Carpets, Lino & Flooring

How to lay laminate flooring with possible asbestos tiles?

Clarissa Lim 05/11/2025 - 8.09 AM

Just ripped up carpets in my 1950s home to find thin dark brown tiles laid over the concrete flooring. Our plan is to lay laminate flooring and didn't expect to find tiles so not sure what the next step should be. With the possibility of asbestos in them, should I remove them entirely or leave them and lay the laminate directly over? I have no idea how level the floor currently is so I'm also considering the use of self levelling compound either way. Another issue I have is that the tiles nearest to the wall are broken after getting the carpet grippers out. The rest of the tiles are still in tack however there are cracks in the middle of the room. One side of the room also has copper pipes running at the bottom of the wall and there are some gaps between wall and concrete flooring.

Malhi saab

Rating: 4 out of 5

4/52 reviews

Birmingham

It is generally safer to cover asbestos-containing floor tiles than to remove them, as removal can release harmful fibers. Key Safety Steps * Do Not Disturb: The tiles and any adhesive must not be cracked, sanded, drilled, or broken. Any disturbance can release asbestos fibers. * Use a Floating Floor: Laminate is an excellent choice because it's a "floating floor" and does not require adhesive, minimizing the risk of disturbing the tiles. * Prepare the Surface: * Ensure the tiles are intact and firmly adhered. * Fill any cracks, missing pieces, or uneven spots with a self-leveling compound to create a smooth, flat base. This also helps encapsulate the asbestos material. * Install Underlayment: Use the recommended foam or fiber underlayment over the tiles and leveling compound before laying the laminate planks.

Answered26 March 2026

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Lukas

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Hounslow

Yes self level is what you want, just make sure that any loose tiles have either been glued back or removed and holes filled and any gaps seald before you pour self level . On concrete floor you can use tile adhesive as a filler.make sur that floor is free of dust and stabilise, meaning it's coated with PVA or any native product

Answered4 November 2025

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Jake Edwards

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Sudbury

Unless you are willing to pay a specialist, I wouldn't remove the tiles as you risk kicking asbestos particles into the air. The best thing to do is to encapsulate the tile with a smoothing compound (aka self leveling). Asbestos is safe as long as you don't start breaking them up. I you need to sweep up make sure you wear a mask with a FFP3 filter rating and dampen the area first to reduce the chance of making the particles airborne.

Answered4 November 2025

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