Do old floor tiles contain asbestos?

Thermoplastic and vinyl tiles laid before the late 1980s often do, and the black bitumen glue under them frequently does even when the tiles don’t.

Can I just cover them over?

Usually yes — sound, well-stuck tiles are low risk and covering with new flooring is a legitimate option. Never sand or grind them or the adhesive.

Is removal licensed work?

Usually non-licensed, but it still needs controlled methods, testing first, and proper disposal — not a weekend DIY job.

What does removal cost?

Typically £15–£80 per m² for tiles and adhesive depending on how well they’re bonded and the floor area — fixed quote with disposal included.

Asbestos Floor Tiles Removal & Costs

Where asbestos floor tiles are found

Typically found in thermoplastic and vinyl tiles plus the black bitumen adhesive beneath, most commonly in kitchens, hallways, shops, schools and offices fitted from the 1950s to 1980s. Leave any material you suspect may contain asbestos undisturbed. Get advice before drilling, sanding, scraping or carrying out other work that could damage it. A photograph can help us offer initial guidance, but it cannot confirm asbestos. We will explain whether sampling or a survey is needed.

How floor tile removal works

This is non-licensed work. Every job starts with sampling and a written quotation; straightforward enquiries can usually be quoted within 24 hours. Removal is carried out with the controls the law requires for this material, waste leaves site with consignment notes, and the area is handed back with the right certification for your records, whether that's a homeowner's document pack or a four-stage clearance certificate.

What floor tile removal costs

Typical UK guide range: £15 to £80 per m², including disposal and paperwork. Access, quantity and condition move the number, our cost guide and calculator covers the detail, and once we quote, the price is fixed. Figures are industry guide rates, not Innov8 Group prices, we're typically cheaper. Contact us for an official quotation.

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Think you've found it?

Send a photo for initial advice. Straightforward enquiries can usually be quoted within 24 hours. More technical works may require a site visit and assessment before we finalise the quotation.

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Projects on this material

Floor tiles & bitumen, St Albans →

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How to spot suspect tiles

The classic profile: 9-inch (23cm) thermoplastic tiles in muted marbled colours, laid before the late 1980s, often found under carpet or laminate during a refurbishment. Lift a loose one and you’ll usually find black bitumen adhesive beneath — and that glue frequently contains asbestos even when the tiles themselves don’t. Age is the trigger for caution; a £125 sample test of tile and adhesive together settles it.

The adhesive is the real danger

Sound tiles sitting on a floor release essentially nothing. The hazard is mechanical preparation: sanding or grinding old bitumen to level a floor is the single worst thing that happens with this material, turning a bonded, low-risk product into airborne dust across a whole room. Never sand, grind or shot-blast a pre-1990s floor until tile and adhesive have been tested.

Leave and cover, or remove?

Leave and cover — usually fine: well-stuck tiles under new flooring are a managed, low-risk material; note them for future trades and carry on. Remove — the right call when the floor is breaking up, the levels have to change, or you simply want it gone. Removal is non-licensed but controlled work at £15–£80/m²: tested first, lifted with hand tools and damping, everything double-bagged and consigned, the screed left ready for new flooring. We do this every week in Manchester, Salford and Warrington.

What removal actually involves

Tile and adhesive are tested first so everyone knows what’s being handled. The floor is worked wet: tiles are lifted with hand scrapers or a floor stripper, kept as whole as possible, and the bitumen residue is scraped or chemically treated — never sanded or ground. Everything goes into double bags, consigned to a licensed facility, and you keep the consignment note. On a typical kitchen or hallway it’s a one-to-two-day job, and the screed is left ready for the new floor covering to go straight down.

Renovating? Sequence it right

Floor tiles are usually found mid-renovation — carpet up, skip outside, builder waiting. The cheap version of this story is the one where the floor was tested a week earlier: a sample test costs £125 and takes days, while an unplanned discovery costs the job a stopped week and an emergency quote. If you’re opening up a pre-1990s floor this month, test it now — and if it’s positive, removal slots into the programme like any other trade.

A last word on garages and outbuildings: the same 9-inch tiles turn up on garage and utility floors, where damp has often already broken the bond. Loose, curling tiles in a damp garage are worth dealing with sooner rather than later — they’re being abraded every time something is dragged over them. Call 0333 335 6375; straightforward enquiries can usually be quoted within 24 hours from photos.

Testing: do the tile AND the glue

The most common testing mistake with floors is sampling only the tile. The tile can come back clear while the bitumen beneath is positive — and it’s the glue that gets sanded when levelling. Ask for both to be analysed (we always sample the pair together); it’s the same lab visit and it closes the question properly instead of half-answering it.

What removal looks like on the day

Floor tile and adhesive removal is methodical rather than dramatic: the area is sheeted and sealed, tiles are lifted whole where possible using hand tools and low-vibration methods, and the bitumen beneath is scraped cold — never sanded or ground. Everything is double-bagged as asbestos waste and consigned to a licensed facility, and we finish with the floor ready for its new covering. For a typical domestic room this is a one-day job quoted from photos or a short visit; commercial areas are priced per square metre using the guide ranges in our cost guide. We carry this out for homeowners, landlords and contractors across Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds.

HSE-licensed asbestos removal and environmental contractor. Surveys, removal, demolition, remediation and hazardous waste — one team, one responsibility. North West based, working UK-wide.