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I have a deteriorating tile floor in my basment, and I suspect that the tiles are VAT(Vinyl asbestos tiles). Regardless of the content of the floors, the deteriorating state of the tiles means I want to cover over it. I have heard of various products that can be used to make a self-leveling floor (i.e. self leveling concrete), but I do not have much knowledge of said products nor have I ever used them. I have heard that some of these products cure (harden) very quickly which might pose a challenge as I am trying to DIY an entire basement floor.

The basement itself is approximately 600 sqft. There are some areas which I would like to cordon off prior to putting any sort of product down. For example, I would want to cordon off the sump pump pit. There may be other areas that I am not thinking of which I would not want to cover with any product.

Ultimately, the question is what is the best (or a sufficient) product to use for DIY tile encapsulaion. Also, what is the best DIY strategy for using said product? It is worth noting that I would like for the covering to be level when it is done, in case I want to lay a flooring material over top of the new surface.

Thanks.

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  • Product recommendations are off topic here, so you should edit that part out of your question (or make it clear you're not looking for a specific product, but rather a type of product, like self leveling concrete). The rest is ok
    – mmathis
    Oct 23, 2016 at 13:50
  • I would fill the voids with self leveling mix 600' is quite a large area to do the entire floor and would be quite expensive. With any voids filled a glued laminate will prevent any problems with asbestos. In many homes the fiber insulation is painted to encapsulate the asbestos as long as it is left intact and covered to will be "safe".
    – Ed Beal
    Oct 23, 2016 at 15:58
  • @EdBeal why do you specify a GLUED laminate specifically, as opposed to a floating floor. Does it make a difference? I have heard suggestions to install a vapor barrier over the asbestos, or a "dimple sheet" and then install florring or 3/4" sheets. Does this make sense to you?
    – Brian G
    Oct 26, 2016 at 23:18
  • @EdBeal to continue my comment above, which fiber insulation are you referring to, just to be clear?
    – Brian G
    Oct 26, 2016 at 23:19
  • Also, I could possibly put a thin underlayment above a vapor barrier, such as this : homedepot.com/p/…
    – Brian G
    Oct 26, 2016 at 23:28

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adrex feather finish, is what i use to encapsulate asbestos tile and old cut back adhesive. just be sure skim it thick enough. It appear ppl don't like my ardex answer, well let me explain further. FLOOR LEVELER is not the best choice for your situation becuase, its likely that the asbestos tile are bonded to the older black adhesive. The tiles are easy to pop off that glue, that means its good odds the floor leveler will begin to break apart, now you have a crunchy floor. Using a highly modified skim coat give more flex ability and better adhesion. Floor leveler can work a lot of the time but you have to adjust to the job conditions. In this case its a gamble using a floor level if tiles aren't well bonded. You will spend alot of time and money to give your self a 50/50 shot it fails. Adex is less cost, time, and is absolutely rated for this very thing. Leveler needs a primer coat and its likely that tiles filthy and have some kind of finish added to it. The prep needed to insure a good bond can't be done because it will disturb the old floor. You being the home owner mean you can take out a certain amount, where i live its only 15sqft but may be different where you live. Its worth calling a abatement company to find out. Work the with what the job gives you, their all different.

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