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How Can We Select Non Toxic Engineered Hardwood Flooring?
Photo Credit: Photo by Vecislavas Popa from Pexels
My husband and I have finally decided on our engineered hardwood flooring. We are installing a hardwood flooring using a contractor. When you are deciding on engineered hardwood flooring planks, it could be overwhelming since there are many different colors, textures, grain patterns to choose from. Engineered hardwood flooring can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air where we breathe in. Volatile organic compounds can be harmful to our health and it should be avoided. However, a contractor doesn’t necessarily tell you which engineered hardwood flooring is non toxic. Also, a sales person in the showroom may just give you a price range and different styles of planks, and expect you to pick a plank. I am not sure with other people but at least in my experience, I felt I had to research engineered hardwood flooring further myself to see if the particular engineered wood was non toxic. I wanted to share with you about my findings. In this post, I will talk about how engineered hardwood flooring can be toxic, what to look for when selecting engineered hardwood and what non toxic engineered hardwood flooring options are available.
How Engineered Hardwood Can Be Toxic And What To Look For
Engineered hardwood flooring can emit VOCs from engineered hardwood planks, finish and glue used in the installation. Volatile organic compounds are organic compounds that easily become vapors or gasses at a normal room temperature. They are released from products and we can be exposed by inhaling or by skin contact. Short term exposure to volatile organic compounds can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, and respiratory tract, headaches and memory problems. Long term exposure can cause damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system or cancer.
It is really hard for us consumers to measure how much VOCs are emitted from engineered hardwood flooring ourselves. However, we can find out what part of the flooring can emit harmful VOCs and try to eliminate what releases VOCs. Let’s take a look at how engineered hardwood flooring can emit volatile organic compounds.
Engineered Hardwood Planks
1.1 How Engineered Hardwood Flooring Planks Can Be Toxic
Environmental Working Group (EWG) warns about composite wood products including engineered hardwood since composite wood products can contain glue that is made with formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen and serious home air pollutant. Any engineered hardwood made with urea formaldehyde glue should be avoided since it can emit 90 percent more formaldehyde than engineered wood containing phenol formaldehyde glue. Although plywood used in engineered hardwood floors are commonly manufactured using a phenol-formaldehyde resins these days, phenol-formaldehyde resins still contains formaldehyde and emits formaldehyde ten times more than solid hardwood. Engineered hardwood with phenol-formaldehyde resins can still emit some level of formaldehyde. Therefore, it is a good idea to check if the engineered hardwood is emitting formaldehyde at safe levels.
1.2 What To Look For In Engineered Hardwood Flooring Planks
These certifications can help you find engineered wood that emits low volatile organic compounds. (VOCs) Some certification only applies to low formaldehyde emission which is one of the main toxic VOCs from composite wood products.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification
Although engineered wood is not entirely solid wood, the top layer is made of hardwood. Some engineered flooring have a hardwood part that is FSC certified which indicates hardwood is sustainably harvested.
California Air Resources Board’s Phase 2 (CARB 2)
If an engineered wood plank has a CARB 2 label, that means it has composite wood core that has low level of formaldehyde emission and it is CARB 2 compliant. Carb 2 limits formaldehyde emission at 0.05 ppm. However, CARB 2 applies to only composite wood products that is sold or supplied to California. Also, some engineered wood such as 3-ply core engineered wood is not subject to CARB 2 requirements. Therefore, just because an engineered wood doesn’t have this label, it doesn’t mean it has high formaldehyde emission. However, if it has this label, it is a good indication that composite core has low formaldehyde emission.
If you also purchase engineered wood (containing composite wood) manufactured or imported after Mar 22, 2019, it has to be TSCA Title VI or CARB 2 certified for low formaldehyde emission. (set at 0.05 ppm) United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doesn’t require a TSCA compliant label if the product has a small amount of composite wood under 144 square inches. Therefore, some composite wood core engineered hardwood may not have this label. Again, if the engineered wood doesn’t have composite core, this regulation wouldn’t apply.
This is a voluntary certification. It tests for emissions from thousands of other chemicals in addition to formaldehyde for the whole flooring and for all types of floors. For engineered hardwood flooring products that are not subject to CARB 2 or TSCA Title V can show not only they are certified for low formaldehyde emission but other harmful VOCs.
