Updated Summer 2020
There are many choices for non-toxic flooring suitable for the chemically sensitive or the health-conscious homeowner.
The best options are real hardwood, polished concrete, and tile. But specific brands of natural linoleum, carpet, and engineered wood are excellent choices as well.
I will look at a few options that are still non-toxic, but not quite as healthy, like luxury vinyl plank, laminate, cork, and bamboo.
If you need assistance choosing the best floor for your sensitivities, budget and area of the house, please contact me for a one-on-one consultation.
This post covers green non-toxic flooring divided into three categories, starting with the purest options:
1. The Greenest Options (Dark Green)
2. Medium Green
3. Light Green
I recommend all of the products here, some products have affiliate programs and some do not. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission through affiliate links at no extra cost to you.
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1. Greenest Floors “Dark Green” (0 VOC, No Offgassing)
i. Natural Solid Hard Wood
@fourboardwoodworks flooring & installation
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Natural wood flooring is usually my number one choice. It’s one of the purest and safest options. A few caveats for those extremely sensitive:
Wood contains natural terpenes that are safe (and even beneficial) for healthy folks, but do bother some extremely sensitive people. Aromatic woods like pine have higher natural volatile compounds than maple, as an example.
Flooring can contain anti-sapstain chemicals, which could explain why a few people react to wood used in building and not wood in the forest. Many of these treatments are benign though.
Wood also has a higher possibility of harboring mold than less porous materials. To prevent mold you should make sure your wood has been kiln-dried and kept dry at the store and onsite. In normal conditions, this is not an issue.
Wood Finishes
There are many green 0-VOC options for finishing wood. I used Hemp Oil on my floors, a purest option. AFM Poly BP is another great non-toxic finish.
I go into detail on more options for wood sealers and stains in my post on sealers.
Wood Floor Glues
For subfloor glues, my top pick is definitely AFM Almighty Adhesive which is safe and highly tolerable. My post on Glues has more info.
There are no VOC/HAPs wood fillers by Mohawk and ECOS for the nail holes. I find the standard Minwax wood putty to be too potent. The Dynamic putty pencil is very benign.
Unfinished Hardwood
You can buy solid unfinished hardwood flooring from specialty flooring stores, as well as Home Depot, Lowes and Lumber Liquidators. Lumber Liquidators is usually going to have the lowest price.
These big-box stores have networks of installers.
Pre-finished Hardwood
Usually finished with aluminum oxide infused polyurethane and cured under UV lights, these are typically very well tolerated once cured. I consider this to be a safe product even for the chemically sensitive. Test it first. It is close to 0-VOC.
This finish has two main benefits, not having to finish it in house and the finish partially blocks the wood odor.
I have looked over Mirage brand as well as Mono Serra from Home Depot. Bellawood from Lumber Liquidators also uses the UV cured polyurethane with aluminum oxide – they claim low VOC.
Install of Hardwood
Use solid wood baseboards – they come in both primed and unfinished (don’t use MDF).
Non-toxic underlayments include silicone backed paper (for the most sensitive) or Rosin paper. Nail down installation is less toxic than glue-down. You may need a small amount of regular wood glue on the last piece, or you may be able to face nail.
ii. Polished Concrete
If polished concrete flooring makes you think IKEA warehouse, think again, polished concrete can look beautiful and be green and healthy.
The Retroplate system uses “liquid glass” (a modified sodium silicate) and is completely non-toxic and 0-VOC. This option is available across Canada and the US.
Most polished concrete systems use sodium silicate or potassium silicate which are very safe and benign. Polished concrete is vapor breathable which makes it one of the best flooring types, alongside tile, over a concrete slab.
You can do acid stains, add natural pigments, use white cement, or add white sand to Portland Cement to get many different unique and modern looks.
Other concrete sealers
A lot of people want to know if epoxy sealers are non-toxic. Epoxy is a two-part sealer, where each part, in theory, comes to a complete chemical reaction with the other. In reality, it’s not that neat. It’s likely to offgas even if it claims 0 VOC.
Eventually, it should come to a complete cure. I don’t advise epoxy over a slab or basement floor, where it’s best to have it be able to dry to the inside.
iii. Tiles
Types of Non-Toxic Tiles:
Marble tile is good in theory. Most of it has a resin put on it at the factory to fill in tiny holes and fissures, and it might have a (chemical) sealant on it as well. The resin seems to cure and be fine for most people, the sealer is not as good for a couple reasons. Look for honed stones you can seal yourself.
A pure slab, or tile, that does not have a glossy finish can be sealed with a natural or low toxin sealer.
Slate is also good, you can find it unsealed like these tiles from Home Depot. Though like marble, a resin is used to fill lines and pits.
Both can be sealed with Meta Cream or walnut oil. Some types of slate and granite are dense enough to not require a sealer.
Concrete tiles have beautiful designs. You may want to ask what additives are in the concrete and test them out for tolerability. I sealed my concrete tiles with AFM Penetrating Water Stop. You can also use tung oil or Meta Cream.
Other natural stones like travertine, soapstone, and limestone are great options for green healthy floors. Always check if a resin or sealer is already applied, and then check to see which natural sealers will work over the stone of your choosing. Honed stones (i.e. not glossy) are the easiest to seal with a natural pure option. Very dense stones like many granite types and some slate do not require a sealer at all (bonus).
Tile Sealers: Budding green companies now make walnut oil and hemp oil that can be used on natural stone and concrete. I have tested the natural oils on slate, light-colored marble and dark-colored marble. Walnut oil is the preferred oil for most indoor stones, as hemp can turn the color, and tung is too thick.
Ceramic tiles have a high incidence of lead in the glaze. Ask for lead test results from the company and do a simple 3M Lead Swab (those are useful on a number of household items, and they are affordable). But to pick up lower levels of lead, you need to hire someone who has an XRF tool.
