Healthy Building

Non-Toxic Paint Strippers

September 8, 2021 by Corinne 1 Comment

“Wack A Mole” on Toxic Solvent-Based Strippers

Pre-1970s benzene was a popular paint stripper, it was later determined to be carcinogenic. It was replaced by methylene chloride, a very fast and effective paint remover. Methylene chloride/dichloromethane (DCM) is now considered a neurotoxin and a possible carcinogen that has caused many fatalities. It is banned in the US and many countries.

The latest replacement NMP (n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone), which is not as harsh as Methylene chloride, and is actually quite tolerable for many chemically sensitive folks, does have a Prop 65 warning for birth defects or other reproductive harm. I list only one paint remover with this chemical along with many alternatives.

In the mainstream realm, new formulas are being sold with acetone, turpentine, toluene, and xylene. I don’t list any paint strippers with these solvents because their higher VOC levels emit the strongest fumes and they are challenging for the chemically sensitive.

An Alternative, Safer Solvents?

There are better options now, lower (and even 0-VOC) formulas. Safer more environmentally friendly solvents include dibasic ester, bio-based solvents, and alcohol solvents.

In this article, I look at those options along with “soy-based” and “citrus-based” paint and varnish strippers – though these terms are misleading because they don’t refer to the active majority ingredient. Often the majority ingredient is NMP, but I list brands with safer solvents.

You still need to wear protective gear including safety glasses, gloves, and a mask. Though all of the options here can technically be used indoors.

These safer solvents do work but they take considerably longer on most coatings than the harsh solvents of the past.

Solvent-Free Options to Remove Paint

Depending on what kind of paint or varnish you are removing and what the substrate is, there may be other (solvent-free) options. In this post I discuss – boiling with baking soda, mechanical options, and eco-friendly lye-based options.

This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Soy-Based Paint Strippers

Soy-based paint and varnish strippers are made with a bio-based solvent methyl soyate, a methyl ester solvent distilled from soybean oil. This is not the main ingredient though, the popular brands can still be based on N-Methyl Pyrrolidone (NMP) a solvent known to the state of California to cause birth defects and reproductive harm, or the safer Bis(2-methoxyethoxy)methane.

These work really well to remove paint and clear coatings although they have a long dwell time and often need multiple coats. They are easy to use and don’t drip so they can easily be applied to furniture, moldings, and cabinetry.

Blue Bear SoyGel Paint Removers

Blue Bear makes two formulas that are powerful paint and coating strippers, less toxic, lower in odor, and lower in fumes than the older options. They are 100% biodegradable, but the paint has to be disposed of properly. Many chemically sensitive folks do well with and prefer these “soy-based” paint strippers.

The Safenol version is slightly lower in odor than 605Pro and is free of NMP solvent. Both versions are non-caustic and can be used indoors by most people.

The ingredients of the 600GL formula are: N-Methyl Pyrrolidone (NMP) (~40%), Dibasic Ester LVP, Soy Ester, Thickening, and Surfactant Blend. There is a Prop 65 Warning for N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), known to the state of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.

The ingredients of the SoyGel with Safenol are: Bis(2-methoxyethoxy)methane (solvent), Water, Dibasic Ester (Solvent), Surfactant, Silica, and Cellulose. No NMP in this formula!

Removes: Water-based paint, oil-based paint, lead-based paint (it encapsulates the lead), acrylic paint, some epoxies (two-part epoxies with solid counts lower than 40%), enamel paint, lacquer, urethanes, catalytic conversion varnish, shellac, and other single-component coatings. Does not remove: Milk Paint, penetrating sealers.

Use on: Concrete, masonry, wood, and metal. Strips furniture, cabinetry, flooring, molding, doors, windows, stairs, balusters, and handrails. Do Not Use On: PVC, drywall, limestone, plastic, veneer, terrazzo tile, or rubber.

Ease of use: They both work in about 30-60 minutes, even if there are multiple coats. Many people report needing to use multiple applications. They are fairly runny on vertical surfaces.