GreenGuard is also a voluntary certification that tests emission levels for over 360 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), plus a limit on the total of all chemical emissions combined (TVOC). Some engineered wood is GreenGuard Gold certified which has stricter standards and considers safety factors to account for sensitive individuals (such as children and the elderly).
FloorScore is a voluntary indoor air quality certification for finished flooring products. A finished flooring product is tested for 35 individual VOC emissions including formaldehyde.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
LEED provides a certification for green buildings. Engineered wood can get LEED credits under different categories. One of the categories is low emitting materials under Indoor Environmental Quality category to be qualified for LEED certification. Not all products that are LEED qualified are non toxic or have low volatile compounds (VOCs) since there are other categories that doesn’t measure indoor air quality. Engineered hardwood that fall under low emitting materials will have low VOC emission.
No Added Formaldehyde (NAF) or Ultra-Low-Emitting Formaldehyde (ULEF)
Engineered hardwood flooring that uses No Added Formaldehyde (NAF) or Ultra-Low-Emitting Formaldehyde resins and adhesives have little to no formaldehyde emissions. They can be CARB Phase 2 exempt since they have really low formaldehyde emission that is below Phase 2 emission standards. No Added Formaldehyde (NAF) or Ultra-Low Emitting Formaldehyde (ULEF) can also contribute to LEED Credit (Indoor Air Quality).
No Urea Added Formaldehyde (NUAF)
Materials that are labeled as NAUF (no added urea formaldehyde) do not use a toxic urea formaldehyde adhesives but use phenol formaldehyde as an adhesive. NAUF products meet CARB Phase II compliance and have the low emissions level. No Urea Added Formaldehyde (NAUF) can also contribute to LEED Credit (Indoor Air Quality).
1.3 Non Toxic Engineered Hardwood Flooring Planks
These are some examples of non toxic engineered hardwood flooring brands.
Mohawk Flooring – Mohawk Flooring offers flooring using PureBond Technology. PureBondTechnology does not use Urea Formaldehyde adhesives in their engineered hardwood. Their products meets CARB requirements and can earn LEED points.
Hallmark Floors – Hallmark Floors is TSCA Title VI Compliant. Hallmark Floors has formaldehyde emission of 0.01-0.04 ppm which is lower than CARB II or TSCA Title VI limit at 0.05.
Shaw Floors – Their engineered wood meets CARB 2 requirements. Also their floors are Greenguard certified.
Uptown Floors – Uptown hardwoods exceed levels of 0.05 PPM with a testing result of 0.01 PPM (lower) in CARB2 compliance.
AAYERS Flooring – AAYERS Flooring products meet CARB 2 requirements. Their products have been tested to have formaldehyde emission of 0.01-0.02 ppm.
Twelve Oaks – Most of their engineered products are FloorScore certified and CARB 2 compliant.
Kenwood Floors – Kentwood Floors are CA Section 01350 compliant.
Tesoro Wood – Their engineered floors are FloorScore certified which means they comply with the volatile organic compound emissions criteria of the California Section 01350 standard, or CARB (California Air Resources Board).
Harris Wood – Harris wood floors use 100% natural real hardwood 5-ply engineered flooring and no composites. Their products are CARB 93120 ULEF Compliant – the strictest U.S. guidelines for formaldehyde emissions, and additionally are manufactured using ULEF adhesives. Their products are FloorScore certified.
Mannington – Mannington Engineered Hardwood floors are FlooreScore certified and are also CARB 2 compliant.
Kahrs Kahrs wood floors have no added formaldehyde glue in their engineered products. They have also been the leader of sustainable flooring.
Teragren Bamboo – All Teragren flooring products comply with California standard 01350 for indoor air quality and are CARB Phase II compliant – emitting significantly less formaldehyde than allowed by the CARB standard. Their products are also FloorScore Certified.
