Does anyone know about putting plywood over slab and possibly asbestos tile for hardwood , non floating ?

Question

I know for a fact you can put 3/4 hardwood on slab with proper sub-flooring and ram setting but if I use this approach over asbestos tile will the ramset break apart the tile and put me at danger of being poisioned ?

Answer 1

The asbestos tile you are referring to is undoubtedly a "VCT" type of tile. Shooting the plywood down with a ramset will give you miniscule exposure to the asbestos component, as it is encapsulated within the resins of the tile. If you were cutting it with a masonry saw and throwing fibers into the air...well that's a whole different issue... don't do it.

The other option to consider is a product called "dry-core" which is a 2 x 2 osb panel with a tongue and groove edge on all 4 sides. The bottom has a "waffled plastic" covering that is moisture proof and gives a stand off from the underlying floor of about 1/"8. No nailing, no gluing. Once it's down and locked together, you can install either laminate flooring or nail down hardwood on it. It runs about $1.50 square foot for the material. Lowe's and Home Depot both should have it in stock.

(just did a wood floor/dry core last week over vct on a remodeling project.....worked like a charm!!)

Answer 2

Sad that you didn't have the tile removed by professionals; but I realize remediation is costly. Odd that it's a substance that is so feared that even the goverment shys away from it while designating it toxic and illeagl to sell since 1975.

Even more Odd is there are no laws or senses of code violations in relation to covering/sealing/painting asbestos based materials.

In your case; or rather if I was in your situation; I'd probably investigate a sealing substance; IE: Epoxy; perhaps even adding something akin to a weed or vapor barrier; still exercising caution in any construction. You might also investigate "Marley"...Essentially laminated rubber such as is used for ballet, etc. dance floors.

Steven Wolf

Answer 3

foto2552...has the right soloution for your problem....just don't try and take the tile up...much safer and better to leave down and cover.