Lead in Tiles: All ceramic/porcelain tiles should be tested for lead. A client just tested American made tiles that stated they were lead-free, but when tested they showed high levels of lead. So it might be wise to test any glazed tile regardless of origin. And be extra careful when removing them as the lead dust is particularly harmful. Tile over existing lead tiles if possible, instead of removing.
Porcelain tiles are inert and safe. A benefit of both porcelain and ceramic tiles is you won’t have to seal them.
Wood-look tiles claim to be 0-VOC even though there is a printed image on them. The glaze seems to block this. I have tested them and I do not detect anything that is different from regular tiles. Wood-look tiles are usually porcelain, but can be ceramic.
Glass tiles are inert, but most types are too slippery to use on the floor. Some folks have found a way to use some glass tile types on the floor, but it’s an unusual application and not something I have found available for purchase.
Air Cleaning Tiles
Crossville Tiles have a coating option called Hydrotect. This uses the PCO process to clean the air. A layer of non-toxic titanium dioxide is used to coat the tiles. This reacts with UV light, and just like the PCO air purifiers I reviewed, creates a reaction that can break down some bacteria, molds, VOCs, and viruses. I don’t know how impactful this tile coating will be to the overall air quality in a room. The company does have some reports that show a reduction in bacteria, which may be worthwhile for some folks.
If you read my article on PCO air filters you will remember that some people have a bad reaction to this process. It’s possible that in a high VOC area it creates formaldehyde, or in a clean environment, it can create NOx. I would try out a PCO air purifier before installing this tile, to make sure it works well for you.
This air cleaning technology is also used on wood floors.
2. Medium Green (0 to Low-VOC)
i. Natural Linoleum
Marmoleum, the only natural linoleum currently available in North America, is made from linseed oil, binders, wood flour, limestone, and dry pigments. They are mixed and then calendared onto a backing. It’s got a UV cured sealer on top.
This is the glue used to install it. It claims 0 VOC and does contain mildewcides (typically isothiazolinones). Acrylic flooring glues also typically contain a plasticizer (source).
I found that after one month the odor all but disappeared from the product – though many people say the odor never disappears 100%. I am using this in my trailer. I was surprised and impressed since I don’t normally do well with linseed.
Three Types of Marmoleum
- The roll down flooring that is the most typical kind (the sheet) has a jute backing and is glue down.
- The tiles (MCT) are also glue down, they have a polyester backing (not jute, and not fiberglass as some websites say) and are slightly more rigid.
- The “click” is the same sheet (roll down material) mounted onto a substrate of HDF and cork. It takes longer to offgas, but it has the advantage of not needing glue.
This is one of my top flooring choices, I recommend it often and it looks cool as well. I like many of the colors and the concrete look.
ii. 0-VOC Engineered Wood
Kahrs
While some engineered woods have significant offgassing, many brands are quite healthy.
Kahrs brand has 0 added formaldehyde and claims 0 added VOCs. I tested it and found it to be quite good.
Here is my look at their different lines, and here are their test results. With a total VOC level of 50 ug/m3, it’s still not clear to me how three of those five chemicals are not added to the glues or finish. However, that is still an extremely low level of VOC, and two of the VOCs are terpenes naturally occurring from wood.
The majority of folks do well with Kahrs, and it is usually the first option in the engineered category I look at with clients unless they know this won’t work for them.
Cali Geowood
The next option I would look at is Cali Bamboo Geowood. I really like their limestone substrate, it is highly tolerable and much healthier and than the standard substrate in most brands (normally the substrate is a wood and glue mixture).
This one does claim formaldehyde-free and was tested by Green Design Center. I did pick up some offgassing in the finish.
Other brands to check out
Made in Canada, Lauzon also claims 0-VOC and 0 formaldehyde, but like Kahrs, when digging into their fact sheets on specific flooring lines, this did not seem to be the case for each type.
Check out Anderson and Whickham brands which have also made claims of 0-VOC.
Installation
Use floating where possible, not glue down. The Kahrs underlayment is excellent.
iii. Healthy Carpet
For safe, non-toxic carpet, both natural fibers and synthetics can be healthy. If you are interested in carpet, I have a whole post dedicated to this topic that goes into detail on brands, chemical treatments, and how the installation affects toxicity.
I have a separate post devoted to non-toxic area rugs.
Non-Toxic Natural Fiber Carpet
1. Earth Weave – wool, no mothproofing, no other treatments, does contain latex. I always prefer undyed wool for the very sensitive.
2. Nature’s Carpet – wool – contains natural latex adhesive. The dark green line does not have mothproofing and uses undyed wool. The medium green line does not contain natural latex, which for me is a big plus, but it does contain mothproofing.
3. Seagrass – I really like seagrass carpet because of how it feels underfoot. The DMI brand makes one I like that is not dyed or treated with insecticides or other chemicals. It does contain natural latex.
Non-Toxic Synthetic Carpet
1. Home Fresh – My top pick for synthetic carpet (PET polyester) with a felt backing. It was extremely low in odor and offgassing. It does contain Scotchguard.
See the carpet post for more details.
2. Air.o by Mohawk – This carpet is very similar to Homefresh. The carpet fibers are made from 100% PET (polyester). They claim it has no odor and is 0-VOC. Some sellers list it as containing Scotchguard treatment.
It has a similar felt padding which is far superior health-wise to typical polyurethane or latex rubber.
3. FLOR – makes carpet tiles which can be arranged as rugs or wall to wall carpeting.
Their regular nylon lines have a different type of offgassing odor than typical carpet, not necessarily less strong, but it did offgas faster.
The Fedora line is made from recycled plastic (PET) and is very low VOC, it quickly approached odorless, in my opinion.
Commercial Grade Carpets
Low-VOC commercial carpet is harder to find than residential. I have reviewed and sniffed a few of the ones that claim to have the lowest VOC levels.
There are wool and synthetic commercial options reviewed in my dedicated carpet post.
Can Carpet ever be a Healthy Flooring?
