Asbestos Floor Tile in Older Homes: What PA & NJ Homeowners Need to Know

If you own an older home in eastern Pennsylvania or northern New Jersey — anything built before 1978 — there's a reasonable chance you have asbestos floor tiles somewhere in the house. Maybe you've seen them in the basement. Maybe they're hiding under carpet in a bedroom. Maybe your contractor just pulled up a layer of sheet vinyl and found 9x9 tiles underneath with dark black adhesive, and now everyone on the job site is looking at each other nervously.

I'm Danny Reyes, lead installer at VM Power Flooring. I'm EPA RRP certified, and our team of 35+ professionals has worked on over 4,000+ projects since 2012 across the Lehigh Valley, Bucks County,Northampton County, and northern New Jersey. We encounter asbestos tile on renovation projects regularly — at least a few times every month. It's one of the most common issues in older housing stock in our service area, and it's also one of the most misunderstood.

There's a lot of fear around asbestos, and some of it is warranted. But there's also a lot of misinformation that causes homeowners to either panic unnecessarily or, worse, handle it improperly because they don't understand the actual risks. This guide covers everything we've learned from dealing with asbestos tile in real homes across PA and NJ — how to identify it, when it's actually dangerous, your options for dealing with it, and what the regulations require. Our owner Vincent Karaca has made it a company policy that we approach asbestos with both caution and common sense, and that's what this guide reflects.

How to Identify Asbestos Floor Tiles (9x9, Black Mastic, and Other Clues)

Let me walk you through what we look for when we encounter suspect tiles on a job. These are the visual and contextual clues that tell us we're probably dealing with asbestos-containing material — but I want to be clear upfront: visual identification is not confirmation. Only laboratory testing can definitively tell you whether a tile contains asbestos. What I'm giving you here are the red flags that tell us to stop work and get testing done before we proceed.

The 9x9 Tile Size

This is the single biggest indicator. If your floor tiles measure 9 inches by 9 inches, the probability that they contain asbestos is very high. The 9x9 format was the dominant tile size from the 1920s through the late 1970s, and asbestos was a standard ingredient in these tiles during that entire era. Manufacturers added chrysotile asbestos fibers — typically 5% to 25% by weight — because it made the tiles stronger, more heat-resistant, and more durable. From a manufacturing standpoint, asbestos was a wonder material. From a health standpoint, it's a slow-motion disaster.

We see 9x9 tiles constantly in older Lehigh Valley homes — the 1940s and 1950s row houses in Allentown, the post-war Cape Cods in Whitehall and Coplay, the older colonials in Bethlehem. Northern New Jersey has them too, especially in the pre-war housing stock acrossBergen County, Passaic County, and Essex County. In homes built between 1930 and 1975, 9x9 tiles were standard in kitchens, basements, bathrooms, and utility rooms. Some homes had them wall to wall on every level.

Not every 9x9 tile contains asbestos — some manufacturers produced asbestos-free versions, particularly toward the end of the era. But the overlap between "9x9 tile" and "asbestos-containing tile" is so strong that we treat every 9x9 tile as suspect until testing says otherwise.

Black Mastic (Cutback Adhesive)

This is the other major red flag, and it's often more concerning than the tiles themselves. The black, tar-like adhesive used to glue down floor tiles from the 1920s through the 1980s is called cutback adhesive, and it frequently contains asbestos fibers. It also typically contains petroleum solvents that can off-gas for decades.

Here's what catches a lot of homeowners off guard: sometimes the tiles themselves test negative for asbestos, but the black mastic underneath tests positive. We've seen this more than once on jobs in the Lehigh Valley. The homeowner pulls up a tile, sends it to the lab, gets a negative result, and assumes everything is fine. Then they start scraping off the black adhesive and they're generating asbestos dust without knowing it. Always test both the tile and the adhesive separately. They're different materials and can have different test results.

Black mastic is also extremely difficult to remove. It's designed to bond permanently to concrete. You cannot sand it — that creates airborne particles. You cannot scrape it aggressively if it tests positive for asbestos. Chemical strippers exist, but they're messy, slow, and some are themselves hazardous. In most cases, the best approach is to leave the mastic in place and install over it. More on that in the encapsulation section below.

