I was at the end of my rope. I had called more contractors than I could remember, received wildly different estimates, and listened to combined hours of explanations of various asbestos removal methods and I was no closer to the end of my asbestos nightmare. All I knew was I did not want to think about 9×9 tiles, black mastic, or hazmat containment areas ever again. I had 99 problems and asbestos was numbers 1-5 on the list.
I wanted to cover the ugly vinyl tiles in my basement, but no contractor or flooring company would touch the job until I had the old asbestos tiles removed. And safe, certified asbestos removal was going to cost… a lot. After multiple google sessions, I concluded it was completely safe to just put new flooring over the old floor, but that didn’t change the fact that Home Depot, Lowes, and every other place I called would not touch it for “liability” reasons.
My husband and I are NOT DIYers so in desperation I texted a friend.
“Do you know any contractors that would install a floating floor over existing asbestos tiles?”
“No. But I know a guy who does epoxy.”
She had my attention.
She told me that epoxy could be safely (and legally) poured over my old tiles, encapsulating them evermore in the unceremonious grave they deserved. After another extensive google sesh I discovered not only was she right about epoxy (Read: it did NOT require expensive asbestos removal), but epoxy floors are GORGEOUS 😍.
(And yes, I’m in my 30’s… so floors can be gorgeous now. Don’t even get me started on my rapturous feelings about blown-in insulation.)
I reached out to Stach from Epoxy Floors by Above the Board Carpentry and he was super helpful, answered all of my questions, and was able to start work on my floor right away, which was a huge relief after the literal months I spent trying to navigate the world of asbestos testing and removal. He explained the process in detail, including the fact that sometimes the details change as the job progresses. The best part though is that we got to pick any custom floor color(s) we wanted. We went with a dark blue/light blue swirl that looks very oceany and happens to be the perfect backdrop for playing pirates, Octonauts, or the floor is (blue) lava.
We get endless compliments from visitors about how cool it is, and it ended up costing us less than paying for that expensive asbestos removal + new floor installation would have cost. Above the Board was easy to work with and left our floor looking 1,000% better than when they started. Everyone loves our new epoxy floors, and I love that I never have to spend another minute thinking about asbestos ever again. So if you have a basement, or a garage, or any space that needs a unique flooring solution don’t hesitate to call Epoxy Floors by Above the Board and discuss the endless possibilities of epoxy. They are friendly, timely, and of course, totally above board.😏 I’ve still got 99 problems, but my floor ain’t one.
Epoxy Floors by Above The Board 
is a one-stop shop for all of your Epoxy flooring, countertop, and decorative concrete needs. We provide complete installation, repair, and maintenance services to the local New England area, at affordable prices. No job is too small for us! From basic epoxy floor systems to high-end custom work, we’ve got you covered!
Decisions about home improvements are important and must be weighed very carefully. Our goal is to bring your project from idea to reality. We provide quality workmanship with dependable service and affordable prices. rest assured, we are licensed, registered, and insured. We also offer a one year warranty on workmanship.
Stop by and visit our booth at the 2022 RI Home Show at the Convention Center April 7-10. We’ll have tons of samples for you to see, and you could even win your own epoxy floor system!