Because carpet does collect dust, mold spores, pesticides, flame retardants and all types of contaminants and allergens that ride on dust, a HEPA vacuum like the Nilfisk is essential for cleaning.
iv. Terrazzo
Terrazzo is a little complex as there are different materials, resins and sealers involved. But there are systems that are 0-VOC and low-VOC.
v. Laminate Flooring
Most (or possibly all) laminates in North America are now low-VOC.
Look for brands that have certifications, there are many, but GreenGuard Gold is the best certification for laminate.
Most brands can easily meet the other certification levels, so those does not help to distinguish between them.
Formaldehyde-Free Laminate Floors
Most are formaldehyde-free in the core (or more accurately said, no added formaldehyde).
Make sure they are not made with MDF, which is usually high in formaldehyde. Almost all brands are now are made with an HDF backing.
I would go with GreenGuard Gold Certification if you can, as this is the strictest level of formaldehyde allowed (0.0073 ppm), far below any of the other certification levels.
This is “background levels”, there is as much formaldehyde in the outdoor air. This is not the laminate from years ago!
A number of other brands have this certification as well. It’s possible to make HDF without harmful adhesives, but it seems that the formaldehyde has been replaced with undisclosed glues that do still offgas noticeably (possibly MDI glue). It’s wise to check out samples of a few brands.
My Top Brands
Swiss Krono, Home Decorators Collection and Traffic Master meet GreenGuard Gold and I found them very low in offgassing.
Pergo was also low in offgassing, though I could not tell the age of the samples. They used to have Greenguard Gold certification before they were bought out by Mohawk. I don’t think the glues have likely changed, Mohawk simply doesn’t use Greenguard.
Some lines are “waterproof” – they have an extra component of wax on the tongue and groove parts. I did not find these to be higher in offgassing. I tested all the Pergo lines and they were all similar.
Here is my video review of the brands you can buy at Home Depot, I was impressed.
Home Decorators Collection seemed lower in offgassing straight out of the box, but Traffic Master offgassed quicker – to me it seemed to almost fully offgassed in about a month. Whereas, HDC did not seem to have made much progress at all in a month.
Green Brands of Laminate Flooring?
Brands sold at green supply stores like Eurostyle (by the large worldwide company Krono Flooring) were not able to say their actual formaldehyde or VOC levels, and only cited their certifications, and so they did not provide any information to distinguish themselves from the competition.
This type of flooring can be floating – it doesn’t require adhesive during installation, which is a bonus.
vi. Zero-VOC Resilient Flooring
Most sheet flooring is vinyl sheet which I find far too high in offgassing. Marmoleum mentioned above is another type of resilient flooring.
Recently though, there are a few very healthy additions to this category.
UPO by Kahrs makes three really great options. Xpression and Zero Tile are made of safer plastics – TPE and polyolefin (which in this case almost certainly means polyethylene and/or polypropylene). No plasticizers and no PVC.
Quartz tile, their stiffer flooring has a base of the mineral quartz and PVC, with no phthalates and no DHEP. It’s virtually odorless, even lower odor than LVP. Nothing like the usual vinyl rolls.
Another new healthy resilient flooring is Shaw Contract’s commercial bio-based polyurethane. It’s made of 90% natural oils (but not linseed) and minerals. It barely has an odor. The backing contains PE and fiberglass and gives off a very slight odor.
You would have to check out the glues as well for each of the floors you are considering.
3. Light Green (Low-VOC)
i. Engineered Wood
Junkers, Wood Flooring International all meet EU emission standards. WD brand is one recommended by sensitive folks.
The substrates can still be problematic. Many use phenol-formaldehyde which is why there are two separate categories for engineered wood in this post.
This may work for some, but they are not in the same category as the formaldehyde-free versions above.
An unusual hybrid is Opti-Wood vinyl and real wood. This is the only brand I have seen with real wood as the top layer and a solid vinyl substrate underneath (just like click together luxury vinyl plank).
I got a sample of this brand and found it was extremely low in offgassing, in fact, I could not pick up any. Promising, as there are situations where this flooring would be the best fit. In some ways, it avoids the pitfalls of both LVP and engineered wood.
ii. Cork
Cork like wood has a natural odor (terpenes). But with cork flooring, a resin (glue) is used to press and bind all the small pieces of cork together into flat sheets.
I have seen polyurethane glues used which I find to have strong offgassing that persists. Polyvinyl acetate can also be added.
Every cork flooring I have tested is too high in offgassing for me to consider.
In theory, you can heat press cork like they do with some insulation, but this is not how cork flooring is made. That only works with insulation.
An adhesive is also required either to glue it down (and there are 0 VOC glues for this) or, in the floating floors it is usually glued to a fiberboard (HDF) substrate, which has its own offgassing. Though some floating floor brands are cork through and through.
It is finished with urethanes/acrylic which may be tolerable once cured and is far less of a concern than the glues used to press it together.
Brands of Cork Flooring
I tested Cali Bamboo cork (when they had the type with cork on the top layer) which I found to be the best one at the time. They claim no added urea-formaldehyde (which indicates phenol formaldehyde is added).
US Floors Cork was the second best – this is GreenGuard Gold certified which means the adhesive is almost certainly not formaldehyde. Though the replacement polyurethane glues seem just as high in offgassing to me.
NOVA Cork (38 ug/m3 formaldehyde) and Cancork (no added formaldehyde in the adhesive) smelled very strong to me, and were the strongest of the four.
Here is my Facebook post about the sniff testing of these brands. These floors claim to be green, but the offgassing is higher than I would ever go for, and that’s why they are in the light green category.
I tried the WISE waterproof Amorium Cork flooring in 2020. It uses a polyurethane adhesive just like almost all cork does, and I could pick up the offgassing clearly. It is GreenGuard Gold.
I clicked two pieces together and put a small amount of water on it. Here are my photos from my test – a small amount of water did go through in between the seams. I personally would not use this flooring in a wet room.
Floors with some Cork
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.
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.
iii. Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo requires resin or adhesives to hold the strands together, most have a substrate and then a finish. There are many that are GreenGuard certified for low emissions.