Other Identification Clues

Beyond tile size and adhesive color, here are additional indicators we look for:

• Age of the home. If the house was built before 1978, any original flooring material should be treated as potentially containing asbestos. The EPA began regulating asbestos in building materials in the late 1970s, but some products containing asbestos continued to be manufactured and installed into the early 1980s.
• Multiple layers. It's very common in older homes to find new flooring installed directly over old asbestos tile. We've pulled up carpet in a Coplay ranch house and found sheet vinyl over 9x9 tile over another layer of 9x9 tile. Three layers deep. Each layer needs to be tested separately.
• Tile color and pattern. Asbestos-containing vinyl tiles came in a wide range of colors — greens, browns, grays, creams, marbled patterns, speckled patterns. There's no single color that guarantees asbestos, but the classic mid-century color palette (olive green, burnt orange, dark brown, cream with brown speckles) is very commonly associated with asbestos-era tiles.
• Tile condition. Asbestos tiles that are crumbling, cracking, or turning to powder are called friable — meaning the asbestos fibers can be released into the air with minimal disturbance. Friable tiles are the most dangerous and require immediate professional attention.

The Real Risk: When Asbestos Tile Is Dangerous and When It's Not

This is where I need to be very careful with my words, because the truth about asbestos risk is more nuanced than most people realize. There's a difference between "asbestos is present in your home" and "asbestos is actively harming your family." Understanding that difference is essential to making a good decision about what to do.

Asbestos is dangerous when it's airborne. Period. The health risks — mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer — come from inhaling asbestos fibers. These are microscopic mineral fibers that lodge in lung tissue and cause chronic inflammation and, over time, potentially fatal diseases. The risk increases with the intensity and duration of exposure, but there is no established safe threshold for asbestos exposure. Even low-level exposure carries some risk.

Here's the key point: intact, undisturbed asbestos floor tile does not release significant fibers into the air. Asbestos floor tiles are what the EPA classifies as non-friable material — the asbestos fibers are bound within a vinyl or resin matrix. As long as the tiles are in good condition and nobody is sanding, grinding, cutting, breaking, or aggressively scraping them, the fibers stay locked in the material. You can walk on intact asbestos tile. You can mop it. You can live with it. The EPA and both PA DEP and NJ DEP explicitly acknowledge that intact non-friable asbestos materials can be safely managed in place.

Asbestos tile becomes dangerous under specific conditions:

• Physical disturbance. Breaking tiles, prying them up, sanding them, grinding them, or drilling through them releases fibers. This is the big one. A homeowner who grabs a floor scraper and starts attacking old tiles without testing them first is creating an asbestos exposure event in their own home.
• Deterioration. Tiles that are crumbling, cracking, or turning to powder from age or water damage become friable. The fibers are no longer bound in the matrix and can be released by foot traffic, sweeping, or even air currents.
• Cutting or sawing. Power tools on asbestos-containing materials create massive fiber releases. We've heard of contractors cutting through asbestos tile with circular saws to rough in plumbing or electrical. That's an exposure event for everyone in the building.
• Sanding the adhesive. Homeowners and contractors sometimes remove the tiles successfully but then sand the remaining black mastic to prepare the surface for new flooring. If that mastic contains asbestos, sanding it is one of the most effective ways to aerosolize the fibers.

I want to share a real scenario we encountered on a job in older Allentown. A homeowner was renovating a 1952 duplex. They had pulled up old carpet in the living room and found 9x9 tiles underneath. Without testing, they started prying up the tiles with a flat bar. Some crumbled. They swept up the debris. Then they rented a floor sander and tried to grind off the remaining black mastic. By the time they called us, they had been generating asbestos dust for two full days in a house with forced-air HVAC running — meaning those fibers had been distributed through every duct and every room. The professional remediation for the ductwork and the rest of the house cost more than the entire floor renovation would have. That's a worst-case scenario, but it's a real one that we see versions of every year.

Your Three Options: Encapsulate, Cover, or Remove

Once you've confirmed through testing that your tiles contain asbestos, you have three legitimate paths forward. Each has trade-offs in terms of cost, safety, disruption, and long-term implications. Let's break them down honestly.

Option 1: Encapsulation (Seal It In Place)

Encapsulation means coating the asbestos tile with a specialized sealant that binds any loose fibers and creates a protective barrier. This is different from simply covering the tiles with new flooring (that's Option 2). True encapsulation uses an EPA-recognized encapsulant product — usually a thick, rubbery coating that penetrates and seals the tile surface.