Wood Floor Finishes
2.1 How Wood Floor Finishes Can Be Toxic
Hardwood is given a finish to protect the wood from scratches or damages. Many wood flooring finishes contain and release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can be harmful to our health. According to a Underwriters Laboratories (UL) research on wood floor finishes, researchers found that 80 percent of today’s wood finishes emit some level of toxic VOCs. Traditional solvent-based floor coatings off-gas over 60 chemicals, including some linked to cancer and reproductive harm. The study also included testing of traditional water-based coatings, water-based finish that use water as the primary solvent along with water-compatible solvents, such as n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP). NMP can cause congenital disabilities and miscarriage. The study used UL’s GREENGUARD and GREENGUARD Gold standards for VOC exposure limits. Emission levels were measured during the period of up to two weeks after the application of wood coating products. (Consumers may occupy the living space within two week period after a finish is dried and cured.) According to the study, both traditional solvent-based and traditional water-based floor coatings emitted VOCs exceeding their safe levels during this period. “Clean” water-based coatings did not exceed permissible total VOCs (TVOCs) as prescribed under UL’s GREENGUARD and GREENGUARD Gold standards.
Then how much VOCs do wood floor finishes contain? The higher VOC content, the more VOCs will be released. Conversion varnish or varnish finishes have VOC levels within the limit of 725g/L. US have VOC restrictions and the use of some of these varnishes are not allowed due to high VOCs. Federal law requires varnishes to contain less than 450g/L. Many states have a limit of 350 g/L, and California’s limit is 275 g/L. Oil-based polyurethane finishes commonly contain about >275 up to 550 g/L of VOCs. Water-based polyurethane finishes’ VOC levels vary up to 450 g/L. Some low VOC water-based floor finishes contain around 50 to 250 grams of VOCs per liter. Natural oils and hardwax oils usually contain 0 g/L VOCs. Natural oils, hardwax oils and low VOC water-based polyurethane finishes will be a better choice when it comes to lower volatile organic compounds. (VOCs)
2.2 Things To Look For In Stains and Finishes
When you choose engineered hardwood flooring, you can choose between unfinished or pre-finished engineered hardwood. For unfinished hardwood flooring, a finish is given to engineered hardwood on-site after installation. Pre-finished hardwood flooring, on the other hand, will not require any finish done on site since it is already finished at the factory. Non toxic finish options for engineered hardwood flooring is as follows.
Selecting unfinished engineered hardwood then apply low VOC water-based polyurethane finish, natural oil sealer or shellac
A finish will off-gas volatile organic compounds while it is applied to the engineered hardwood floor, dried and cured. Volatile Organic Compounds is actually emitted the most during this time which can be very harmful for our health. Therefore, finishes that release a lot of VOCs such as oil-based polyurethane, acid cured, moisture cured finishes are not non toxic options. Natural oil sealers or shellacs are the most non toxic finish option since they contain and release no or very low VOCs. However, keep in mind they are less durable than water-based polyurethane and will require more maintenance. You can read more about different type of finishes (#4) in my other post and decide which finish option may be better for your situation.
Selecting pre-finished engineered hardwood with natural oil sealer or polyurethane
If you want to avoid large off-gassing of VOCs on-site, you can choose pre-finished engineered hardwood. Pre-finished engineered hardwood is already sanded and finished at the factory so it can be just installed before you can walk on it. On-site finish process is not needed. Therefore, it doesn’t require any time for a finish to be applied, dried and cured. Pre-finished engineered hardwood with a natural oil sealer will be one of the most non toxic pre-finish option. There are not that many pre-finished solid hardwood with a natural oil finish available. However, you can find more of natural oil finished engineered hardwood in the market. Therefore, if you like a natural oil sealer as your finish option, it is easier to find with engineered hardwood. A natural oil finish is non toxic but it is less durable than a polyurethane finish and it will require more maintenance. However, it can be easily repaired or refinished even partially.
You can also choose a pre-finished engineered hardwood plank with a polyurethane finish. Many polyurethane finish has aluminum oxide coatings. Factory pre-finished polyurethane finish with aluminum oxide is very durable and most engineered hardwood flooring with this finish comes with 25-35 years of warranty on residential wear. However, unlike natural oil sealer, often, aluminum oxide finish may not be repaired partially. Pre-finished engineered hardwood has a very thick coat of factory applied aluminum oxide. When being refinished, that thick coat will have be all sanded off first before a refinish is applied. Therefore, sanding only a part of the floor may not be possible since only that plank will appear look lower than the rest of the planks. Sanding of entire section or flooring may be needed. When the floor with aluminum oxide goes through a sanding process, aluminum oxide particles can be released. Inhaling aluminum oxide particles, especially nano-sized aluminum oxide particles can be very harmful to our health. If sanding is not a good option for the floor with aluminum oxide, a replacement of the floor may be needed. Polyurethane finish with aluminum oxide is very durable. Therefore, you may not experience damages and have a need to replace the flooring for a long time. However, damages can happen. Therefore, decide which option you are more comfortable with when choosing a non toxic finish option.