This wood is known to be problematic in that it can shrink, expand and do poorly with water/moisture/spills.
It doesn’t do well in high humidity (warp) or very low humidity (crack).
Cali Bamboo GeoCore is made on a limestone-based core which I found quite impressive in how low VOC it was.
The other type that is very solid is the Ecofusion, which is not the typical engineered product – it is 100% bamboo through and through. I look at it in this flooring video here.
Formaldehyde is a typical glue in bamboo flooring. If it doesn’t have formaldehyde it will have isocyanate based glue (like MDI) or soy flour polyamide-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin. The bamboo is also treated with borates. The finish is usually UV urethane acrylate finish containing aluminum oxide. (Source: Pharos project)
iv. Magnetic Ceramic Tiles
I tested Kablan’s magnetic ceramic tiles. These are ceramic tiles with a magnetic backing. The other side to the magnet is an underlayment that is glued down to the floor.
I found that the magnetic backing components did have a moderately strong smell, though you may not be able to smell them once the floor is installed.
I have a video review of them here. Since the video, they have made these tiles lighter in weight. You may have areas where you want tiles that you can pull up. It’s a cool idea I quite liked them.
v. Luxury Vinyl Plank
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is much lower in offgassing than people generally think.
I know, most of us think vinyl is one of the worst options.
It is very low-VOC, and most of it is phthalate-free now – though those were replaced with alternate plasticizers.
There is a huge difference between LVP and sheet vinyl flooring. Sheet vinyl is way higher in offgassing.
However, I do pick up the chemical odor off every brand I have sampled and I do have concerns about plasticizers (which all brands contain), and small amounts of metals (explained more below).
Multilayer LVP
This type has a core (SPC or WPC), vinyl top, and an underlayment. It is click together.
Most of the LVP click together flooring has an SPC (stone polymer composite) core – a mix of limestone, PVC and plasticizer.
Only a few brands have WPC (wood plastic composite), these used to have real wood but now the ones I’m seeing are plastic. They have an added foaming agent, which can be formamide.
Should you Consider Vinyl as a Safe Flooring Choice?
This might be one of your first considerations for an RV, and can be considered if engineered wood and laminate floors don’t work for you. They can also be considered by anyone in the mild to moderately sensitive category.
Non-Toxic Brands of LVP
I sniff tested Armstrong and Cali Bamboo brands – both surprised me in how low the offgassing was.
I also tried the brands you can find at Home Depot which I review here. Armstrong and Cali Bamboo are still my top choices.
Cali Bamboo
Cali brand has a limestone backing which is excellent in terms of health and safety (much preferred over vinyl and/or cork backing).
Cali discloses their testing and the VOC levels are extremely low. Here are their phthalate testing results (they are not phthalate-free).
Use a floating floor instead of glue down when possible. You don’t always have to go with the branded underlayment for all floors, but the Cali underlayment is very good.
An alternative to Cali is Tesoro, which also has a limestone backing and they claim it is phthalate-free.
Armstrong
Armstrong has three different thicknesses. The thinnest one (called Good) as shown here, has the least offgassing, however, it’s a glue down floor. “Better” and “Best” are thicker and are click together, and are slightly higher VOCs in my estimation than the thinnest option.
I don’t like the cork backing on the “Best” as the glues in cork are higher in offgassing. All the Armstrong vinyl I have reviewed is phthalate-free.
Home Depot Brands
Out of the Home Depot brands, Traffic Master was the thinnest one. Lifeproof to me seemed to have the lowest offgassing, though the underlayment odor was strong to me.
Home Decorators was similar to Traffic Master. All brands sold at Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Lumber Liquidators are phthalate-free.
Double-check on all brands to make sure it’s virgin (not recycled) vinyl.
Phthalate-Free Vinyl Flooring and Replacement Plasticizers
Phthalate-free brands are preferable – which most are now. If phthalates (also known as ortho-phthalates) are not used other plasticizers will be used instead.
Replacement plasticizers include DOTP (also called DEHT). Some may contain benzoate ester (Source).
Toxic Metals in Vinyl Flooring
Organotins (a form of tin) can be used in the top layer. Antimicrobials can be used, usually in the underlayment. I have seen various types including silver. EHN found the heavy metal cadmium recently in vinyl floors (probably recycled ones, they say).
It’s important to avoid recycled vinyl. Lumber Liquidators and Floor & Decor banned recycled vinyl to avoid the associated toxic contaminants like metals and halogenated flame retardants.
Lead, cadmium, chromium, and mercury can be present and are only officially limited (not banned), as far as I have seen, by Floor and Decor.
Though antimony, bromine, and lead have been virtually eliminated according to the latest study.
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Cost Comparison of Green Flooring 2020 (USD)
- Wood $8 – 10 / sq ft including installation
- Polished concrete is $8 – 15 / sq ft for residential
- Stain and sealed concrete – materials $1/ sq ft (unless you are pouring the concrete or have lots of prep)
- Tiles are usually $8 – 10 / sq ft but it depends on the tiles (tiles come in a wide range of costs) and prep of subfloor/installation difficulty
- Marble floor material costs are $10 – $20 / sq ft (specialty marbles can go up to $40 per square foot). Labor is an additional $3 to $7 / sq ft
- Kahrs Engineered – Materials $5 – 12 / sq ft, labor $3 – 10 / sq ft
- Home Depot Brands engineered wood start at $3 / sq ft for materials
- Marmoleum – Materials $4.50 – 5 / sq ft, labour $1 – 4 / sq ft
- Wool Carpet J Mish $4 – $8, Earthweave $6, Nature’s Carpet $7 / sq ft
- LVP:
- Cali bamboo – under $3.30-5 / sq ft, labour about $3-4 / sq ft for click
Armstrong starts at $1 / sq ft for materials
Home Depot brands $1-3 / sq ft
- Cali bamboo – under $3.30-5 / sq ft, labour about $3-4 / sq ft for click
- Laminate:
- Home Decorators Collection $1.30-2 / sq ft, labour $3-4 / sq ft
Trafic Master $0.50-2 / sq ft
Pergo $2-3 / sq ft
- Home Decorators Collection $1.30-2 / sq ft, labour $3-4 / sq ft
- Cork $8-10 / sq ft including installation
Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist with 6 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.
