Removing fiberglass backed vinyl flooring safe?

[ramsdodgers]

Hi, I have a 80sq ft. dining area that needs its flooring removed. Its old ugly hard wood floors (the only hardwood in the house) ....glued down on top of sheet vinyl.

I want to remove it all, Im doing some new laminate flooring in most of the house. When I started pulling up the floor I noticed the wood was glued down with a brown/ black looking glue on the vinyl and the vinyl backing was just tearing from being glued to the concrete subfloor.

My house was built in 1995, and I heard their was probably no chance of asbestos in the flooring, but I have small children and decided it was best to have it tested. The glue came back with no asbestos. The sheet vinly backing came back with no asbestos also. They said it was made of cellulose and fiberglass. I read most (90%) are made with a felt backing and that fiberglass was a newer thing for the vinyl backing, but mines from '95?

So basically, does anyone know if its safe tearing up the vinyl floor with the fiberglass. Or does the fiberglass particles get in the air kind of like asbestos? I cant cut the vinyl in strips cause the hardwood is glued on top. Any sugestions on the best/ easiest way to do it?

Thanks!

[Robert Akin]

Ramdodger,

Hello and welcome to The Floor Pro Community. As far as the fiber glass backing being dangerous I have not heard if there is any information about that. There are a few things you can to to help if you are nervous about it. First you can put up a temporary plastic wall in the area that you would like to demo. Second you can put a fan in a window to create a negative air flow to help vent out any dust that you might stir up. Lastly when you demo you can mist the area as you demo with water to keep the dust and fibers down. This is the exact way we do it in hospitals when we demo floors. Whether it be carpet, vinyl, ceramic or whatever we have a clean air protocol that we have to follow.

Remember with the negative air flow you will need to put a few holes in your plastic to allow air to come into the room.

One last thing please remember to wear protect safety gear while you are working.


Hope this helps!


Rob

[BrianM]

I agree with Robert.

Open a window. Put a fan blowing out. Close off the area with plastic and wear one of these:
3M 3m Personal Safety Ov/Ag/P100 Professional Multi Purpose Respirator 62023ha1-A, compare prices, reviews - Lycos Shopping

Then tear the hell out of it!

[ramsdodgers]

Thanks. Ill probably have my wife take the kids some where while I do it. I'll open the windows and put the fans. Get my eye protection, gloves, mask. Not sure about the plastic, i can wet it down while im pulling it up. I know people brethe it in doing insulation and ive been around it a bit. Hate the itching Seems the more I read its not a huge deal to brethe in a little bit.

So anyone know how long theyve been using fiberglass for the backing? I wonder if this was consider more a premium product in '95 than the felt backing? I saw its used as a floating floor also, or glued just around the perimeter. Mine is fully glued?

After they stopped using the asbestos did they go straight to felt or start using fiberglass? Just curious if anyone knows, been reading about it online a bit, but not sure.

[Robert Akin]

The felt or light gray paper backing has been around for years. That is nothing new and the old Corlon that use to have asbestos in it was a felt or paper back. The asbestos fibers where used as a filler and stabilizer and did a great job at that. Just a really bad side effect.

As far as the fiber glass backing that you have I am surprised to see it in a home that was built in 95 I did not know they had it out that early.

You will not get a lot of fibers floating around like you see with insulation. Actually I would be surprised if you see any at all.


Rob

[rusty baker]

Can't remember when it came out, but it always made me itch.

[ramsdodgers]

I had read about the grey backing was pretty normal, but saw that a lot of the asbestos backing was an off white paper backing. Mine was off white not grey. But the lab says fiberglass/cellulose. Also it seems like the fiberglass stuff I saw had a padding, cushion step? Mine is super thin, hard, no padding.

[Robert Akin]

The grey was a off white or really light grey. Kinda depends on your eyeballs I guess. I have trouble getting my white socks to match in the morning



Rob

[ramsdodgers]

Now, I also have this same vinyl in the kitchen. I would rather not remove it. I have to remove the other because the thick hardwood is on top and is taking the vinyl with it! What your guys opinion on putting the floating laminate floors over it. I mean its probably 1/16 or 1/8 off the ground only? I have the padded vapor barrier for underneath the new laminate. Would the padding be enough where you couldnt tell going from over the laminate to the bare concrete subfloor since its so thin?

[rgfloor]

ramsdodgers said Now, I also have this same vinyl in the kitchen. I would rather not remove it. I have to remove the other because the thick hardwood is on top and is taking the vinyl with it! What your guys opinion on putting the floating laminate floors over it. I mean its probably 1/16 or 1/8 off the ground only? I have the padded vapor barrier for underneath the new laminate. Would the padding be enough where you couldnt tell going from over the laminate to the bare concrete subfloor since its so thin?

What are the installation specs for the product you are using?

Normal specs call for "flat to within 1/8 in six ft or 3/16 in ten ft." If the difference is 1/16th inch and you floated the drop off with a leveling compound over 2-3 feet you should be OK. If it is 1/8th you would have to go a considerable distance further. The foam vapor retarder is a help but not a cure-all.

Following the specs will give you a long-lasting floor. What are the moisture readings of your concrete slab?

[Jon Scanlan]

Didn't Congoleum vinyls go from asbestos backing to a hydracord backing years ago? It looks the same

[ramsdodgers]

Emailed the Lab guy back and he said "Fiberglass is only about 2% of the weight of the whole linoleum. In the backing itself, it's probably around 10%" Sounds like nothing to worry about.

rgfloor said What are the installation specs for the product you are using? Normal specs call for "flat to within 1/8 in six ft or 3/16 in ten ft." If the difference is 1/16th inch and you floated the drop off with a leveling compound over 2-3 feet you should be OK. If it is 1/8th you would have to go a considerable distance further. The foam vapor retarder is a help but not a cure-all. Following the specs will give you a long-lasting floor. What are the moisture readings of your concrete slab?

Ordered the laminate online. Still waiting to get it, not sure of exact specs. I was hoping it would be flat enough with the foam, for no ill effects. Not sure? No idea about moisture content?

Jon Scanlan said Didn't Congoleum vinyls go from asbestos backing to a hydracord backing years ago? It looks the same

I thought the hydracord was the stuff they made with asbestos?

[Jon Scanlan]

ramsdodgers said I thought the hydracord was the stuff they made with asbestos?

As I understood it it was the replacement for asbestos and it was safe. It certainly handled different and the backing was a slightly different colour . With the asbestos backing we were able to stretch or shrink the Congoleum vinyls we got here, I think they were made in the USA but too many years ago to be sure. The hydracord backings wouldn't stretch or shrink. Some old vinyl layer here will probually remember the change date

[Gary Ebdon]

Jon Scanlan said Some old vinyl layer here will probually remember the change date

Political correction - "More experienced vinyl layer" (whispers to Jon) - the old vinyl layers here don't like being called old vinyl layers.

[Jon Scanlan]

Gary Ebdon said Political correction - "More experienced vinyl layer" (whispers to Jon) - the old vinyl layers here don't like being called old vinyl layers.

Did you have that Congoleum over there in Aussie with that hydrachord backing?

But more experienced doesn't necessarily mean they are old enough to remember something that happend years ago