Pros: relatively inexpensive ($2 to $4 per square foot), doesn't require full abatement, doesn't generate waste, and the tiles stay in place. Cons: the asbestos is still there, future renovations that disturb the floor will need to address it, and encapsulants can fail over time if the substrate isn't stable.

Option 2: Cover It (Install New Flooring Over It)

This is the approach we use most often and it's what the EPA considers a valid management method. You leave the asbestos tile in place and install new flooring on top of it. The new flooring acts as both a functional floor and a physical barrier that prevents fiber release. We'll go into detail on this in the next section.

Option 3: Professional Removal (Full Abatement)

Removal means hiring a licensed abatement contractor to physically take out the asbestos tile and adhesive under controlled conditions. This is the most expensive and disruptive option, but it's the only one that actually eliminates the asbestos from your home. We cover this in detail in Section 5 below.

Which option is right depends on your specific situation — the condition of the tiles, what you plan to do with the space, your budget, and your comfort level. There is no single correct answer. We've recommended all three approaches to different customers depending on their circumstances. Let me walk through each one in detail.

Encapsulation: Installing New Flooring Over Asbestos Tile

This is our bread and butter when it comes to asbestos tile in older homes. About 80% of the time, when we encounter confirmed asbestos tile on a project, we install new flooring over it rather than having it removed. This approach is endorsed by the EPA, it's safe when done properly, and it saves the homeowner thousands of dollars compared to abatement.

The logic is straightforward: if the tiles are intact and well-adhered to the substrate, they're not releasing fibers. Adding a new layer of flooring on top creates an additional physical barrier. You're essentially double-encapsulating — the asbestos is locked in the tile matrix, and the tile is locked under the new floor. The result is a new, attractive floor and zero asbestos exposure risk during installation or afterward.

When Covering Is Appropriate

We'll only install over asbestos tile when all of the following conditions are met:

• The tiles are intact. No crumbling, no flaking, no tiles turning to powder. If tiles are deteriorating, they're friable and need professional abatement, not covering.
• The tiles are well-adhered. Tiles should be firmly bonded to the substrate. If large numbers of tiles are loose, popping up, or rocking underfoot, the surface isn't stable enough for new flooring and the movement could cause fiber release over time.
• The surface is reasonably level. Asbestos tile over concrete is usually pretty flat, but if there are areas where tiles are missing, those voids need to be filled with a patching compound to create a level surface. We use a Portland cement-based embossing leveler for this — it bonds to both concrete and old tile and creates a smooth, flat surface for the new flooring.
• Ceiling height allows it. This matters most in basements. Adding a new floor on top of existing tile adds 1/4 to 3/8 inch of height. In a basement with a 7-foot ceiling, that might not be a problem. But if you also need underlayment, you could be adding close to 1/2 inch total. We always check door clearances, stair transitions, and headroom before committing to this approach.

What We Install Over Asbestos Tile

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is our go-to product for installing over asbestos tile, and it's what we recommend in the vast majority of cases. Here's why:

• Floating installation. LVP clicks together and floats over the existing surface — no nails, no glue required. This is critical because you do not want to nail or glue through asbestos tile. Nailing penetrates the tile and can release fibers. Gluing requires adhesive that may interact with the old material. A floating floor sits on top without disturbing anything underneath.
• Thin profile. Quality SPC-core LVP is typically 5mm to 7mm thick. With a thin underlayment pad, you're adding less than 3/8 inch of total height.
• No special prep of the asbestos surface. You do not sand, grind, or aggressively prepare the old tile. We clean the surface, lay our underlayment, and click the LVP together on top. Zero disturbance of the asbestos material.
• Excellent performance. LVP is waterproof, durable, and looks great. For more on what we install, see our luxury vinyl installation page.

We've installed LVP over asbestos tile in dozens of homes throughout the Lehigh Valley and northern New Jersey. Older Allentown row houses, 1950s ranches in Whitehall, postwar colonials in Coplay, split-levels in Bergen County — the approach works across all of these. One customer in a 1948 Bethlehem home had 9x9 tiles throughout the entire first floor. We installed COREtec Pro Plus over the entire area — about 900 square feet — in two days. No abatement needed, no fiber disturbance, and the homeowner saved approximately $9,000 compared to what full removal would have cost.

