Hello Don,
Don asbestos flooring, when intact and in good condition, is generally not considered hazardous. However, asbestos can become a real problem if it ever gets crushed, crumbled or reduced to an inhalable state.
Depending on the condition and location of the flooring, there are two recommended methods to deal with flooring containing asbestos.
It is either remove or encapsulate.
Having said you’re using and have intentions of using basement as a rec room and a workshop I would advise to encapsulate existing asbestos tile to prevent potential release.
Typically cement base self leveling products are used to encapsulate and top coat the surface of the tiles. Once the compound is set and dry it can be finished with traditional flooring products. Obviously encapsulating and finishing with a layer of flooring it’s going to increase cost of the project.
Considering you’re on the limited budged I would suggest simply painting or staining leveling compound. Keep in mind though not every self-leveling compound it’s designed to be finished flooring product.
Product I recommend for this application and I have used in past with excellent results is called TRU self leveling.
Rapid Set® TRU™ Self-Leveling is an advanced hydraulic cement based, self-leveling topping, resurfacer, and underlayment that can be used both indoors and outdoors. TRU™ rapidly levels, maintains workability for 30 minutes, and produces a smooth, strong surface with high bond strength. TRU™ is ready for foot traffic in 2 - 3 hours and ready for coatings in about 12 hours. TRU™ Self-Leveling is a crack resistant, durable, one-component system and won't deteriorate in damp conditions.
Coverage is 22-24 SF @ ¼” thickness which translates to about 21-22 50lg bags for 500 square feet.
Hope this helps.
George
