What Asbestos Tiles Look Like

You will only see black asbestos mastic after a floor covering has been removed.

What asbestos tiles look like.

Aibs are often hard to identify as they often look like normal building materials such as ceiling tiles plasterboard and panels. Vinyl or asphalt tiles that have these colors in it have a high likelihood of asbestos fibers. Flooring made with asbestos often becomes discolored as it ages. That s because the asphalt in the tiles breaks down over time and oil from the asphalt comes out of the tiles.

That can leave the tiles looking oily discolored or grimy usually in patchy areas. While it is not possible to identify all forms of asbestos by mere visual inspection it is possible to identify some materials that are definitely not asbestos. As you can see this method is not an exact science. In most cases it is extremely difficult to determine the difference between an asbestos insulation board and a non asbestos material without specialist testing.

Look at the ceiling tile material. When inspecting the tiles look for parts that are grayish brown dark gray dark brown or black. We also seen very small asphalt asbestos floor tiles in a 1 1 2 size bonded to a jute backer fabric. Step 3 date the tiles.

As the name suggests black is its predominant color. Some ceiling tiles or suspended ceiling drop in panels are quite obviously made of fiberglass by visual inspection. Unfortunately vinyl sheet flooring manufactured with an asbestos backing poses a serious exposure risk when it is disturbed. Details of asbestos floor tile identification.

Asbestos is a highly fibrous material and these fibers interlock to help strengthen mastic insulation and many other household building products. Over time asphalt which was a main ingredient in asbestos tiles can degrade and cause the tiles to look grimy or discolored in spots. The tiles may appear stained or oily. What does black mastic look like.

Asphalt is a main ingredient in asbestos tiles and the oil from the asphalt can leach out. Some of the flooring. Tiles that are disintegrating should be handled with extreme care. Oily discoloration is often a strong indicator of asbestos in the tiles.

If you are unsure whether asbestos is present don t start work. Below are a few examples of aib in homes and buildings. If the tiles or the floor beneath show oily discoloration the tiles very likely contain asbestos. Like floor tiles vinyl sheet flooring is a long lasting and economical material and it also offers more aesthetic options to suit a homeowner s taste.