Other products that work over asbestos tile include sheet vinyl, engineered hardwood (floating installation only), and porcelain tile with a crack-isolation membrane. However, tile installation over asbestos tile requires more care — the thinset application process involves troweling and can create some disturbance if the tiles underneath are not perfectly stable. We prefer LVP for its simplicity and zero-contact installation.

Professional Abatement: When Removal Is the Right Call

Sometimes covering isn't the right answer and the tiles need to come out. We don't perform asbestos abatement ourselves — that requires specialized licensing beyond our EPA RRP certification. What we do is identify the issue, recommend testing, coordinate with licensed abatement contractors when needed, and then come in after abatement to install the new flooring. We work with several trusted abatement companies across the Lehigh Valley and northern NJ.

When We Recommend Removal

• Tiles are deteriorating. If the tiles are crumbling, cracking extensively, or turning to powder, they're friable and actively releasing fibers. Covering friable material doesn't adequately address the risk — the material needs to come out under controlled conditions.
• Major renovation requiring subfloor work. If you're doing a gut renovation that involves plumbing, electrical, or HVAC work in the floor — meaning contractors will be cutting through and disturbing the floor surface — the asbestos needs to be removed before that work begins. You can't have a plumber cutting through asbestos tile to rough in a bathroom drain.
• Moisture issues requiring slab access. If the concrete slab underneath has moisture problems that need to be addressed — waterproofing, crack injection, French drain installation — you can't do that work with asbestos tile on top. It needs to come out first.
• Height constraints make covering impossible. Sometimes, especially in basements with low ceilings, there simply isn't room to add another layer on top without creating door clearance problems or code violations.
• Real estate transaction requirements. Some buyers or lenders require asbestos abatement as a condition of sale. This is becoming more common, especially on FHA and VA loans where inspectors flag asbestos-containing materials.

What Professional Abatement Involves

A licensed abatement project for floor tile typically follows this sequence:

1. Pre-abatement inspection and air monitoring. The abatement contractor establishes baseline air quality readings in the work area and throughout the home. These readings are used for comparison after the work is complete.
2. Containment. The work area is sealed off with polyethylene sheeting and duct tape. All HVAC registers in the work area are sealed. Negative air pressure is established using HEPA filtration units — these machines pull air through the containment and filter it, preventing fibers from escaping to the rest of the house.
3. Wet removal. Workers in full protective equipment — respirators, disposable Tyvek suits, gloves, boot covers — wet the tiles and adhesive with amended water (water mixed with a surfactant that helps it penetrate). They remove the tiles by hand, avoiding any power tools that would create excessive dust. The tiles are placed directly into labeled, leak-tight waste bags.
4. Mastic removal. After the tiles are removed, the black mastic remaining on the concrete needs to be addressed. This is often the most labor-intensive part of the job. Methods include chemical strippers, low-speed scraping with HEPA-equipped vacuums capturing debris, and in some cases, shot-blasting with full containment. The method depends on the type and condition of the adhesive.
5. Decontamination and disposal. All waste is double-bagged in 6-mil poly bags, labeled with asbestos warnings, and transported to an approved disposal facility. All containment materials are also treated as asbestos waste.
6. Final air monitoring. After all materials are removed and the area is cleaned, an independent air monitoring company (not the abatement contractor) takes final air samples. The area is cleared for reoccupation only when air sample results come back below 0.01 fibers per cubic centimeter — the EPA clearance standard.

The entire process typically takes 2 to 5 days depending on the scope, plus a day or two waiting for air clearance results. During this time, the work area is not accessible. For a full-home abatement, the family usually needs to stay elsewhere.

Cost Expectations

In our service area — eastern PA and northern NJ — asbestos floor tile abatement typically costs $8 to $15 per square foot for the removal alone. This doesn't include new flooring installation. For perspective:

• A 200-square-foot kitchen: $1,600 to $3,000 for removal
• A 500-square-foot basement: $4,000 to $7,500 for removal
• A 1,000-square-foot full-floor abatement: $8,000 to $15,000 for removal

Add new flooring costs on top of that. It's a significant investment, which is why we recommend covering over removal whenever covering is a safe and practical option.

