PVC flooring, so-called floor-flex-boards, vinyl asbestos boards

Do you have a smooth plastic floor covering in your old building? Then you need to be extremely careful. Because many old PVC floors have a high asbestos content.

Between the 1950s and 1980s, flooring made of so-called Floor-Flex panels was installed in many German apartments and public buildings. Almost all of these boards have a high content of carcinogenic asbestos. The adhesive used to fix them also often contains asbestos. Damaged panels should be removed and disposed of professionally as a matter of urgency.

A distinction must be made between Floor-Flex flooring and cushion vinyl flooring. These have a significantly higher content of asbestos.

• Types of asbestos: predominantly chrysotile
• Asbestos content: traces up to 15%

Play it safe and have your PVC floor reliably tested for asbestos by CRB. Simply send a sample of your flooring by mail to our laboratory.

Frequently asked questions about asbestos in floor-flex and PVC flooring

What are floor-flex tiles?

Floor-Flex was used as a floor covering from the 1950s, especially in high-rise buildings and public buildings. This is because it is easy to clean due to its smooth surface. To this day, tenants and homeowners continue to discover suspect floors during renovations. In the trade, they were also listed as flex panels, vinyl asbestos panels, PVC flex panels or vinyl asbestos tiles.

What is the difference between Floor-Flex and Cushion vinyl?

In addition to floor-flex flooring, cushioned vinyl flooring was commonly installed for floors and walls in bathrooms and kitchens in the 1970s. These have a much higher percentage of asbestos that can exceed 90 percent by weight. While the asbestos in Floor-Flex panels is tightly bound into the PVC layer, cushion vinyl has a weakly bound asbestos layer that can very easily release fibers. Due to the extreme health hazard, the removal of such coverings is mandatory in Germany.

Which floor coverings contain asbestos?

What do Floor Flex panels containing asbestos look like?

Most often, they are square tiles with a side length of between 20 and 40 centimeters. Their design resembles modern PVC flooring or linoleum flooring. They usually have a rather light color scheme. Due to the brittle material, they were offered only as hard tiles and not as flexible yard goods. They were fixed to the floor, usually the screed, with glue, which usually also contains asbestos.

Where can floor flex panels be found?

Flex panels were largely used for flooring. They were often installed in apartment buildings, both in the living area and in the hallways. Over time, many PVC floors have been covered with other materials. As a result, asbestos-containing tiles often remain hidden under carpet, hardwood flooring or laminate. Tenants and homeowners should keep an eye out for this, especially during renovations.

What is the asbestos content of Floor-Flex tiles?

Affected PVC tiles contain up to 20 percent asbestos by weight. In addition, the adhesive used to attach the tiles usually also contains varying amounts of the toxic material. Only a material analysis can provide certainty about the actual asbestos content of the PVC flooring.

Why was asbestos used in floor-flex flooring?

A PVC floor containing asbestos is resistant to heat and also to oils, acids and other chemicals. The smooth and impermeable surface is very easy to clean, which is why the flooring was often installed in hospitals.

How do I recognize floor-flex flooring containing asbestos?

The square tiles have a smooth surface and mostly an inconspicuous, light coloration. Visually, they are virtually indistinguishable from modern vinyl flooring. Asbestos itself usually has a gray to green, sometimes green-blue or gray-brown coloration. It is odorless and mostly processed in the tiles as thin fibers. Under no circumstances should you check yourself to see if there are asbestos fibers in your PVC tiles. These are so fine that they cannot be seen with the naked eye.

How dangerous is PVC flooring with asbestos?

Asbestos has been banned in Germany since 1993. If the fibers are inhaled, there is an increased risk of cancer. As long as the PVC panels are not damaged or weathered, it is assumed that there is a low risk of asbestos-containing substances being released. This also applies to the asbestos-containing adhesive. However, if the thin sheets break apart, there is an urgent need for action.

Who is allowed to remove flooring containing asbestos?

According to the German Ordinance on Hazardous Substances (GefStoffV) and the Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances (TRGS) 519, asbestos-containing materials may only be processed by licensed specialist companies as part of an asbestos removal project.

Disposal: The waste from this vinyl flooring must be packed in so-called big bags and disposed of in class I or II landfills.

Am I allowed to cover or seal asbestos-containing coverings?

There is a ban on covering! According to several court rulings and in accordance with the Ordinance on Hazardous Substances (GefStoffV), asbestos-containing floor coverings and adhesive residues adhering to the screed after their removal may neither be covered nor sealed by other floor coverings. You can find more information about this in this article.

What rights do tenants have with asbestos-contaminated vinyl flooring?

As long as the PVC panels are intact, there are no obligations on the part of the landlord. If the tenant finds damaged vinyl flooring in his apartment from which asbestos fibers are leaking, he can reduce the rent payments, according to the Berlin Tenants' Association. The tenant has the right to an asbestos expert opinion. The landlord bears the cost of remediation.

Identification of asbestos in vinyl-floorings, floor-flex-tiles by means of SEM images and energy-dispersive element-spectra