But there may be traces of other colors such as those from subflooring showing through the mastic or pieces of floor covering that were not completely removed.
Asbestos tile glue color.
Asbestos was a common ingredient in plastic cements and sealants for rooftops.
In addition to the tiles themselves a layer of mastic a type of adhesive below the tiles is also likely to contain asbestos.
But removing the tiles can disturb this trapped asbestos so the best strategy is painting over asbestos.
You will only see black asbestos mastic after a floor covering has been removed.
Typical black mastic pattern on vinyl asbestos floor tile underside.
How to remove asbestos tiles safely it is always safest to leave asbestos flooring removal to asbestos abatement professionals.
Color photo guide to asphalt asbestos and vinyl asbestos floor tiles 1900 1986 using dominant floor tile color to identify the probable asbestos containing floor tile brand pattern and age.
Both the flooring and the mastic are likely to contain asbestos.
If your building was built before 1980 mastic mixed with asbestos may have been used to seal your tiles to the floor.
Vinyl tiles with asbestos are all 12 12 or 9 9 tiles with asbestos.
Mastic is a type of glue used to adhere tiles and vinyl flooring to the subfloor.
Manufacturers have been using asbestos for decades so asbestos containing tiles come in a vast array of colours styles and sizes.
Most 9 inch vinyl tiles and many 12 inch tiles and the mastic adhesive that anchors them to the subfloor contain a level of asbestos.
But then asbestos was found to be a health hazard.
Beige black blue brown tan wood tone gray green red white yellow etc.
The good news is that the harmful fibers are securely embedded into the vinyl material so under normal conditions the fibers aren t released into the air.
Possible signs of asbestos mastic include discoloration and an oily texture.
Some of the flooring tiles have come off and you see thick.
It was also resistant to moisture oil grease heat alkalis and acids.
Over time asphalt which was a main ingredient in asbestos tiles can degrade and cause the tiles to look grimy or discolored in spots.
As the name suggests black is its predominant color.
Even if the vinyl flooring is pulled up intact the old adhesive underneath may also contain asbestos.
Home built in 1960.
Asbestos mastic will also always be black in color.
Our photos above show a typical black floor tile adhesive mastic on the underside of a 9x9 cork pattern vinyl floor tile found in a u s.