Kentile Asphalt Tile

Product Description

Kentile Floors, Inc. was one of the most prominent American floor covering manufacturers of the twentieth century, producing resilient tile products that were installed in millions of homes, schools, offices, hospitals, and industrial facilities across the United States. The company operated for decades and built a national reputation on the durability and affordability of its flooring lines. Among its most widely distributed products was its asphalt tile, a resilient floor covering that became a standard specification in commercial and industrial construction projects from the mid-twentieth century onward.

Asphalt tile was a common category of resilient flooring used throughout the building industry during the postwar construction boom. It was valued for its resistance to moisture, its relative ease of installation, and its low cost compared to other flooring materials. Kentile’s asphalt tile products were sold under the Kentile brand and distributed through building supply channels, flooring contractors, and commercial construction supply networks. The tiles were installed in factories, warehouses, schools, apartment buildings, and a wide range of other structures, making them one of the more pervasive flooring products of their era.

The company eventually filed for bankruptcy, and as part of proceedings addressing its asbestos liability, the Kentile Floors Inc. Asbestos Settlement Trust was established to compensate individuals who were harmed by exposure to asbestos in Kentile products, including its asphalt tile lines.

Asbestos Content

Asphalt floor tiles produced during much of the twentieth century commonly incorporated chrysotile asbestos as a functional ingredient in their composition. Asbestos fibers were added to resilient tile formulations because they improved the structural integrity of the product, increased resistance to cracking and heat, and helped bind the tile matrix together during manufacturing. These properties made asbestos an attractive additive for manufacturers producing high-volume, low-cost flooring materials designed for heavy-use environments.

Kentile Floors, Inc. manufactured asphalt tile products that contained asbestos during the period in which such formulations were standard industry practice. The presence of asbestos in these tiles has been documented through litigation records, trust fund claim processes, and historical product analysis. The Kentile Floors Inc. Asbestos Settlement Trust recognizes asphalt tile as a product category associated with asbestos-containing materials for purposes of evaluating and compensating eligible claimants.

Like other asphalt tiles of the period, Kentile’s products encapsulated asbestos fibers within a hardened tile matrix when they were intact and undisturbed. However, the tiles became a source of asbestos fiber release when they were cut, sanded, abraded, broken, or removed — activities that were routine parts of both original installation and later renovation or demolition work.

How Workers Were Exposed

Exposure to asbestos from Kentile asphalt tile occurred across multiple phases of the product’s life cycle, from manufacturing through installation, maintenance, and eventual removal or demolition. Industrial workers and tradespeople who handled these tiles in any of these contexts may have experienced occupational asbestos exposure.

Manufacturing workers at facilities producing asphalt tile were potentially exposed to raw asbestos fiber during the blending and processing stages of tile production. Mixing asbestos with binder materials and forming tile sheets could release airborne fibers in production environments that often lacked adequate dust controls.

Flooring installers and tile mechanics were among the workers most directly and repeatedly exposed to Kentile asphalt tile throughout the product’s distribution period. Installation required scoring, snapping, or cutting tiles to fit room dimensions and navigate obstacles. Each cut released asbestos-containing dust into the work area. Workers in enclosed spaces with limited ventilation — such as commercial kitchens, factory floors, and basement areas — faced particularly concentrated exposure during installation work.

Maintenance and repair workers in industrial and commercial facilities encountered Kentile tile during routine upkeep. Buffing, stripping, and sanding worn tile surfaces were common maintenance tasks that abraded the tile matrix and released asbestos fibers. Workers who regularly maintained floors in factories, schools, and institutions may have had sustained, repeated exposure over many years.

Renovation and demolition workers faced significant exposure risks when removing Kentile asphalt tile during building upgrades or teardowns. Dry scraping, grinding, or chipping old tile from concrete or wood substrates is known to release high concentrations of asbestos fibers. Workers who removed flooring without proper respiratory protection or containment procedures were at risk of substantial inhalation exposure. Under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) and OSHA’s asbestos standards, tile removal is classified as a regulated activity requiring specific worker protections precisely because of the fiber release potential involved.

General industrial workers who worked in facilities where Kentile asphalt tile was installed may also have been exposed indirectly, particularly in environments where floor tile was damaged, deteriorating, or subjected to ongoing mechanical abrasion from equipment or foot traffic.

Diseases associated with occupational asbestos exposure — including mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related conditions — typically manifest decades after the initial exposure events, meaning that workers exposed to Kentile tile in the mid-twentieth century may only now be receiving diagnoses linked to that exposure.

Documented Trust Fund / Legal Options

The Kentile Floors Inc. Asbestos Settlement Trust was established to provide compensation to individuals who suffered asbestos-related harm as a result of exposure to Kentile products, including the company’s asphalt tile lines. The trust operates as part of the bankruptcy resolution process that addressed Kentile Floors, Inc.’s asbestos liability, and it provides a structured mechanism for eligible claimants to seek financial recovery outside of traditional courtroom litigation.

Filing Eligibility

To file a claim with the Kentile Floors Inc. Asbestos Settlement Trust, claimants generally must demonstrate:

• A diagnosed asbestos-related disease (such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or other qualifying condition)
• Documented exposure to a Kentile asbestos-containing product, including asphalt tile
• A connection between the exposure and an occupational or other qualifying contact with Kentile products

Typical Claim Categories

The trust evaluates claims across standard disease categories recognized in asbestos trust fund administration, which typically include:

• Mesothelioma — the highest-priority and highest-value disease category
• Lung cancer — with or without accompanying asbestosis findings
• Asbestosis and other non-malignant conditions — including pleural disease and related conditions meeting clinical thresholds
• Other serious asbestos-related diseases — as defined by the trust’s distribution procedures

Documentation Requirements

Claimants are typically required to submit medical records confirming their diagnosis, occupational history documentation establishing exposure to Kentile asphalt tile or other qualifying Kentile products, and, in some cases, statements from co-workers, union records, or employment records that corroborate the exposure history.

Additional Legal Avenues

Individuals who were exposed to Kentile asphalt tile may also have claims against other parties in the asbestos supply chain, including raw asbestos suppliers, distributors, or other manufacturers whose products were used alongside Kentile tile in the same work environments. An attorney experienced in asbestos litigation can help evaluate whether claims against multiple trusts or defendants are appropriate based on the specific facts of each case.

Workers or family members who believe they may have been harmed by exposure to Kentile asphalt tile should consult with a qualified asbestos attorney to assess their eligibility and begin the claims process before applicable statutes of limitations expire.