Check out pre-finished engineered hardwood flooring.
2.3 Non Toxic Wood Floor Finishes – Zero-VOC or Low VOC Finishes
The most non toxic finish option would be no VOC products such as natural oils and natural waxes. Zero VOC finish contains no more than 5 grams of VOC’s per litre by volume. Low VOC means stains with no more than 200 grams/ litre by volume and varnishes within 300 grams/ litre by volume. Here are some zero and low VOC finishes.
Rubio’s Monocoat Oil Plus 2C – Rubio’s Monocoat Oil Plus 2C has 0% VOC. It does not contain any water or solvents. It has very fast curing time: 80% in 2 days. It Comes in 40 Colors
AFM Safecoat Polyureseal BP Finish – AFM Safecoat Polyurethane BP Finish has very low odor, and very low VOC. It is water-based and SCS certified as well as LEED certified.
Bona ClassicSeal – Bona ClassicSeal is a clear waterborne sealer that prevents the finish from penetrating into the wood surface. It is VOC compliant and virtually odorless. It is GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified.
Bona Traffic Anti Slip Satin Wood Floor Finish – Bona Traffic Anti Slip Satin Wood Floor Finish is VOC compliant and GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified.
Vermont Natural Coatings PolyWhey Floor Finish – Vermont Natural Coatings Polywhey Floor finish is made from renewable resource and has less than 180 g/l VOC (low VOC). It has very low order and dry time of under 2 hours. It is easy to cleanup with soap and water.
Real Milk Paint Pure Tung Oil – Real Milk Paint Pure Tung Oil has zero VOCs and is FDA approved for food contact.
OSMO Polyx Hard Wax Oil – OSMO Polyx Hard Wax Oil is made of sunflower oil, soybean oil, thissle oil, carnauba wax, and candelilla wax. It has clear stain matt finish.
If you wan to avoid finish off-gassing on -site, you can choose pre-finished engineered hardwood flooring. Many pre-finished engineered hardwood flooring planks have urethane finish or urethane finish with aluminum oxide (often UV-cured).
Check out pre-finished engineered hardwood flooring.
Wood Floor Installation
3.1 How Wood Floor Installation Can Be Toxic
Flooring adhesive is applied to attach engineered hardwood planks to the subfloor or underlayment when installing engineered hardwood flooring. Glue can also contain and emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Urethane adhesives are widely used for engineered hardwood flooring. It contains no water and reacts & solidifies in the presence of moisture. When urethane adhesive contains solvent and other VOC contents, it will emit VOCs when applied and as it solidifies. It can also release VOCs after it dries. Acrylic based adhesives are often water-based formulated. Which glue can be used for installation depends on condition of the subfloor, requirements and recommendations of engineered hardwood manufacturer. Some manufacturers may require certain glue to be used for their engineered hardwood. Each glue comes with differing levels of VOCs. Higher VOC contents will emit more VOCs into the air. Current VOC level limit is 100 (g/L) for wood flooring adhesives. Some urethane adhesives contain no solvent or VOCs and same as acrylic based adhesives. Whichever glue is used, if an adhesive contains solvent or high levels of VOCs, it will release VOCs.
3.2 What To Look For In Wood Floor Installation
Engineered hardwood flooring can be installed in several ways. It can be nailed, stapled, glued down to the subfloor, or floated on the subfloor. However, each engineered hardwood plank comes with different installation requirements depending on its style. Not all engineered hardwood can be nailed, stapled, glued, and floated. Therefore, find out how the engineered hardwood of your choice can be installed.
Glue used for installation can also contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Therefore, if you can eliminate glue as much as possible, that would be ideal. You can minimize glue by nailing down the engineered hardwood. However, engineered hardwood can not be installed over concrete directly. If you have a concrete floor, you can place a plywood subfloor first. Then, nailing or stapling down can be done on that plywood subfloor. However, some people may not want to go though a trouble installing a plywood subfloor first which requires extra labor and costs. Also, plywood is still a composite wood material. Therefore, I don’t know if I want to install plywood first just to use a nailing or stapling method.
