Does Laminate Flooring Offgas

Formaldehyde is normally present at low levels usually less than 0 03 parts per million ppm in both outdoor and indoor air.

Does laminate flooring offgas.

Not necessarily because the amount of formaldehyde in the laminate flooring if present can vary due to how the flooring is made. The use of volatile organic compounds in the manufacturing process of vinyl can actually fill your home with dangerous fumes and odors. Your laminate flooring should not require harsh chemicals for either sealing or cleanup. Some flooring that has a cork core and laminate on top can sometimes be referred to as cork flooring even though it has a laminate or plastic top.

The same for furniture rugs carpets and fabrics. Also plastic laminate may contain formaldehyde in the hdf core. Purchasing this type of material will help protect your home s air quality. Look for 100 fsc certified formaldehyde free adhesives and zero voc finishes.

Media attention to chinese laminate flooring off gassing of formaldehyde has been considerable. Find out about maintenance as well. New laminates have much less formaldehyde than they used to yes. Cali bamboo silverwood falls into this category which is cork with a laminate ceramic top as well as woodwise which has a pet plastic not vinyl engineered top layer.

And consider keeping new engineered wood or laminate flooring furniture made with pressed wood and other sources of formaldehyde outside living spaces at least until you cannot smell chemicals. Investigate whether the manufacturer typically off gasses its laminate flooring products at the factory prior to shipping them to suppliers. There is no real solid wood in a plastic laminate. It cannot be re sanded.

Because laminate flooring products are typically sealed with one or more layers on either side of the mdf core the principal formaldehyde offgassing source the offgassing rate for installed laminate flooring may be slow and the indoor formaldehyde levels may be correspondingly low as well. Some chinese manufactured laminate flooring produces high levels of formaldehyde off gassing because of the fast hot process used those laminate flooring fabricators. Because their off gassing will be greater when the laminate is new.