PA and NJ Regulations You Need to Know

Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey have specific regulations governing asbestos-containing materials in buildings. If you're a homeowner dealing with asbestos tile, you need to understand what the law requires — both of you and of any contractor you hire. Here's a practical summary.

Federal Requirements (EPA and NESHAP)

The National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) is the primary federal regulation governing asbestos. Under NESHAP, any renovation or demolition of a commercial or public building that involves asbestos-containing material requires notification to the appropriate state agency and must be performed using specific work practices. For residential buildings (four or fewer dwelling units), NESHAP notification and work practice requirements don't technically apply at the federal level — but state regulations in both PA and NJ fill that gap.

The EPA's Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule applies to pre-1978 housing and focuses primarily on lead paint, but RRP certification — which I hold — reflects a broader commitment to safe practices in older homes. When we encounter potential asbestos on a job, our RRP training guides our response: stop work, test, and don't proceed until we have a clear plan.

Pennsylvania Requirements (PA DEP)

Pennsylvania's asbestos regulations are administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) under the Asbestos Occupations Accreditation and Certification Act (Act 135). Key requirements include:

• Licensed contractors only. All asbestos abatement in Pennsylvania must be performed by contractors and workers accredited by PA DEP. This means individual workers hold PA DEP accreditation cards, and the contracting company holds a valid license. Hiring an unlicensed contractor for asbestos work is a violation of state law.
• Notification requirements. For projects involving more than 160 square feet or 260 linear feet of asbestos-containing material, the abatement contractor must submit a notification to PA DEP at least 10 working days before the work begins. This notification includes project details, methods to be used, disposal plans, and air monitoring plans.
• Waste disposal. Asbestos waste must be wetted, double-bagged in labeled 6-mil poly bags, and transported by a licensed waste hauler to a landfill approved for asbestos-containing waste. PA DEP maintains a list of approved disposal facilities.
• Homeowner exemption. Pennsylvania law allows homeowners to perform their own asbestos abatement on a single-family residence that they occupy, without holding a PA DEP accreditation. However, they must still comply with waste disposal requirements and are strongly advised to follow proper work practices. We never recommend that homeowners attempt DIY asbestos removal. The health risks are too significant, and most homeowners lack the equipment and training to do it safely.

New Jersey Requirements (NJ DEP)

New Jersey's asbestos regulations are administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP) and the Department of Health (NJ DOH). NJ requirements are generally stricter than PA:

• Licensed contractors required. All asbestos abatement in NJ must be performed by contractors holding a valid NJ Department of Health license. Workers must hold individual NJ DOH permits. There is no homeowner exemption in New Jersey the way there is in Pennsylvania — even single-family homeowners are required to use licensed contractors for asbestos removal.
• Permits and notification. NJ DEP requires a permit for asbestos abatement projects. The abatement contractor must file with both NJ DEP and the local health department. Notification must be submitted at least 10 working days before work begins.
• Third-party air monitoring. NJ requires that air monitoring during and after abatement be performed by an independent, licensed industrial hygienist — not the abatement contractor's own staff. This adds cost but provides an important layer of accountability and safety verification.
• Stricter disposal tracking. NJ requires detailed waste tracking documentation from the point of removal to the disposal facility. This paper trail ensures that asbestos waste ends up in an approved landfill and not in a dumpster behind a shopping center, which unfortunately does happen when unlicensed operators are involved.

What We Actually Do on These Jobs (Our Process)

Let me walk you through exactly what happens when a customer calls us for a flooring project and we discover or suspect asbestos tile. This is our actual process — the one our 35+ team members follow on every job where asbestos is a possibility.

Step 1: Initial Assessment

During our initial consultation and site visit, one of the first things we check is the age of the home. If it was built before 1978, we automatically flag the project for potential asbestos-containing materials. We look at the existing flooring — if we can see tiles (or suspect tiles under carpet or other coverings), we note the size, condition, and any visible adhesive.

We ask the homeowner directly: do you know what's under your current flooring? Have you ever had the house tested for asbestos? Are there any disclosure documents from when you purchased the home? Sellers in both PA and NJ are required to disclose known asbestos-containing materials, but "known" is the operative word — many homeowners genuinely don't know what's under their floors.

Step 2: Testing

If we identify suspect materials, we stop and recommend professional testing before proceeding with any demolition or installation work. We can collect samples ourselves — my EPA RRP certification includes training in safe sample collection — or we can recommend an independent environmental testing company. We always recommend testing both the tile and the adhesive separately, because they can have different asbestos content.

