beachhouse- You can probably get it at a variety of big box and hardware stores. Just be aware that the kit will not give you a direct result...you take a sample and send it off to a lab that is supposed to analyze it with a microscope. If you are determined to test the floor, I recommend you skip the test kit and have a local lab -- one that is certified by the State or Fed as qualified to analyze for asbestos -- do it. Asbestos analysis is not a chemical test, it's a visual examination that is dependent on the subjective judgment and skill of the technician using the microscope. You don't want to be making decisions about this unless you are confident in the quality of the lab. But again, why do you want to know this if you are just putting a new floor over it? It's not going to pose a danger...other than to your budget if it's removed, or if a future buyer wants the sales price lowered because you've had to disclose the presence of asbestos (if you have any in the floor).

I think it depends on how you cover it. The problem with asbestos happens when it is dispersed in the air and is breathed in. If it is "buried" so that the need to disturb it in the future is eliminated, it should be fine. Perhaps our recent experience will give you a perspective. Our house was built in 1985, just around the time when asbestos in vinyl flooring was outlawed. We wanted to replace the kitchen vinyl floor when we bought the house in 1991. We were told that, since the possible asbestos contents of the flooring could not be ascertained, no one would remove it, except perhaps professional asbestos removal technicians, and that would be costly. We therefore decided to put new vinyl flooring directly on top of the old floor, and it was pasted ONLY in the perimeter. We recently replaced that vinyl flooring after about 15 years. This time, the flooring we had installed was removed and, before a new vinyl floor was installed, a new subfloor comprised of thin plywood was installed over the old floor that possibly contains asbestos. Therefore, in the future, if we or the next owner wants to replace the floor, they can remove the existing new floor and lay a new floor over that plywood. The possible asbestos containing vinyl is "buried" beneath that plywood subfloor. Using that experience as an example, I think you would be okay if you covered your asbestos siding with something on which you could then install your new siding, effectively "burying" the asbestos so that, if in the future someone wants to replace the new siding that you installed, they can do that without disturbing the asbestos. The only other alternative is professional asbestos removal, which would cost you several thousand $$. I believe there are many older homes in which asbestos is effectively buried and harmless. I do know that if the asbestos is exposed, it will affect the sale of a house. We experienced that back in 1986. We sold a house that was built in 1930. The steam pipes in the cellar were covered with asbestos insulation. We never thought about it in the 10 years we lived there. But when it came time to sell it, the buyer's inspector said don't buy it unless the asbestos is professionally removed. We did that. I cost us a lot of money, but it saved the sale. But I believe that situation differs from yours and the vinyl floor I cited earlier because the asbestos was exposed and particles of the stuff could become airborne and harmful if inhaled. Good luck with your decision.

OK...here we go. If you are thinking of adding plywood to what you have (which is entirely acceptable) I'm going to assume you have a WOODEN subfloor sitting on wood joists? Is that correct? Now here's the fun part. A FLOATING vinyl or laminate floor MUST HAVE transition strips through door ways. I'll say that again: Must. Have. So now things get a little easier. It is entirely possible you can install over top of the existing tile without doing ANYTHING. Yep...so long as the asbestos tile is smooth and flat (ahhhh....there's the rub!) you can lay down rigid flooring. But...and this is a big one...if the tiles look all bumpy and rough (like there are little stones underneath) or the subfloor sags towards a corner or the middle of a room, you have to do something to level it. And that's where the plywood comes in. If you can manage an install WITHOUT laying new plywood, simply use the t-mouldings in the doorways and keep going. The small height variance (1/16") isn't going to make a difference through a doorway. That's what the T-moulding is for. If you do NOT want the transition strips through doorways then you MUST glue down the vinyl. Laminate always needs T-mouldings whether you use plywood or not. It is the nature of a floating floor.

Traditionally the asbestos tiles will be removed by cutting out the subfloor from underneath then at the same time. The fastest way is to cut the kitchen floor into 3ft x 3ft squares (or whatever size squares the remediation company likes to work with) and then the vinyl is left ATTACHED to the subfloor....the whole thing comes up. What that does is DROP the 'level' of the subfloor so that it sits LOWER than the hardwood. Right....now we have 'space' to get a newer, thicker floor in so that we can MAINTAIN the floor height level. This is a COMPLETE gut! It would be VERY sad to leave the asbestos in place which then SERIOUSLY limits your flooring choices. As in...your down to some very unwanted options... How much did the remediation quote come out to be? What is the TOTAL PROJECTED cost of the remodel? I would HATE for you to think, in 5 years time, "I WISH we had just done the floors at the time! Why didn't we do it??? It was only $5K more!" (I'm assuming $5,000...it's just for arguments sake).