Where to buy: SoyGel formula with NMP from The Real Milk Paint (this one is the same as the newly labeled 600GL) and sometimes available on Amazon.

Blue Bear Soy Gel w/Safenol formula without NMP, avilable at Green Design Center or Walmart.

Citrus-Based Paint Strippers

Paint strippers that contain citrus peel extract are also very effective. Like the “soy-based” strippers this natural component only makes up a small percentage of the formula, they still need another majority solvent. In this case, I saw either N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) or benzyl alcohol as the majority solvent.

These paint removers have low emissions and a citrus-based/orange odor. They are biodegradable, but the paint or varnish stripped off probably isn’t.

Like soy-based gels, they work more slowly in removing paint and coatings than more toxic products. Though these first two options, SoyGel and Citri-Strip, are the best (most effective) paint strippers on the list.

Citri-Strip

Citri-Strip is an industrial-strength paint and varnish remover. Like the soy-based products, it’s a gel formula. It’s non-caustic and non-corrosive, and most people could use this indoors. Chemically sensitive folks should test out a sample of all options on this list.

Ingredients: Benzyl alcohol (30-60 %), Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (5 -10 %), (2-Aminoethoxy) ethanol (3-7 %), Mineral spirits (1 -5 %), Alcohol ethoxylated (0.1 -1 %), Terpinolene 0.1 -1.0 %, d-Limonene (0.1 -1 %).

Removes: Use it to strip acrylic-latex or oil-based paints and coatings. You can strip several layers of latex and oil-based paint, varnish, lacquer, and shellac.

Use on: Wood, metal, and masonry.

Ease of use: Leave it on for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours to remove multiple layers. A little runny on vertical surfaces. Many people report needing to use multiple applications.

Where to buy: Through Walmart, Amazon, at a local store.

A Safer Solvent Alternative – Without Soy or Citrus

3M Safest Stripper is based on safer solvents dibasic esters (DBE): dimethyl adipate and dimethyl glutarate. It’s non-caustic and can be used indoors.

Ingredients: Water (65-75%), Dimethyl Adipate (20-30%), Dimethyl Glutarate (1-5%), Smectite (1-5%).

Ease of use: It comes in a liquid or a semi-paste, the semi-paste helps to reduce drips on vertical surfaces. It can work in as little as 2 hours and can be left on for up to 30 hours. Safest Strip can be rinsed down the drain.

This product often requires a few more applications than the above soy or citrus formulas.

Alcohol Based Paint Strippers

Dumond Smart Strip Advanced Paint Remover

This zero-VOC water-based formula is based on the active ingredient benzyl alcohol, an organic compound that can be found naturally in plants and essential oils. Though like most alcohols technically there is a hazard when inhaling it.

The SDS lists only a faint aromatic odor that comes from the alcohol, though many people would consider it odorless. It’s 100% biodegradable, non-caustic, and is made for indoor and outdoor use.

Ingredients: Benzyl alcohol as the solvent (30-50%), Water (40-60%), and Titanium Dioxide pigments.

Removes: Effective at removing multiple layers of architectural and tough industrial coatings. It removes paints, urethanes, varnishes, acrylics, lacquers, enamels, and many other finishes. It can remove up to 15 coats in one application. Not recommended for the removal of lead-based paints and primers, and some high-performance coatings, such as epoxies, urethanes, and enamels.

Use on: Virtually all exterior and interior surfaces – wood, brick, stone, concrete, plaster, metal, most plastic, most glass, and fiberglass. Not recommended for use on some types of glass, plexiglass, some plastics, vinyl, and rubber.

Ease of use: Allow the paste to dwell overnight or longer.

Where to buy: On Walmart.com and Amazon.

Caustic Paint Strippers

Caustic paint strippers are water-based and use lye as their main ingredient. The lye is either caustic potash (potassium hydroxide) or caustic soda (sodium hydroxide). It removes paint by reacting with and breaking down the chemicals until they turn it into a soapy goo.

