levelling a floor

[sauceleg]

I need to level a floor that has vinal floor tiles containing asbestos.
Can anyone tell me if I can use a levelling compound over existing tiles, so that I don't disturb them or must they come up.

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

You can spread a cement based floor leveler over them. However, since vinyl is more difficult for the floor leveler to stick to than wood or concrete, you'll need to use the recommended "additive" (pronounced "adhesive") with the floor leveler (if it's not already mixed into it in powder form).

However, if you want to take the tiles off, that's no big deal either. It's the DUST from asbestos tiles that poses a health danger, and asbestos is so common in the earth's crust that people are exposed to it naturally. I think the current thinking is that many diseases (like lung cancer from smoking) come about due to the total accumulated exposure to an irritant over a lifetime, and not from a single or even multiple exposures to it. Otherwise anyone who ever changed the brake shoes on a car before asbestos was banned (in 1986, I think) would be at risk of developing a lung disease from the asbestos fibers from those shoes.

I have replaced old vinyl floor tiles with new vinyl composition floor tiles in every suite of a 21 unit apartment block, so if you decide to remove the old tiles and encounter difficulties, I can probably help you overcome those. I've also spread cement based floor leveler prior to installing the new tiles, so if you encounter any problems doing that, then I can probably help you overcome those problems, too.

 

[sauceleg]

Many thanks for the advice, information and assurance, I understand your reasoning. If I do decide to take up the tiles what precautions should I take.