Did you find this post helpful? If so you can buy me a coffee to support the research behind this blog. Thank you!
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Hi Corrine! I can’t believe how much great information you have provided and how helpful it is! Thanks for putting this info out there for everyone to get! We want to replace the carpet in he bedrooms with something affordable, but suitable for everyone, specially my youngest daughter. She suffers from various environmental, food and other allergies as well as asthma. She is is sensitive to latex and will be tested in 4 weeks for other kinds of allergies such as formaldehyde and other chemicals. It’s been highly frustrating to figure out what would be the best options for the bedrooms, specially when budget is very limited. Bedrooms are small, we need to cover about 450 sq. Ft for bedrooms, and if we can afford we would do the living room/dining room area that is about 308 sq ft. The house is a one level house, so under the carpet is just concrete slab. I’m going to wait for her test to be done, that way I feel I can focus more on what to avoid for sure. If you have any other tips or recommendations , it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
I have purchased some Mohawk flooring – laminate, laurel glen oak. I have since noticed some comments about formaldehyde. Do you know how safe this laminate is? I have not installed it yet and could return it.
Thanks
Mindy
Hi Corinne, Hope you are keeping safe and well. I have just stopped my builders using plasticizer in the mortar for the brickwork. I asked them just to use water with the portland cement. However, the company pouring the concrete floors do use plasticizers. Would you consider this a problem. Above this will be an underfloor heating system and a floating laminate floor by Kronotex (part of the Swiss Krono group) . Thanks so much for your help. In the middle of a stressful renovation!
Shane
Your Irish fan
If they are pouring self-levelling cement it will definitely contain additives. No getting around that as far as I know.
Thanks Corinne…are plasticizers/phthalates a problem when mixed with cement? is there a concern regarding leaching out or offgassing? There are other areas cement or cement based adhesive will be used and I was anxious about this. Thanks so much for your help and I’ll definitely be buying you a coffee!
We are considering Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring for an apartment we rent to international post-docs who come and go. Do you know anything about this brand: Republic Flooring, Pure SPC MAX, The Pacific Oak..? Thanks!
We are in the process of putting in 700 sf of LVP made by MSI.
Will be going in the main living room and TV room with a lot of traffic.
Just started reading up on “off gassing”.
Should we be concerned about our new floor being toxic??
Would we be better off going with a wood look tile?
Perhaps I missed it but are there any particular brands for tile? I’ve been searching and I can’t find any. Thank you.
There are a few in the bathroom post that were tested for lead!
hi im looking to put in vinyl plank flooring. looking at spending between 2-3 dollars a sq ft. can you recommend which product produces the lowest VOC? thanks
LVP doesn’t list VOC levels and the main problem is plasticizers which are not VOCs. The brands listed here are ones I found to be decent and I do think it’s reasonable for many people to use LVP.
Have you tested coretec pro brand compared to Amstrong or Cali bamboo?
Hi Corrine,
Thank you for the extremely detailed info. My partner is considering an apartment which has Pergo vinyl flooring. Is this specifically toxic or nontoxic? And could it outgas for years (it was installed very recently).
Thanks!
The vinyl brands are all very similar I have found, if it’s LVP.
Thanks. I found the brand, it’s Lifeproof Luxury Vinyl Flooring (PVC is indeed among the ingredients). I see in your post on non-toxic van flooring you mention LVP is much more tolerable than people generally think and very low-VOC.
So it might be OK, but my partner’s concerned it would contain biocides and fungicides that are likely toxic, too. Would you know if that’s correct?
Some of them have a silver based biocide in the backing. But biocides are not the biggest concern I have with vinyl.
Hi there – I have been searching for Greenguard Gold certified laminate flooring. Aquaguard sold through Floor & Decor has this certification. However, it uses a “durable melamine balance layer” and has an aluminum oxide coating. Would you still consider this product as safe? How toxic is this aluminum oxide coating? We are searching for a baby safe floor for our basement. We were going to go with porcelain tile, but decided it’s just too hard with a wobbling toddler and baby in the house. Vinyl is a no-go since we’re avoiding PVC. Laminate seemed like a good midpoint, but now I’m not so sure…
This is essentially the same coating as the UV cured aluminum oxide that is on the prefinished floors. Most consider this safe. I’m not a big fan of adding metals, but I’m particularly extreme with metals personally, much more than VOCs for myself. I haven’t seen this brand to check out the backing. Though melamine is not usually a concern in the forms I have been able to check out.
Hi Corinne, Hope you are keeping safe and well. I have just stopped my builders using plasticizer in the mortar for the brickwork. I asked them just to use water with the portland cement. However, the company pouring the concrete floors do use plasticizers. Would you consider this a problem. Above this will be an underfloor heating system and a floating laminate floor by Kronotex (part of the Swiss Krono group) . Thanks so much for your help. In the middle of a stressful renovation!
Shane
Ireland
Hi, what type of flooring would be best in a basement for kids to play on? I’m overwhelmed. Thanks
Hi! Have you heard of Revwood by Mohawk? I am building a home and I have option of Revwood or Engineered floors . They are both Mohawk brand. I have two young boys (7 and 8) and I want to make sure it is safe. This will be going into their bedrooms. Revwood is a laminate / wood hybrid. It does contain melamine.
One would be a laminate which are all quite similar. The other is engineered. You would have to look at each one more closely to determine which is best. This post contains brands I have looked at personally so I can compare them more accurately.
I was unclear as to whether the hardwood flooring information would apply when you have concrete foundations. Could hardwood flooring be installed without glue ?
I wouldn’t put wood over concrete slab or basement. Some people do put engineered wood (not solid) over concrete but I wouldn’t since the underlayment will trap moisture.
Can you recommend an underlayment for the wood laminate flooring? Thanks for this post, so informative!