Engineered hardwood flooring can also be glued down. This installation method will use glue on the entire floor. This will create more exposure to glue.
Engineered hardwood can also be installed using a floating method. Most of engineered flooring can be floated. A floating floor is not nailed down to the subfloor but the edges of each plank gets attached to each other by glue and floated over the subfloor. It can be floated on concrete or plywood. Most popular styles of engineered hardwood is tongue and groove or click lock. For tongue and groove engineered hardwood, glue is applied to the tongue and groove seams (edges) of each plank to keep the planks together. Some engineered hardwood flooring products have a click lock design. A click lock design does not require glue for a floating installation since you can join the edges by clicking and locking the edges together. I like the floating method since you will use less glue than applying glue on the entire floor. Check to see if your flooring is designed for a floating floor installation.
3.3 Non Toxic Wood Floor Installation Glue
Depending on the engineered hardwood, glue may be needed for installation. If you have a contractor or a floor installer installing the flooring using glue, you may want to find out what kind of glue they are using. Here are some non toxic glues that can be used for installation.
Robert’s 1406 tongue and groove adhesive – Robert’s tongue and groove adhesive is a solvent free, zero VOC calculated, non-flammable, non-toxic, premium water-based product.
Bostik’s TKO Urethane Hardwood Adhesive – Bostik’s TKO Urethane Hardwood Adhesive has zero VOC’s.
Bostik’s GreenForce® Advanced Tri-Linking™ Adhesive – Bostik’s GreenForce® Advanced Tri-Linking™ Adhesive has zero VOC content (as calculated per SCAQMD Rule 1168)
Bona R851 – Bona R851 is solvent and Isocyanate free with zero VOC’s. It is GreenGuard Certified and meets criteria for LEED EQc 4.1 (v. 2.1, 2.2, 3.0)
SikaBond®-T21 -SikaBond®-T21 has low VOC of 57 g/L (measured per SCAQMD rule 1168)
Final Thoughts
There are a lot to think about when choosing an engineered hardwood flooring. You not only want to select a flooring that is non toxic but also a flooring that meets your requirements of durability, easiness of repairs & maintenance, price and style. You will have to see which options may be more suitable for your home and yourself. If you are using a contractor installing a new floor, you may not be necessarily given all the information about the project. You will have to ask and find out what glue will be used or what installation method will be used for example. However, it is better to ask and discuss with your contractor if you want to be sure what is being installed in your home. After all, you will be living with your floor for a long time.
If you would like to find out about non toxic wood flooring options, please read my post, ‘Non Toxic Wood Flooring For Your Home – Which Wood Flooring Is Non Toxic?‘
If you would like to find out more about non toxic solid wood flooring, please read my next post, ‘How You Can Choose The Most Non Toxic Solid Hardwood Flooring.’
If you would like to find more about ceramic or porcelain tile flooring, please read my post, ‘Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Flooring – Things to Consider When Choosing Ceramic or Porcelain Tile.’
If you are interested in non toxic mattresses, please read my post ‘Non Toxic Mattress Guide – Chemical-Free, Organic Mattress‘.
For non toxic sofa companies that you can shop from, please read my next post, ‘Non Toxic Sofa Guide – Which Sofa Brand Is Non Toxic?‘
For non toxic area rugs, please read my post, ‘Non Toxic Rugs – What Non Toxic, Natural Rugs Are Best?‘
PLEASE SHARE THIS POST WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR LEAVE ME A COMMENT! 🙂
Thank you for such a thorough job exploring and explaining all the non- toxic options for flooring. Very helpful indeed!
Thank you! 🙂
Your information is extremely helpful! Over 30 years ago I was diagnosed with MCS [Multiple Chemical Sensitivities]. Now it is critical that I be very careful about any product that I bring into my home. Five years ago the contractor installed hardwood floors in the kitchen as part of my kitchen renovation and refinished two levels of existing hardwood floors [entire main level and second floor]. The contractor complied with my requirements to use AFM Safecoat and Vermont Natural Coatings products. I was home during all of the work, including the dustless sanding, staining and sealing, and I had no health problems. Now I want to install engineered wood to the lower level of my home; there was a clothing moth infestation of the organic, untreated wool carpeting! Your article is well-researched and provides accurate information in my mind. I will definitely check out the products you have included. Many thanks!
