The wood in mosaic parquet does not contain asbestos, but the adhesive used to fix the parquet and the filler beneath it may. Dark, bitumen-based adhesive in particular is a material that is tested before the parquet is lifted. The only way to be sure is a sample that includes both the adhesive and the filler.
Is there asbestos in mosaic parquet adhesive?
Mosaic parquet was a popular flooring material especially in 1960s and 1970s flats and detached houses, typically in living rooms, bedrooms and hallways. It consists of small wooden strips assembled into square panels and glued directly onto concrete or a levelled screed. It is this adhesive that is examined when you want to know whether mosaic parquet poses an asbestos risk.
Mosaic parquet was often laid with a dark, bitumen-based adhesive. Some of these adhesives contained asbestos, others did not. The colour does not settle the question: black adhesive does not prove asbestos, and a lighter adhesive does not rule it out. The same black adhesive was also used to fix vinyl tiles and vinyl flooring. Read more in the article on asbestos in tile adhesive and black adhesive.
How do I recognise mosaic parquet?
Mosaic parquet is easy to recognise by its pattern: the floor is made of small wooden strips, usually about a finger wide, that form squares. The strips in neighbouring squares run in alternating directions, giving a pattern that resembles a woven surface. Mosaic parquet has often been covered later with laminate, carpet or new parquet, so it may turn up unexpectedly only when the newer floor is removed.
What is under mosaic parquet?
A typical mosaic parquet floor is built up in layers, each of which is examined separately:
- The parquet: the wooden strips and their surface finish. The wood itself is not an asbestos risk.
- The adhesive: often dark, bitumen-based and firmly bonded to the substrate.
- The filler: floor filler or base screed used to level the concrete before the parquet was glued down.
- An older floor covering: sometimes the parquet was laid over earlier flooring or tiling, and then that is examined too.
Asbestos was widely used in fillers, so besides the adhesive, the filler beneath the parquet matters as well. If an old vinyl floor turns up, see also asbestos in vinyl flooring.
How do you sample mosaic parquet adhesive?
The sample is taken so that it includes both the adhesive and the filler beneath it from the same spot. When the adhesive is scraped or ground off during removal, filler comes away too, so both layers belong in the same sample:
- Protect yourself with disposable gloves and an FFP3 respirator.
- Choose an inconspicuous spot, for example next to a threshold, under a cabinet or where the parquet has already come loose.
- Carefully lift one parquet panel and wet the exposed adhesive.
- Remove a piece a few centimetres across with adhesive and filler right down to the substrate.
- Seal the sample straight away in an airtight bag and note the room and spot.
If the parquet was laid in different rooms at different times, or the adhesive looks different, take a separate sample from each area. If you would rather not lift the parquet yourself, the surveyor takes the samples during the survey visit and seals the sampling points. The samples are analysed in the laboratory with a JEOL SEM-EDS electron microscope.
Can mosaic parquet be removed before the result is in?
It is not a good idea. Removing mosaic parquet in practice means prising the panels up and scraping, sanding or grinding the adhesive off the substrate. If the adhesive or filler contains asbestos, these are exactly the steps that release fibres into the air. The dust cannot be removed afterwards with ordinary cleaning, and it can spread to other rooms.
If the building or floor dates from before 1994, an asbestos survey is required before the floor is removed. The requirement is based on Finland’s Asbestos Act (684/2015) and the Government Decree on the safety of asbestos work (798/2015). If the result is positive, the parquet and adhesive must be removed by an authorised asbestos removal contractor. If no asbestos is found, the floor can be removed as ordinary renovation work.
In a housing company, the shareholder must also submit an alterations notice, and many companies require the survey report as an attachment. So it pays to have the report before you apply for permission for the floor renovation or ask a contractor for a quote.
What if the floor has already been partly removed?
Stop work and close the door to the room. Do not sweep up adhesive residue and dust or use an ordinary vacuum cleaner on it. Take a sample of the adhesive and filler left on the substrate and wait for the result before carrying on. If asbestos is found, the rest of the removal and the clean-up of the room belong to an authorised asbestos removal contractor.
What about just sanding and lacquering the parquet?
Sanding and lacquering the parquet surface does not usually reach the adhesive layer. During a renovation the adhesive can still be exposed, for example when loose panels are re-glued, edges are removed or thresholds are replaced. Mention these jobs to the surveyor too, so they can judge whether the adhesive needs to be sampled.
How much does testing cost?
If you only want to check the parquet adhesive, you can send a sample by post for 39,90 € + VAT per sample. If the renovation involves removing other things as well, such as kitchen or bathroom surfaces, a survey covers every material in one go. Depending on the city, a survey costs from 119 € incl. VAT, and the price includes the survey, all samples, the laboratory analysis, travel and the report. Because all samples are included, testing the adhesive and filler in several rooms does not raise the price. The surveyor visits on site in Southern Finland, and from elsewhere in Finland the sample can be sent by post.
Planning to remove mosaic parquet? Order an asbestos survey before the floor starts coming up.