Kentile Floors Inc., headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, was a major manufacturer of asbestos-containing vinyl composite floor tiles for commercial and institutional flooring applications — including tile products used in US Navy shore facility buildings, barracks, administrative spaces, and in ship interior flooring throughout the WWII and Cold War era. Kentile’s asbestos vinyl tile contained asbestos fiber at approximately 20-30% by weight as a filler and reinforcing component providing the tile with durability, dimensional stability, and fire resistance. Kentile asbestos floor tile was a standard commercial flooring product used in the construction and renovation of Navy shore facility buildings throughout the period from WWII through the late 1970s when asbestos tile products were phased out.

Asbestos Content and Exposure in Kentile Floor Tile

Kentile floor tile’s asbestos content created exposure during installation and removal:

  • Floor tile cutting during installation — Kentile asbestos vinyl tile had to be cut to fit at room borders and around obstacles during installation, with tile cutting using a utility knife or tile cutter releasing asbestos fiber from the cut edge of the tile and from the tile face disturbed during the scoring and cutting process. Navy Utilitiesmen (UT) and Seabee Builders (BU) installing Kentile flooring in Navy shore facility construction and renovation projects accumulated asbestos exposure from repeated tile cutting operations
  • Floor tile removal during renovation — removing existing Kentile asbestos tile during Navy facility renovation required breaking the tile adhesive bond, with aged and brittle asbestos tile breaking and crumbling during removal — releasing asbestos fiber from the tile body. Maintenance workers removing Kentile tile in Navy facilities during renovation had significant asbestos exposure from the tile removal operations
  • Tile adhesive — the mastic adhesive used to bond Kentile and other asbestos floor tiles also incorporated asbestos fiber in some formulations, creating additional asbestos exposure from adhesive mixing and application during tile installation

Kentile asbestos floor tile appeared throughout Navy shore facility construction:

  • Barracks and berthing spaces — the barracks and enlisted berthing buildings at naval stations, naval air stations, and training facilities used vinyl composite floor tile in berthing, head, and common area flooring, with Kentile and competitor products standard in these applications
  • Administrative and office buildings — the administrative buildings and office spaces at Navy commands used commercial flooring products including Kentile asbestos tile throughout the building stock
  • Technical school and training buildings — the technical school buildings at Navy training commands used asbestos floor tile in classroom and hallway flooring throughout the WWII-era and postwar building stock

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Kentile Floors Products

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from floor tile work at Navy shore facilities. Utilitiesmen, Seabee ratings, and maintenance workers who installed, cut, or removed Kentile asbestos vinyl floor tile in Navy shore facility applications and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.