Levelling over old tile

My basement floor has old asbestos tiling, some of which is missing and some are loose. Also the floor overall is not level. Can I pour leveller over this tile, thus sealing it? I hope to put new tile and area rugs down.

If it is possible is it a diy job? any product suggestions?

Thanks.

dfbeasley

 

Not sure how much work a job like that is or how much area you are talking about. What I do know is, for a job done right, you have to start with a good base. If you pour leveler over the old tile you are asking for trouble. Do not think any contractor would do this either. If you find it's too big of a job for you to do, then remove the tile yourself and save some money there. Good luck.

 

A little worried about removing asbestos tiling myself. Have heard it is not such a good idea.

 

Got any salt and pepper? Ready to eat my words. Went to asbestos tile removal sites and they say it is better to cover asbestos tile with other tile. Also said removal by anyone except licenced persons is illegal. My original thought was that if you cover it with leveler it may be more likely to pull loose and start rising. I would still remove any loose tiles before leveling. May be other professionals here that can elaborate more so watch this post for more info. Good luck.

 

Like so many regulatory things in the US, one rule does not apply across the country. In Nebraska for example, anyone may remove asbestos tile--and the state even has a website to teach you how to do it:

http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/enh/asbestos/floortile.htm

If I were you, I'd find out what my state law is and then remove it if possible, to start on a solid base. If your state hyper regulates this, then you may be best to cover it with other tile.

 

I had this same situation with the house that I bought last year. I called the health and safety official at my town hall and he told me that those tiles are not as dangerous as the dry insulation asbestos.
He said I could do it myself but that I should make sure it's wetted down to keep down any dust and then to double bag the tiles. Spraying a light water mist over them worked.

My tiles were peeling up on the corners and were already partially broken so covering over them would have been a nightmare.

They came up extremely easily. I put them in boxes that I got from the local liquer store and double bagged them with contractor grade bags from Home Depot.

I then painted the concrete floor with concrete paint, installed a Dry-cor floor and topped it off with some Legato carpet.

*cough* everything went *cough* beautifully

*cough*
(just kidding)

:-)


My suggestion....call your town hall, tell them your situation and ask them for advice.

 

Ha. Thanks.

The tiles on my floor are in good shape, there are really only a few broken ones. The rest seem solidly attached to the floor. I am inclined to just cover them up, which is what many in my area suggest.

Assuming it is a stable base, is there any reason I CAN'T put leveler over the top? Will it adhere to the tile?

Thanks for all the help.

 

I'm no expert here, but I would think the easiest thing would be a pad and carpet--if the basement is reasonably dry. You could use Indoor/Outdoor if you're concerned.

I can't speak to the effectiveness of leveling compound.

 

I don't know if "dfbeasely" is still checking for responses to his original post, but I'd like to share my experience: I had the exact same situation in the furnace area of my basement. I removed whatever old tiles and pieces came up easily, and the ones that seemed solidly and stubbornly glued in place. I just left. I then poured self-leveling compound in the bare cement areas, trying to match exactly the height of the remaining tiles.

I'm certainly no pro with this product, but here's my advice, based on my experience:

1. The water-to-compound ration given in the instructions may not be exact. I found I needed a bit more water to make the mixed compound soupy enough to flow freely along the floor.

2. Make sure you mix it very well. It may look smooth at the top, but you might see lumps as you start pouring. I used a heavy-duty drill with a mixing paddle and mixed for at least 3 or 4 minutes.

3. The lumps aren't so bad if you do get them, because you can smooth them out with a rubbing brick. More importantly, make sure you feather thoroughly where the compound meets the remaining tile. I missed a few spots, and now I've got ridges that I'm still trying to somehow sand or file down. In fact, if someone has a good suggestion, I'd like to hear it. (I used 36-grit sandpaper on a sanding pole, but that seems to be taking forever...)

Good luck!