Keeping a healthy home means paying attention to your indoor air quality. How can you create cleaner air within your home? One of the biggest decisions that influences indoor air quality is the type of flooring you install in a room. Unfortunately, non-toxic flooring isn’t always easy to find. You have to contend with VOCs and other toxic chemicals within the flooring material and any additional components like finishes or installation glue. Every flooring option and manufacturer is different, but carefully considering these details is a crucial part of how to find non-toxic flooring. Learn how to attain the best options for your happy, healthy home in this guide.
Choose Solid Flooring
While carpet is a popular home flooring choice, it’s a lot worse for your air quality than solid flooring options. Carpeting can trap and emit VOCs like formaldehyde, benzene, and carcinogens from stain repellent materials. Smooth, solid flooring options like hardwood, tile, polished concrete, or linoleum don’t trap dangerous chemicals the way carpet does, making them a safer option. If you must choose carpet for your home, look for clean, chemical-free options that don’t contain dyes, pesticides, or stain repellents. You can also look for labels and certifications, such as “Green Label Plus” and “NAF-certified,” which indicate healthy, non-toxic flooring options.
Pay Attention to Finishes, Glue, and Other Details
Looking for natural materials and healthy certifications can go a long way in how to find non-toxic flooring. However, even if your flooring is non-toxic, the finish, sealant, and glue you use to install the flooring might contain dangerous chemicals. If you purchase engineered or solid hardwood flooring, choose low-VOC wood stains. If you decide that tile is the way to go, ask the product manufacturer and installer about the chemicals in the grout. Finally, look at installation alternatives that don’t involve glue. For hardwood flooring, use nails, staples, or the floating method. You can also use interlocking boards for linoleum floors, avoiding the need for glue or other chemical-filled products in the installation process.
Choosing the perfect floor for your home involves a lot of research. However, the process becomes easy when you work with someone you can trust. From the Forest, a proud engineered hardwood flooring manufacturer in the USA, will help you find beautiful, durable, and safe hardwood floors for your home. With our high-quality products and friendly expertise, we make it easy to find the perfect floors for any project.