
3. The room is sealed off, and the floor is kept wet or treated to keep dust down.
4. Tiles are lifted whole or with hand tools. No power sanding and no dry grinding.
5. Waste is wrapped, sealed and labelled, then taken to a licensed facility.
6. We do a complete site clean, including edges, skirting and gaps.
7. An independent assessor or competent person inspects the room and you receive a clearance certificate.

If your flooring is sheet vinyl with a friable backing, we will tell you plainly that a Class A licensed removalist is needed. Call us and we can talk through the next step, or see our Toowoomba suburbs page for where we work.

The 10 square metre rule

A homeowner can remove 10 square metres or less of bonded asbestos without a licence, provided they follow the safety rules. A bathroom or small laundry may fit under that. A lounge room or kitchen often will not.

The limit applies to bonded material only. Friable backing is a no for homeowners, whatever the size. Rules change, so check the current requirements at asbestos.qld.gov.au.

When floors come up with walls

If you are stripping a bathroom or kitchen, ask about the walls too. Our guide on asbestos wall, eaves and bathroom sheeting removal covers that side of the job.