Laying hardwood over asbestos flooring

Locking the asbestos tile out of reach *IS* asbestos abatement. It's considered preferable to do that rather than kick up a lot of asbestos dust when you rip the old tiles out.

Asbestos, even "friable" asbestos, is of nearly zero risk. The health hazard comes with decades of exposure to loose asbestos, such as in an asbestos factory or certain air-restricted places that had sprayed-on coatings ... notably ship boiler rooms. But that alone doesn't do it. You also need to chain-smoke throughout those decades. Sadly, nearly all people holding those jobs during those years did just that. Winston tastes good like a cigarette should.

Asbestos doesn't gas off or anything like that. It flakes if disturbed, which it won't be.

If by "hardwood floor" you mean an engineered system of any sort, which might be all you can do assuming we're talking concrete directly beneath tile, you'll probably be adding a foam layer to keep down noise transfer, and possibly a plastic barrier if it's at grade.

Be sure door-bottom clearance is taken properly into account.

It might buckle eventually.

re: Alanhart. I can't speak about asbestos abatement, but not all risk is associated with "decades of exposure." Some cancers are specifically associated with ANY exposure even one time. I do agree that ripping it out might cause more risk, but wanted to clear up this point about exposure risk. Signed, MD.

if you want hardwoods, you'll need to install 3/4 plywood on top of the tile before the floors. this will enclose the asbestos. the issue will be with the doors not closing as you've added 1 1/2 inch of flooring.

going the engineered route, you will enclose it in a vapor barrier (foam layer as alanhart said) and lay those floors on top. this will cause the least amount of headaches in terms of laying it down and having door problems.

You are a knucklehead if you are basing asbestos exposure for you and your family based on the postings of the madmen and mentally ill folks here on Streeteasy. You should talk to a professional about the real risks, and what can be done for proper enclosure. "Installing 3/4 plywood" is hardly the solution. Driving nails into Asbestos and moving wood on top of it while you install it are both known methods for disturbing it and sending particles into the air. Vapor barriers offer theoretical protection but how they are installed makes a big difference, along with their thickness. Again, call any one of the real professionals and you can easy answers fast. Finally to our doctor on the post, are you an oncologist? Or a guy who read something in some magazine. Please don't use your medical degree as a basis for dispensing advice about cancer that is only going to scare people who might have been exposed once 45 years ago. FIN.

Catboy, Particles in the air are not much of a problem on a one-off basis. Asbestos is a natural substance. You'll get a spadeful of it if you turn over the soil in suburban DC -- naturally occurring. Get hysterical about the communists, or the negroes or jews, or the schoolteachers, or the Chechens. But not asbestos. Asbestos is warm and fuzzy and prevents fires. Basil is another naturally occurring substance. You don't need an oncologist to tell you that it goes well with in-season tomatoes and mozzarella.

Alanhart, I never found you very funny. I think you fancy yourself some kind of clever fella, but I fire people with better wit and writing skills all the time.

And now you are ignored so whatever you say, I will not see.

I have three people on ignore, You greeensdale and another one -- forgot his name -- and i see them comment after me all the time. No idea what they say, thank goodness. and now you and your small junior college mind can join them

>but I fire people with better wit and writing skills all the time.

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/4918888192/hCE39F69A/

What is there to say about those people who say "fancy yourself a ..." and think they're being very British ... even though a Brit would never use the word that way?

OMG, why would anyone buy in a building with toxic asbestos? This is the place you live with your fam!

Love this "ignored"
The reality is that people who want the last word so badly like Alanhart and Greensdale are likely playing out the fact that their parents ignored them. So this is an extension of their own mental illness. Too bad. Hopefully they are caught up on their meds.

http://www.cat-lovers-only.com/mesothelioma-in-cats.html

huntersberg, what did catboy write?

take. your. meds.

???

>huntersberg, what did catboy write?

He made up some story about how he sued in Small Claims Court and won $50 for each time his neighbor bothered him.
Interestingly, financeguy was telling people they could sue in Small Claims Court and win punitive damages.

Neither is or could be true.

are you hunters burg?