Some of them come with a attached polyethylene foam backing which acts as the underlayment. I like that one quite a bit. Most underlayments are non toxic. I would avoid cork. It also depends where you are installing it, to make sure it’s not trapping moisture. But in terms of toxicity I haven’t seen any of the plastic ones have any significant offgassing.
I am planning to install laminate flooring over concrete slab. Would this work okay? I’m not sure I understand about moisture trapping in another comment or the solution to it. Thank you!
Best practices for mold prevention would be no vapour barrier over the slab. So no floating floors. Only breathable polished concrete or tile. Of course most people do put a vapour barrier and then the flooring of their choice. I go by Cheryl Ceicko’s recommendation on this.
Is the risk that the slab will develop mold? We’re searching for options for our basement as well. Tile is too hard with babies in the house…too much worry about cracking their heads on the floor. Same for polished concrete.
Hi! Are any of the peel and stick floor tiles safe?
The ones I have seen are all soft vinyl, which I find to be the most challenging material for offgsassing.
Hi Corrine. Great information here. My wife and I are looking at putting in the healthiest wood floors we can find. We had found the Swedish floor Kahrs and it looks great–zero formaldehyde and most choices show zero VOC’s. Why is this flooring not in your greenest category? Thank you
Can AFM adhesive be used for porcelain tile?
. It says ceramic tiles on the site, but doesn’t mention porcelain.
I would ask them but porcelain is technically a type of ceramic so I would think so. Depends on the application though as well. The adhesive is only specified for certain areas. Jay at AFM or Andy at Green Design Center can both help.
My contractor usually uses plywood for a subfloor. Is there something that is better or can you recommend the least offensive plywood? Thanks!
This post covres subfloor! https://www.mychemicalfreehouse.net/2018/07/zero-voc-sheathing.html
In regards to toxicity, is vinyl sheet flooring different from vinyl plank flooring? Thanks!
Yes absolutely, far greater offgassing from flexible vinyl sheet. I wouldn’t be able to be near a new install of that.
Hi,
You mentioned that you found off-gassing of Cali geo bamboo in the finish. Does it come from the pranks or the glue/adhesive used during installation? or underlayment?
Thank you.
It seemed to me to be the finish on top. Not the glue or underlayment.
Love to know your thoughts about a polypropylene carpet that is still pungent when not constantly aired or during high temperatures 8 months after installation! Would you expect it to be off gassing or chemical residue which could possibly be steam cleaned out?
Can’t believe it still smells so much and concerned it’s aggravating an autoimmune disease.
Many thanks!
Carpets are improving but they still take years to offgas to most people’s standards. What brand is it? Here are some strategies to offgas and seal it https://www.mychemicalfreehouse.net/2019/05/mitigating-sealing-remediating.html
Could you answer to my email and not publish please?
I have a playroom with a conrete floor. Only one window. Want to put something over concrete tat is easy to clean up with out vacuuming, stain resistant and soft enough for my grandchildren.
Wood is great but out of my price range. Could suggest something?
Thank you
I really appreciate your information!!! I have a small house with concrete sub floor and asbestos tiles from 1962. I want to put green flooring but do you think its safe to just cover the asbestos tiles with the new flooring. Its very expensive to remove the asbestos completely. I am still considering removing it entirely.
My other issue is I have two dogs who are not perfect at their house training (one is quite old). I have had hardwood which I sealed myself but I still managed to stain it badly. What flooring can hold up to urine and still be as green as ;possible.
stone flooring isn’t necessarily non toxic. there are stones that will release radon into your home.
https://www.epa.gov/radiation/granite-countertops-and-radiation
Hi Corinne,
I am loving your website and I think it is one of the best resources on the web! I regularly check my ideas of what to put into my house against your website and you helped me a ton!
I have recently read your https://www.mychemicalfreehouse.net/2019/09/zero-voc-flooring.html
It is as usual awesome source of knowledge but I am wondering if you have researched Epoxy floors and if you have an opinion about them? In the past they were problems with them but after initial off gassing they seem to be pretty green. Where would you put them in the scale compared to other types of flooring?
Here is what I mean by this type of floor: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=epoxy+floor
I’m looking to buy a house with vinyl flooring. I was able to find out the flooring is DuraLux Performance Tuscan Greige Oak purchased from Floor & Decor. I read a review stating it is Greeguard Gold certified. I’m not sure how to verify that. I am trying to figure out if the flooring contains phthalates but somehow the Greenguard certification doesn’t even consider phthalates?
Does anyone know of an easy, non-toxic cement-like coating that can be applied over plywood and then polished or waxed for a continuous floor without seems? I came across something like this awhile back but cannot find it again.
Kaola Clay
Hi Corrine,
What are your thoughts on the brand Karndean? Here’s the link to their environmental statement: https://www.karndean.com/en/floors/about-us/environmental-commitment.
My husband and I are looking to replace about 1,000 sq ft of flooring on our first floor (great room, living room, dining room, entry, powder room, and kitchen). We love a 5″ natural hardwood, but the pricing just seems too much for our budget. We’re looking for a floor that is on the healthier side and won’t be scratched easily by our two 50-60lb goldendoodles. (A plus would be something we can install ourselves since we’re pretty handy!) Would your recommendation be low-voc laminate? We were interested in cork, but heard it could scratch/dent easily?
Thank you!
A
I wouldn’t use recycled vinyl. The post explains.
What is your recommendation for the least expensive non toxic option?
It depends which ones you consider to be non-toxic for you. Price comparison at the bottom of the post. Everyone has a different level of toxin avoidance. After tiles I would do Kahrs, and after Karhs I would do Marmoluem, if those don’t work or are too expensive, I would go to laminate or LVP – depending on which is better suited to you and where you are installing it.
I got an email from Green Building Supply about a new waterproof cork flooring that competes with LVP. It’s called WISE waterproof flooring by Amorim. Have you seen this? What are your thoughts?
I have a sample on the way! I’ll add it to the post when it arrives.