Thank you! 🙂
thank you for your information
we are researching what floor to put in condo in maui with a
6 month old baby
not too many options here
what brand of engineered wood floor did you use?
Hi Laurie,
We used pre-finished Kentwood engineered wood. 🙂
Hi Isabelle. Thanks for the sharing. Also having kids and had the worries on the harmful toxic from the Engineered wood selection. If you don’t mind can i know you engage which company for the wood and installation contractor?
Hi Brian,
We used pre-finished Kentwood engineered wood. 🙂
This is one of the most helpful and thorough articles that I have ever read not just on this topic but on any of the topics I’ve been reading up on as I prepare a nursery for our first baby. It answered so many questions and gave me a very good sense of what questions I could ask potential engineered wood manufacturers. I look forward to using your site for more research given what a great job you did! Can I ask one question? I noticed that Mirage is not on your list of planks. Is there a specific reason why? Thank you again for all of your help!
Thank you, Debbie!
Regarding Mirage engineered wood, I am not familiar with Mirage.
Are they low emitting engineered wood?
I couldn’t really find their engineered wood planks’ specifications on their website.
Mohawk Revwood laminate gave me asthma and has displaced me from my home for 4 months. I cannot live there because the air is toxic.
Hi Jessica,
Sorry to hear that and thank you for sharing. Laminate flooring is one of the most toxic flooring options due to the materials and glue used in the laminate flooring planks.
Thank you for doing all the work for me! We finally found a flooring contractor who returns our calls, and are booked for February (I need four months to get ready!) But like so many, I have to worry about chemicals, and then there’s the cats. They will be on the new floor much of the time, and I don’t want them exposed to chemicals. Your post saves me a lot of research, and I appreciate your thoroughness.
That’s great! Thank you!
Such a helpful breakdown of what to consider when putting in flooring. I really appreciate it.
Thank you!
hi, Isabelle.
Your articles are super-helpful! Thank you for the important work you do,. We are considering the BC brand of CRAFT Floors — their engineered hardwood floors have a finish that is certified GreenGuard Gold, use forlmadehyde-free adhesive glue, and floors are from sustainably sourced wood. Any other criteria we should consider? Are you familiar with this brand?
Hi Shakil,
I am not familiar with the brand but sounds good. Are they using Zero VOC adhesives? Also, you may also see how you will be installing the engineered hardwood planks. (if using a tongue and groove method, using glue etc.)
Were you happy with this installation?
I have been in the hardwood flooring industry for twenty years and I found your article to be thorough and accurate. Thank you for your research and desire to share this important information with others!
Thank you!
Wow! You have been a “busy little girl” researching all this! Ten thousand (10,000) “thank-yous”!
We found Heritage Mill click-lock flooring that is CARB 2 compliant. W/ the wife’s sensitivity to chemicals, should I look for NAF/ULEF or GreenGuard Gold certification instead? Aren’t they better than CARB 2? It seems CARB 2 emission standard id .05ppm. And the others are lower?
PS. Thanks for your eco-friendly efforts.
Hi Bill,
According to a report by the Composite Panel Association,
-NAF/ULEF hardwood plywood test values cannot exceed 0.05 ppm, and NAF/ULEF particleboard, MDF and thin MDF test values cannot exceed 0.06 ppm.
-NAF products must also demonstrate a 90% or better compliance with a 0.04 ppm limit for the three consecutive months of quality control testing.
-ULEF products must also demonstrate 90% or better compliance with a 0.04 ppm limit for the six consecutive months of quality control testing
–Greenguard Certification‘s formaldehyde emission limit is ≤ 0.05 ppm.
Hope this helps!
Did you happen to also research underlayments? We have radiant heat and are looking for a green product for the floor and underlayment. But we live in a condo so we have to also put in a product that will not help not transmit sound. So looking for a high IIC rating.
Hi Victoria,
We used natural cork underlayment. Natural cork is eco-friendly and it reduces sound transmission naturally. It can be used with radiant heat. However, you may want to consult your contractor if a particular cork underlayment is compatible with your radiant heat system. A cork underlayment manufacturer may have recommendation on their underlayment usage and installation.
Thank you for all your research. Did you pick the pre finished engineered Kentwood for your basement or main level of your home?
Hi Monica,
We used it for our living room and bedrooms. (We live in a condo so there is no basement.)
