Suspect materials · tiles
Are these tiles asbestos?
Vinyl floor tiles and asbestos cement roof tiles were both common in pre-2000 Irish buildings. We can describe what to look for. Only laboratory analysis confirms whether a specific tile contains asbestos.
Vinyl floor tiles and bitumen adhesive
Asbestos was used in vinyl-asbestos floor tiles from the 1950s to the late 1970s, and in the black bitumen adhesive used to fix them. Both the tile and the adhesive can contain asbestos.
What to look for:
- 9 inch (228 mm) square tiles laid in kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and utility rooms.
- Cream, beige, grey or mottled patterns. Plainer than later vinyl.
- Black bitumen adhesive beneath.
- Often hidden under a later floor covering — a vinyl roll, laminate, or tile fitted over them in the 1990s or 2000s.
Where in Irish properties: ground-floor wet areas of mid-century private housing, local authority estates, schools, hospitals and offices of the period.
Risk profile: non-friable in normal use. Risk arises if the tiles are lifted, broken, sanded or scraped — and if the bitumen adhesive is removed mechanically. Overlaying a new floor is sometimes the lower-risk option, but only after a survey.
Asbestos cement roof tiles and slates
"Asbestos roof tiles" in Irish search usually refers to one of two materials: corrugated asbestos cement sheets (covered on the roof guide), or small flat asbestos cement slates — often grey or sometimes coloured red, green or blue — used as a roofing tile on bungalows and small outbuildings. Eternit was a common manufacturer.
What to look for:
- Flat, smooth slates — typically 400 × 240 mm or 600 × 300 mm.
- Grey, but sometimes coloured. The coloured surface is paint over the same cement composite.
- Hung with copper or galvanised nails or hooks.
- Brittle — the slates crack rather than bend.
See the slates guide for more detail.
A note on ceramic tiles
Ordinary ceramic wall and floor tiles do not contain asbestos. The tile body itself is fired clay. Asbestos-related concern with a ceramic-tiled wall or floor is usually about what is behind or beneath the ceramic — for example, an asbestos cement backing board behind a tiled splashback, or a vinyl-asbestos tile covered over with ceramic tile in a bathroom refit.
If you think you have asbestos tiles
- Don't disturb them. Don't lift, break, sand or scrape.
- Don't power-wash a tiled roof.
- Get a survey if you are planning any work — see the testing guide.
- If in good condition and you are not planning work, sometimes the right call is to leave them alone and document their presence.
Frequently asked questions
Are 9-inch vinyl floor tiles always asbestos?
No — but 9 inch (228 mm) square vinyl tiles in Irish properties from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s are a strong indicator of asbestos content. Both the tile and the black bitumen-based adhesive beneath can contain asbestos. Smaller and larger tile sizes can also contain asbestos. Visual size is a marker that warrants testing, not a confirmed diagnosis.
What about asbestos roof tiles?
"Asbestos roof tiles" usually refers to one of two things in Ireland: small flat asbestos cement roof slates (sometimes called Eternit slates) used on bungalow and outbuilding roofs, or corrugated cement sheeting. Both are bonded materials. The flat slates are less common in Ireland than the corrugated sheets. See the slates guide for detail.
Can I lay a new floor over old asbestos vinyl tiles?
Sometimes — but only after a survey confirms the material and assesses condition. Overlaying a new floor over intact vinyl-asbestos tiles can be a lower-disturbance option than removal. Lifting them, sanding them, or scraping the bitumen adhesive releases fibres and is permit-holder work. Decisions about whether to overlay or remove should follow the surveyor's recommendation, not a YouTube video.