Id LOVE an update on the Amorim Wise. I am considering this and need to decide in the next week. Thank you! Axiously awaiting
I have a new video will post soon comparing more vinyl brands. It will be posted to the FB business page My Chemical-Free House and Youtube. They all are going to be able to meet some green certifications. I don't put vinyl over a slab though as it should dry to the inside for absolute best practices in preventing mold.
What is your opion on lowes brand smartcore ultra luxury vinyl plank flooring its green certified low voc we are looking at putting it on concrete slab i have asthma and in east texas is humid
What are those "many other ways"? Can you suggest some options that are zero VOC/non-outgassing? As I mentioned, we tried Simple Prep and the jar sample outgassed badly. The other key since it is a travel trailer and not a fixed home, the filler needs have some flex to it so it will not crack or break under vibration. Yes, we do plan a floating floor on a plywood base, but it has some gouges and seams that we would like to level before laying down the floor.
Hi there yes there are many other ways to level out subfloor if it's wood. Concrete is trickier. It really depends on the state of the subfloor and what you are fixing. A floating floor is quite forgiving.
Hi Corinne. Do you know of any floor zero-VOC, non-outgassing floor leveling compounds? The craftsman making our floor (walnut & maple planks) needs to fill in spots in the plywood subfloor that are not level, as it will be a floating floor. He recommended Simple Prep floor patch (see link below), but it failed the jar sniff test with my extremely chemically sensitive wife. The challenge is the floor is in a travel trailer, not a home, so the compound can not cure to a brittle state. It must retain some level of flexibility when cured, since there will be vibration during travel. SImple Prep meets that requirement. Any recommendations you might have would be appreciated.
https://www.custombuildingproducts.com/products/surface-preparation/pre-mixed/simpleprep-pre-mixed-floor-patch.aspx
I like that it's phthalate free, but is is vinyl through and through. I'm going to get a sample of that one.
Hi Corinne, Do you have experience with Home Depot's phthalate-free, formaldehyde-free LVP? I'm considering Santa Fe Maple Luxury Vinyl Flooring from the Home Decorators Collection. I really want to just refinish the original hardwood but we've run into so many issues and unexpected runaway costs, it seems covering the whole floor with LVP is probably the lesser of many evils.
Older floors were much worse, if it was made with urea formaldehyde it can offgas for a long time.
I have some Shaw laminate flooring that has been stored in boxes for fifteen years. Does it continue to off gas, or does it stabilize acceptably after a time?
Hi! We are looking to replace all of our lower level flooring while redoing the kitchen. If I'm reading this article correctly, wood-like tiles are a good option but text to see if they have lead in them or ask for lead testing? Is that correct? Anything else we need to consider? I'm new to your site – thanks so much!
You are correct that many engineered floors with a plywood backer use a resorcinol glue for the plys which contains formaldehyde. They may meet CARB2 requirements but they still have added formaldehyde in their glues. The Eddie Bauer Adventure Collection is one of the few true "NAF" No Added Formaldehyde engineered floors with a very tough No-VOC finish. You can find it at Eddie Bauer Floors or at Revel Woods. Use the floating install method over a benign pad like Quite Walk. Edge glue the floor with Roberts 1406 engineered flooring glue. This is the no VOC no Formaldehyde solution
Is aluminum oxide safe on hardwood flooring?
Yes when it's in solid form, no if it wears off an becomes dust and you ingest or inhale it…
Does this mean that Geowood could be unsafe if the finishing layer gets “sanded” from moving furniture or other tasks of daily living over time???? Since it is aluminum oxide (7 layers with a UV cure)?
personally, I’m wary of aluminum dust. Though the wear and tear is very very minimal compared to other sources of aluminum in the environment that unless someone is going to the utmost extremes with metal avoidance I consider it a safe option for floor.
What is the best organization for "green" floor certification?
Hi there, I don't currently find any of the certifications good enough for sensitive folks, they could work for healthy folks. I explain them here: https://www.mychemicalfreehouse.net/2016/06/what-green-certifications-mean-for.html
Hi! I’m better but still super sensitive. We just purchased a home and redoing most everything. I’m trying to stay as low toxic as possible being from a area that doesn’t understand or appreciate non toxic things.
I went to a local floor place yesterday and they looked at me like I had 2 heads when I asked to be pointed towards the low toxicity flooring…lol!
So, would you suggest looking at a 100% wood floor? Wouldn’t the stains on them be toxic? I looked at some beautiful hand scraped wood but they were finished. We’ve used the ceramic tile that looks like wood in the past. I’m curious what makes something like that toxic? Is it that you have to glue it down? Reason I ask is, is I’m super sensitive to smells and the tile has no smell but real wood does?
Thanks for the great article and information!
Hi there, see the post on paints and sealers for finishing wood floors. Post on mortar and grout for non toxic tile installation.
Hi there, I am doing a renovation and am looking for a suitable subfloor to install underneath tiles. I am having challenges finding something that is both well tolerated and good in insolation – construction requirements demand good insolation and for instance Ardex is not good enough. Any ideas?
Ardex makes a self leveling cement to level out a concrete floor. I'm not totally sure what all the factors here and what you're trying to accomplish.
You are correct about the pre-finished floors with UV cured finishes and embedded aluminum oxide anti-scratch components. They are no-VOC and much tougher than the old solvent based finishes. Also look for engineered flooring made with No Added Formaldehyde glues (NAF or NAUF) Some manufacturers include Eddie Bauer HOME, Luzon, and Revel Woods. Use a floating install method or a nail down method. Direct glue to the subfloor introduces yet another set of chemicals into the environment. Also consider the construction of the cabinets and furniture you are using as these often include elements of particle board that contain formaldehyde based glues.
No added formaldehyde and no added urea formaldehyde are quite differnt. No added urea formaldehyde means it has phenol formaldehyde. I haven't seen flooring recently that is using urea formaldehyde. It might still exist.