This is a great post. I’ve just been looking into this, contacting the manufacturers directly. I’m afraid that Kahrs does actually have added formaldehyde, but just at an ultra low level that means it does not have to be reported in emissions. I don’t know yet about the other brands you mention
Thanks for sharing!
As I was researching engineered hardwood floors, we found coswick floors to be non-toxic. They have NAF certification, they click together when floating so no need to use any glue to put them together. Purparket is another brand we are considering. A Canadian made product, GreenGuard gold certification and they use water based glue from Germany to glue them together when floating. We are still deciding with which ones we will go with.
They both sound great. Thanks for sharing! Personally, I like click ones with no glue. However, if the other one is Green Guard gold certified, that sounds great too. I guess it depends on which one you guys feel most comfortable with (as well as color, grain pattern, texture, hardness, etc. you are most happy with).
If laminate is CARB2 and EPA TSCA Title VI compliant, does that mean it’s relatively safe?
Hi Joe,
CARB2 and TSCA Title VI are standards available currently to limit emission level from the products. Maximum emission rate is 0.05ppm. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, formaldehyde is normally present at low levels less than 0.03ppm in both indoor and outdoor air. Also according to EPA, starting March 22, 2019, composite wood products must be labeled as TSCA Title VI compliant. Composite wood products include MDF, particle board, hardwood plywood and any finished goods containing these products. Hope this helps!
Thank you so much for this information. If we were to purchase a 4 year old house with engineered hardwood flooring, would it have already offgassed to safe levels? We found a house we would like to make an offer. Ideally we would rip out the flooring and install solid hardwood but that won’t be an option for us, at least not right away. We have 18-month old twins and I’m super concerned for their health and safety. Thank you!
Hi Pam,
I guess formaldehyde emission levels would depend on what type of engineered hardwood flooring was put in and how it was installed since the engineered hardwood planks and adhesives can have different levels of formaldehyde emission. California Phase 2 Compliant, TSCA Title VI Compliant, No added formaldehyde (NAF), no added urea formaldehyde (NAUF), Greenguard Gold certified engineered wood would have very low or no formaldehyde emission. However, it may be difficult to find out what type of engineered wood was installed and how it was installed.
Products can emit formaldehyde or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for years depending on what type of material, adhesives, etc. However, the emission happens the most in the beginning so the level of formaldehyde exposure is highest when the products are new. The emission levels reduce over time. According to the Agency For Toxic Substances Disease Registry, most formaldehyde is released within 2 years. Emissions from engineered wood products decrease over time so formaldehyde would have off gassed the most in the first 4 years after the flooring was installed.
Also, I have found the following guidelines from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention’s website. They are talking about the laminate flooring. Laminate flooring doesn’t contain any natural wood and also emits formaldehyde. I included the text below. Hope this helps!
Should I remove the laminate flooring in my home?
That depends.
If the flooring was installed several years ago, the levels of formaldehyde may have gone back to the levels usually found in homes — so there may be no reason to remove it.
If you’re having symptoms of formaldehyde exposure that go away when you leave your house, professional air testing may be a good idea. When the results come in, you can talk with the professional about what to do next.
Note that removing flooring, in particular, new laminate flooring, may increase formaldehyde release. Consult a professional before taking any action to remove the flooring.
Thank you very much for such an informative post! Have you heard about the fumed process Hallmark are using to created ion hardwood ? Do you think there is any health concern in this fuming processes (there is no much info on line. Basically it is fumed in enclosed chambers with ammonium hydroxide).
Thank you!
Hi Maria,
It seems that fuming involves airborne ammonia being released to the wood planks in a sealed environment. The wood gets exposed to ammonia fumes and the reaction of the wood to the ammonia fumes changes the color of the wood planks. I could not find much information about the process either. However, Ammonia is a harmful chemical.
Wikipedia states the following about ammonia fuming. There seems to be a safety concern for the person who is doing the job.
Fuming has some safety issues. The solution of ammonium hydroxide used is much stronger (26% to 30%) than in household ammonia and is corrosive. The fuming must be done in an enclosed sealed chamber. Ammonia splashes can burn skin and the fumes can cause burns to eyes and lungs. Operators need to wear gas masks, gloves and eye protection.
Also, an article in Home Preservation Manual, the author mentions the following while explaining about the wood fuming process. It seems that the fumed wood should be stored where it is not exposed to other wood or people for a few days after the fuming process.
