Old Linoleum Flooring

[Brad Judd]

Today, I was starting to remove the original floor in our Boler today when it occurred to me the age of the floor and concerned it may be asbestos backed.
Does any know if they manufactured these trailers with this old style? It is located only in the entry lower floor the upper dinette area may have had carpet or something because I have removed the peel and stick tiles and the plywood is clean. The old floor backing sort of looks fibrous and I stopped there.I have watched to many home reno shows and now freaked out by this stuff. I may just cover this up with new floor incase, any ideas......??

Thanks, Brad.

[Rick Mooyman]

WOW never even thought about that when I removed my flooring down to the wood. I did wear a dust mask tho and did bag it all in plastic bags.

Originally Posted by Brad Judd

Today, I was starting to remove the original floor in our Boler today when it occurred to me the age of the floor and concerned it may be asbestos backed.
Does any know if they manufactured these trailers with this old style? It is located only in the entry lower floor the upper dinette area may have had carpet or something because I have removed the peel and stick tiles and the plywood is clean. The old floor backing sort of looks fibrous and I stopped there.I have watched to many home reno shows and now freaked out by this stuff. I may just cover this up with new floor incase, any ideas......??

Thanks, Brad.

[Emily R.]

Hey Brad
If it is true linoleum it's made from linseed oil and you don't have to worry about asbestos....but who knows what they used in the trailer!
Post up some pics maybe that would help someone identify what your flooring is made of.
I put our new flooring right over top of the old carpet....it was glued down with gorilla snot so I gave up on trying to pull it up and out!
Good luck on your project....Take care my friend. Emily

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Brad Judd

Today, I was starting to remove the original floor in our Boler today when it occurred to me the age of the floor and concerned it may be asbestos backed.
Does any know if they manufactured these trailers with this old style?

I was told that the old 9" x 9" linoleum tile squares from the 40's, 50's, and early 60's were asbestos backed but the newer 12" x 12" ones were not. I thought that the sheet flooring never was, but I've been wrong before.

[Brad Judd]

Here is a picture of the flooring. It is not tile but a full sheet.

[Brian Tin]

I wouldn't say for sure but from the pic it looks like a paper backed vinyl. I do renos for a living and as a general rule if there is only onle layer than you are good to go over top as long as it is still well adhered. I went over top in my '70 just in case and it's easier

[Brian Tin]

If you wanted to have it tested than you could call a company like Yaletown Restoration, I have used them before for asbestos testing

[Greg H]

Just take it up and get rid of it.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Asbestos in Your Home | Asbestos | US EPA

[Greg H]

You'd be surprised, I have hauled asbestos removed from buildings in Washington D.C. to the landfill in Somerset Ky.Yes you'd be amazed.

[Panoz77]

I was a certified asbestos hazard evaluation specialist in Ohio for about 10 years, I do have experience with a wide variety of asbestos materials in homes and businesses. While I can't say for 100% that your linoleum is not asbestos (testing is the only 100% sure way to tell) I can tell you that is likely is not. The old 12x12 tiles many times contained some asbestos along with the mastic that was used to "glue" them down. The one good thing is that all these types of asbestos mentioned are for the most part non-friable types which means that the fibers they contain cannot be easily mobilized into the air, so even if it was asbestos you likely had no exposure. Also, a dust mask does absolutely nothing, zero, nada to prevent exposure to asbestos fibers, just so everyone knows. You need a fit tested respirator with P100 filters.

Also, I just installed my floating laminate wood flooring over my linoleum, like someone said above, it was much easier.

[Brad Judd]

Hi, Thanks for the everyones comments thus far.

I have been doing some research on removing the floor safely. I am all ready committed to removing it because I previously picked up the loose corners prior to this and will be uneven to install a new one. I contacted a friend who works for a restoration company and will lend me the filter I will use my respirator. Luckily the area is small and I plan to wet it a pray bottle and use a razor scrapper to remove the backing.

This could all be for nothing but if the test was to come back positive and would have to do this any ways, but better safe than sorry! This all in the fun for the resto. of these little trailers, I will post some before and after photo's.

Brad

[Greg H]

The can of Spaghettio's you had for lunch was probably more dangerous than your floor.

[Francesca Knowles]

Here's a link to Contractors' info site for visual identification of asbestos-containing flooring. It's a stickbuilders' site, but there's no flooring manufactured strictly for trailers.
It includes lists/pictures of virtually every product and manufacturer up 'til the ban in the '80's.
How to identify asbestos floor tiles or asbestos-containing sheet flooring - Asbestos Visual Identification in Buildings: How to find recognize, and identify asbestos or asbestos-containing materials in buildings by visual inspection methods - text a

Francesca

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Brad Judd

I am all ready committed to removing it because I previously picked up the loose corners prior to this and will be uneven to install a new one.

You could level the corner areas with a leveling compound found at any Home Center Store, to match the surface to what you haven't removed yet. I had to do this when I replaced my kitchen floor in my house. It is far better to encapsulate the asbestos than it is to remove it.

[WildBirder]

Originally Posted by Brad Judd

Hi, Thanks for the everyones comments thus far.

I have been doing some research on removing the floor safely. I am all ready committed to removing it because I previously picked up the loose corners prior to this and will be uneven to install a new one. I contacted a friend who works for a restoration company and will lend me the filter I will use my respirator. Luckily the area is small and I plan to wet it a pray bottle and use a razor scrapper to remove the backing.

This could all be for nothing but if the test was to come back positive and would have to do this any ways, but better safe than sorry! This all in the fun for the resto. of these little trailers, I will post some before and after photo's.

Brad

Hi Brad,

Today I'm undertaking the same project you've posted here. The corners were peeling and there was black mould underneath so it had to come up. How are you finding the removal of the remaining adhered linoleum? Any tips you've learned along the way would be great. Otherwise I've got two days of scraping ahead of me. If anyone else wants to chime in great!

Cheers,
Mark

[Brad Judd]

Originally Posted by WildBirder

Hi Brad,

Today I'm undertaking the same project you've posted here. The corners were peeling and there was black mould underneath so it had to come up. How are you finding the removal of the remaining adhered linoleum? Any tips you've learned along the way would be great. Otherwise I've got two days of scraping ahead of me. If anyone else wants to chime in great!

Cheers,
Mark

Hi Mark,

Yes, not a fun day of scraping. I did end up gutting the inside bare and suited up to sanded the few small area's. It was pretty messy so dragged to work do it out side. It was all worth it in the end, I will post some photo's of the work this week end.

Good luck,

Brad