magnesite floor, xylolite
Products: Applications as finished screed for large and dry areas like industrial floors; can be easily coloured with dyes: there are red, yellow and grey varieties. It is called xylolite with the addition of pieces of wood and wood flour.
Flooring made of magnesite screed can still be found in many houses built after the Second World War. Homeowners should be careful when renovating these floors, which are also known colloquially as stone wood: Traces of the highly dangerous asbestos can often be detected in the flooring.The same applies to stone wood flooring in industrial and commercial properties and office buildings.
Protect your health and have an asbestos analysis of the stone wood flooring made by our CRB analysis laboratory in advance. A small sample is enough to detect the dangerous fibers in the wood screed.
- Types of asbestos: predominantly chrysotile, rarely actinolite-tremolite
- Asbestos content: generally traces up to 5 %, often distributed inhomogeneously within the product
Our services for you
- analysis for asbestos carried out by qualified scientists in our own accredited laboratory
- short processing time, as a rule 3 days after sample receipt
- court-proof analysis
- regular participation in collaborative studies in the field of asbestos analysis
Costs for the analysis for asbestos in magnesite-floors, xylolites
Analysis as material sample according to VDI guideline 3866, page 5 for
€ 85.00 net or € 101.15 VAT incl.
Frequently asked questions about stone wood and magnesite screed
What is magnesite screed or stonewood?
Stonewood is a floor covering made of magnesium oxide and sorel cement. In Germany and Austria, ready-to-lay floor coverings are also referred to as screeds. Accordingly, stone-wood flooring is also called magnesite screed, magnesia screed or stone-wood screed. Invented in the 19th century, the material is pressure resistant, fire resistant and moisture balancing. Therefore, since the beginning of the 20th century, it was increasingly used for floors with high loads, for example, in kitchens, bathrooms and workshops. Other coverings were also made of stone wood.
Does stone wood or magnesite screed contain asbestos?
After the end of the Second World War, carcinogenic asbestos was added to many products made of stone wood. Due to the scarcity of resources at that time, the inexpensive and robust stone wood flooring was often installed in the post-war period. In old buildings from this period, there is therefore an acute suspicion of asbestos in stone-wood flooring. Asbestos was used in industry in Germany until the 1990s.
Why is there asbestos in stone wood flooring?
Asbestos is an extremely robust material that is both heat-resistant and waterproof, and has excellent insulating properties. It also improves the mechanical properties (resistance to fracture, cracking) of flooring.It was therefore used from the 1960s in many products of the construction industry, including flooring, cladding and insulation. Materials containing asbestos are still found in older buildings. If the renovation of older floors is pending, experts therefore advise an asbestos analysis in advance.
How dangerous is asbestos in old stone wood flooring?
Stone wood flooring containing asbestos usually contains no more than five percent of the harmful substance. As long as the flooring is undamaged, the fine asbestos fibers remain safely bound in the material. However, if the asbestos-containing screed is damaged, there is an acute health hazard. Particularly during renovation work that generates dust, a significant release of fibers can occur, triggering the dangerous lung disease asbestosis or cancer.
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How should asbestos-containing wood screed be disposed of?
Experts advise against removing asbestos-containing building materials yourself. The health consequences are too serious. Homeowners should therefore hire a specialist company that uses appropriate safety clothing and special equipment. Clients should be sure to ask the company to show proof of competence. The "small asbestos certificate" or certificate of competence TRGS 519 is required for the remediation of bound asbestos.
How much does it cost to remove asbestos containing stone wood flooring?
The cost of professional asbestos abatement depends on the amount of material to be disposed of and how difficult it is to remove. For stone wood screed, homeowners should expect to pay between 30 and 45 euros per cubic meter. In addition, there may be costs for travel, tools and, if necessary, scaffolding. Many companies take care of the disposal of the hazardous screed at the same time. If homeowners dispose of the asbestos waste themselves at a landfill site or a recycling center, the prices vary greatly depending on the region. In Berlin, the disposal of one kilo of asbestos-containing material costs around 1.50 euros. There is an ordinance on the verification of asbestos-containing building materials. When disposing of asbestos, it is therefore obligatory to provide a legally binding statement of the asbestos content of the material.
As an accredited testing laboratory, CRB naturally produces the results of the asbestos analyses in a form that can be used in court. It is therefore best to request your asbestos analysis right away.
How can I tell if my screed contains asbestos?
It is impossible to tell with the naked eye whether the wooden screed contains asbestos. One clue can be the age of the building. Asbestos was added to screed especially in the immediate post-war period. Products from the second half of the 1960s rarely contain asbestos. However, only an asbestos analysis can provide complete certainty. Asbestos can be detected in many different building materials. A widespread asbestos hazard comes from old floors made of PVC. Asbestos is also repeatedly detected in roofing felt. You can find information on other building materials in our material library.
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How must screed with asbestos be disposed of?
Screed with asbestos is considered hazardous waste and must not be disposed of with normal household waste. The regulations for disposal depend on the amount of asbestos measured. Stone wood flooring usually contains no more than five percent asbestos. Some recycling centers accept small amounts of asbestos waste for a fee. A court-proof asbestos certificate is required. Check with your regional recycling companies.
Identification of asbestos in magnesite floor, xylolite by means of SEM images and energy-dispersive element-spectra