Testing typically takes 3 to 5 business days for standard turnaround. Rush testing (24 to 48 hours) is available at most labs for an additional fee. We schedule accordingly and never proceed with work until we have results in hand.

Step 3: Plan Development

Once we have test results, we develop a plan based on the specific situation:

• If the tiles test negative: We proceed with normal demolition and installation. We remove the old tiles using standard methods and install the new flooring as planned. Even with a negative result, we still handle old mastic carefully — some adhesives contain other problematic substances even without asbestos.
• If the tiles test positive and are in good condition: We recommend installing over them in most cases. We discuss the approach with the homeowner, explain the EPA's position on encapsulation, and detail how our floating floor installation method avoids any disturbance of the asbestos material. This is the path we take about 80% of the time.
• If the tiles test positive and are deteriorating, or if the project requires subfloor access: We coordinate with a licensed abatement contractor. We provide the homeowner with referrals to abatement companies we've worked with and trust. The abatement contractor handles the removal, gets air clearance, and then we come in to install the new flooring on the clean substrate.

Step 4: Installation

When installing over asbestos tile, our process is designed to minimize any disturbance to the existing material:

1. We clean the surface of the existing tile — damp mopping only, no sanding or mechanical preparation.
2. If there are missing tiles creating voids, we fill them with a cementitious patching compound. We do not scrape or chip at existing tiles to create a smooth edge — we feather the patch compound to meet the existing tile surface.
3. We lay our underlayment (typically a thin vapor barrier or foam pad appropriate for the product being installed) directly over the cleaned tile surface.
4. We install the new luxury vinyl plank or other flooring as a floating system. No nails, no screws, no glue that penetrates through the existing tile.
5. We install transitions and moldings at doorways, edges, and elevation changes. These are typically adhered to the new floor surface or to the wall, never nailed through the asbestos tile below.

The end result is a beautiful new floor with the old asbestos tile safely sealed underneath. The homeowner gets a disclosure document from us noting the presence of asbestos-containing material under the new flooring, which they should keep with their home records and disclose to future buyers.

Step 5: Documentation

We document everything. Lab test results, photos of the existing tile before covering, the method of installation, and a written note for the homeowner's files. If the home is ever sold, the buyer will know that asbestos tile exists under the current flooring. If future renovations are planned, the next contractor will know to handle the subfloor carefully. This documentation isn't just good practice — in both PA and NJ, sellers are required to disclose known asbestos-containing materials, so having proper records protects the homeowner legally.

The Bottom Line

Asbestos tile in older homes is common, especially in our PA and NJ service area where so much of the housing stock predates 1978. It's not a reason to panic, but it's not something to ignore either. The key takeaways from everything we've covered:

• Test before you touch. If your home was built before 1978 and you're planning any flooring work, get suspect materials tested. It's $25 to $50 per sample and could save you thousands in remediation costs if you disturb asbestos unknowingly.
• Intact asbestos tile is manageable. The EPA, PA DEP, and NJ DEP all recognize that non-friable asbestos materials can be safely managed in place. Installing over them is a legitimate, safe, and cost-effective solution.
• Removal requires professionals. If removal is necessary, hire a licensed abatement contractor. No exceptions. The health consequences of improper removal are severe and irreversible.
• LVP is ideal for covering asbestos tile. Its floating installation method means zero disturbance of the material underneath, and it delivers a beautiful, durable floor.
• Know your state's regulations. PA and NJ have different requirements for abatement, notification, and disposal. Make sure any contractor you work with understands and complies with the regulations in your state.

If you're in the Lehigh Valley, Bucks County, Northampton County, or northern New Jersey and you need flooring work in a home with potential asbestos tile, we're here to help. We handle these situations regularly, we know the regulations, and we have the certifications and experience to do the job safely and correctly.

Get started with a free consultation, or use our cost calculator to estimate your project. If you're not sure whether your tiles contain asbestos, that's exactly where we start — with testing, not guessing.

For more on the products we use in renovation projects, see our guides on hardwood vs. LVP and our 2026 flooring installation cost guide. And if you're dealing with a basement renovation where asbestos tile is present, our basement flooring guide covers the moisture considerations you'll also need to address.