The fumed piece should be kept where it can safely off-gas for two to three days…Don’t place your newly fumed piece on an oak floor or beech dining table. Residual fumes can easily penetrate urethane finish and leave permanent dark streaks wherever your fumed work piece touches it. Once the off-gassing period is over, you will be safe.
I could not really find the information if ammonia fumes are still off-gassed from the wood after this short period, or if so, how much are off-gassed. Therefore, I am not clear if the planks have any health concerns after the wood planks are installed. According to the NY Department of Health, inhalation of lower concentrations of ammonia can cause coughing, nose and throat irritation, olfactory fatigue or adaptation. However, as mentioned earlier, I am not sure if the ammonia fumes are off-gassed from the fumed wood planks and if off gassed, how much are released. I assume that any new engineered flooring could have some type of organic volatile compounds (VOCs) off-gassing (low or high) from it. Therefore, I would ventilate the place as much as possible after the floor is installed. Hope this helps!
Hi – Thanks for the post, super helpful. We are planning to replace our Shaw Maple floors with
ANDERSON TUFTEX HARDWOOD COLOR KENT – 19011, with our research we learn the product is pre-finished but not clear if it will off-gas during acclamation ? We have young children and need your help with this situation. Our flooring company may use both nail and glue to complete the installation. Please share us with your expertise based on your research on the below products and recommendations on VOC, risks and Green Guard certifications, since the installers or the flooring companies do not share all the details and insight required :
Thanks a ton for your help in advance.
Engineered hardwood:
https://andersontuftex.com/hardwood/details/buckingham-aa818/kent-19011
Adhesive:
https://www.mapei.com/us/en-us/products-and-solutions/products/detail/ultrabond-eco-980
https://cdnmedia.mapei.com/docs/librariesprovider10/products-documents/1829_en_8fc725e5c65e4b8d986eb4a33aa6c5f5.pdf?sfvrsn=84bb8abc_0
https://cdnmedia.mapei.com/docs/librariesprovider10/products-documents/mapei_2021_scs-iaq-06042_s1_b3c93b2d2d0c43fc9c6876b57a9d8afb.pdf?sfvrsn=2cbe1476_0
Thanks
BG
Hi, I am not an expert in this area, I just go by researching information. 🙂
I contacted the Anderson Tuftex. They told me that Buckingham flooring (Anderson Tuftex hardwood) is both Greenguard and Greenguard Gold certified for low VOCs. They sent me the copies of the Greenguard and Greenguard Gold certification. Greenguard Gold is one of the best certification for low VOCs. Also, Mapei Ultrabond Eco 980 is Indoor Air Quality certified (Less than/equal to 0.5 mg/m3 Total Volatile Organic Compounds). Acceptable levels of TVOC ranges from 0.3 to 0.5 mg/m3 of concentration. Level of Concern is considered to be marginal or high if TVOC concentration level is higher than 0.5 mg/m3. Mapei Ultrabond Eco 980 is not zero VOC but its VOC is within the acceptable level. Hope this helps!
Thanks a lot for the update and findings. I was able to confirm the same with the AT/Shaw floors as well. We have the necessary information to proceed with next steps. Appreciate your help. Thanks
Great! Thank you!
Extremely helpful article; thank you! A question I wasn’t able to find the answer to here: Oil-finished floors that require regular oil maintenance — how toxic are the maintenance oils? I purchased new Kahrs floors because Kahrs has a good VOC / environmental record, but their maintenance oil seems to have very high VOCs. Part of me thinks this should be ok because the floors were pre-finished with the stuff and ultimately tested well, so that means the VOC’s flash off quickly? The other part of me thinks maybe there are better alternatives out there? Any advice would be great!
Hi Stephanie,
Sorry for a late reply.
If their maintenance oil has very high VOCs, I wouldn’t feel comfortable using it. If I must use it, I would ventilate the place as much as possible.
Have the place ventilate before use or have windows open at all times during the use for a while. Off-gassing of VOCs from products usually occurs the most during the first a few weeks or months after application of finish and the amount is decreased over time. Depending on the products, VOCs can be released for a long time although the amount will be less and less the more times goes by. You may ask Kahrs if maintenance oils from other company brands can be used for your floors. If that is okay, then you can see if there is a better maintenance oils from other companies. Hope this helps!