Can you also explain how LVT can be a good lower toxic option. Even the newer phthalate free brands are still made with plastic aren’t they? I’m getting mixed opinions online. And manufacturers are vague. Thank you
I tested a few different types of the Armstrong brand that do not require glue. Good better and best I believe they are called. I also tested Cali bamboo. Cali bamboo discloses their V O C levels which are very low.
Which Armstrong vinyl plank did you test. Do you know of any other LVT brands that are good?
How did your test of Armstrong's Luxury planks turn out?
Decent. Will work for some people.
How do you test porcelain tile for lead and radioactivity? Thanks!
You need to hire someone that has the tools for this. Someone will come out and do the testing. First you should ask the company if they have a certificate for lead testing.
Is it necessary to test porcelain for heavy metals, or just ceramic tile?
I would test porcelain and ceramic.
I'm assuming radiant heating under laminate flooring is highly toxic? What is the best alternative for radiant floor heating?
Heating anyting that off gases from underneath is going to increase the off-gassing. I'm not sure what you mean by the alternative to in floor heating. There are many other types of heating systems and less toxic floor systems that would go better with in-floor heating.
Hi! Which wood resemblant material would you recommend for under heated floor in a house with kids ands pets? Thank you so much for your time!
Kahrs is usually my top pick!
I am chemically sensitive but have to replace nasty old carpet in my mobile home. About to put pure wool carpet in the two bedrooms but worried if it can affect those who cannot wear wool clothing. I saw a comment above about this and am concerned as will be the bedroom. Do people react to pure, untreated wool carpet sometimes? Will the air in the bedroom be clear?
Yes people do react to wool.
I did! Put ig in den to test, had a bad time, so cancelled my master bedroom! Thanks.
Any ideas for a good moisture barrier?
Will add to sheathing/subfloor post soon
I am going to have a van built out for me. The flooring will need to have 2" furring strips glued to the floor of the cargo area. Since the cargo van is new, the floor of the cargo area has a shiny auto paint on it. What adhesive would you recommend? Will the AFM Safecoat Almighty Adhesive be strong enough to keep the furring strips attached to the floor of the van/paint and then subsequenty hold in place a 3/4" NAF PLYWOOD FLOORING on top of the furring strips? The plywood will be screwed into the furring strips.
Hi, this is complex and I don't have all the info that I need from that message. I would consult with an architect here this sounds like there's a very high chance of it going moldy if I'm understanding correctly.
Hi Corinne – your site is incredible! Just bought my first home, 130 years old and needs some work. Pretty overwhelming to try and make good choices, thanks for making it a lot easier! Saw your carpet recommendations above… We are not the biggest fans of wall to wall carpeting. Do you have any recommendations on safe rug providers?
Thanks!
I am very sensitive (MCS) and I had great luck with Hook and Loom for chemical free Cotton & Wool rugs at a reasonable price. Great customer service as well. Best Wishes. https://hookandloom.com/browse/eco-cotton-rugs/
I have a post on rugs https://www.mychemicalfreehouse.net/2019/09/11-best-non-toxic-natural-rugs.html
Well done!
How about vocs in porcelain tiles that look like hardwood? A printer digitally scans a photo onto the tile
I am looking for a low toxicity option for my living room, dining room, and hallway. I have a dog, so need something that will be easy to clean and not likely to stain when he throws up, etc. I have old carpet now that I want to get rid of. I need something affordable, preferable $2.5 to $4 per square foot. What do you suggest? I like the fake wood look of some of the laminates and luxury vinyl, but I am concerned about toxicity. Not sure if engineered wood is affordable or practical with a dog. I don't have allergies or sensitivities. I am worried about long-term risks of exposure to chemicals.
What did you end up doing? I am in the same situation, aging dog, need easy flooring, but chemically sensitive so limited in what can get. Did you solve the flooring dilemma?
Excellent post.
So I finally had my husband on board to install the click together bamboo flooring from our local green store. It's pretty affordable for us at $4.50/sq ft but now I'm thinking that it might be more toxic then they are leading me to believe. I then started looking at kiln dried hardwood available here in Oregon but I can' imagine him installing that. What do you recommend? we have about 1200 sq ft. Right now, we have wool carpeting but I am allergic to wool so I can never be barefooted and I'm sure it's affecting me in other ways. Thanks for any suggestions.
There isn't a bamboo I would use. It depends on your level of sensitivity.
Due to your sensitivities or concerns over emissions?
Yes. Bamboo is problematic for other reasons but I was thinking offgassing.
I am about to get untreated pure wool carpet in my bedroom, just been measured, but cannot wear wool clothing against my skin. I thought briefly walking on wool carpet should not be a problem but your comment worries me. Is this much of a problem?
Nice article. I'm thinking about going with cork flooring, but I can't seem to find a natural one (not finished at all) and try to finish it myself with natural options. The only brand that sells natural cork is Thermacork and that is only for insulation.
Get an engineered hardwood floor rather than laminate. Less glue in the assembly because engineered hardwood uses a plywood backer and laminate uses a pressboard backer. Pick a product that has low or no added formaldhyde. Eddie Bauer Floors and some other good US manufactures offer this kind of product with no added formaldehyde and a UV cured acrylic matte finish which does not contain solvents and so does not emit VOCs.
nice
Hello is laminate flooring from home depot toxic the one you just lay like a puzzle? Thanks in advance!
I don't know their brands. Look for low VOC brands such as ones with GreenGaurd certification.
Wonderful blog, I like this type of chemical free natural homes, And i need to make such a home with special flooring works and all other works.
Thank you for the info. I found this interesting document which talks more about the Retroplate process from a chemical standpoint and compares it to 2 other concrete flooring types.
http://www.absolutepolishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/A-brief-overview-of-Concrete-and-Chemical-Hardeners.pdf
Gorgeous Green Home! Absolutely love the natural look and feel. Very impressed with your knowledge and expertise.
Simply we know that some using this techniques is good. But I think this is not possible without using different types of flooring. So I really appreciated for the posting. Kindly provide these types of article in future.