Caustic does not necessarily mean toxic. Lye is the main ingredient in soap (though the end product does not contain lye). Being caustic is mainly a risk for skin and eye contact. The product below is a no VOC product.

This is in fact the most environmentally friendly product on the list. This is a high ph alkaline product that is neutralized with water and vinegar afterward.

They are best for removing oil-based paint from masonry surfaces (i.e concrete, brick). They do remove water- and oil-based paint from some metals and wood. This type of paint stripper does not work on epoxy and polyurethane. They can also erode aluminum and blacken some hardwoods.

Dumond Peel Away 1

This lye and lime-based paint remover is zero-VOC and biodegradable. It can be used indoors.

Ingredients: Calcium hydroxide/slaked lime (20-30%), Sodium hydroxide (1-10%), Starch (1-10%).

Removes: Up to 30 coats of lead, oil, and alkyd-based paints and coatings in a single application. Works best on pre-1980 based coatings (i.e. doesn’t work as well on water-based paints and varnishes).

Use on: Interior and exterior wood, brick, stone, concrete, stucco, plaster, metal, steel, cast iron, fiberglass, carved and molded surfaces, and more.

Where to buy: On Walmart.com, or Amazon.

Boiling Water & Baking Soda Paint Remover for Metal and Plastic

This technique works to remove paint from metal or hard plastic. It causes the bond to break between the metal and the paint or plastic. It’s easy and safe.

Instructions for Metal

Place your hardware in a pot of boiling water, add baking soda, boil for 30 minutes, and then scrub the object lightly. This may work without the baking soda.

Instructions for Plastic

Bring the water and baking soda to a boil and remove from the heat. Add the plastic items into the solution and soak for 5 minutes. Remove and gently scrub the item.

Mechanical Methods of Paint Removal

Skipping a chemical paint stripper might seem like the least toxic method to remove paint. Although this is a non-chemical option, you have to consider the many hazards in paint dust – white pigments like titanium dioxide, talc, and limestone can all be hazardous. And of course, lead in older paints. Wood dust is also a hazard!

3M Lead testing swabs can be used to test whether it is safe to strip the paint with mechanical means. Many of the chemical strippers above like SoyGel encapsulate lead, so they are much safer.

With these methods you could also damage the surface under the paint if you are not experienced.

Sandblasting – For large areas, sandblasting is an eco-friendly way to remove paint. Although it does take skill and experience to do this correctly and it is usually performed by someone with professional experience. You do have to dispose of the paint dust properly.

Scrape away paint – You can use a plastic or metal paint scraper to remove peeling paint.

Sanding – You can sand with an electric sander or manually remove paint. Like with the other methods, it’s easy to damage the surface if you are not careful.

Power Washing – Power washing can be used to remove paint, especially on exterior surfaces.

Using heat: A heat gun can loosen and soften paint which will make scraping easier. A torch is sometimes used as well but it is an open flame so you have to be very cautious. A heat gun is also a fire risk and can create fumes. A low-intensity infrared heater is used by some folks but it can damage the wood.

Please consult with professionals to perform these methods.

Acid Based Paint Removers?

While there are a couple of blogs that mention citric acid and hydrochloric/muriatic acid for paint removers I found no authoritative source on this. I did find lots of people that had tried muriatic acid on concrete to remove paint and they did not have very much success with it.

Related Posts:

Non-Toxic Synthentic Paints
Non-Toxic Natural Paints
Non-Toxic Wood Varnishes

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 7 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!

References:

Fine Homebuilding reviews of paint strippers
Family Handyman regarding muriatic acid
Woodshop News history of paint strippers
EPA ban of methylene chloride
NCBI: Human Health Effects of Dichloromethane methylene chloride carcinogen and nuerotoxin
Prop 65 Warning on NMP

Non-Toxic Deck Cleaner

September 8, 2021 by Corinne Leave a Comment

This post covers deck and outdoor furniture cleaners that are safe for you, your kids, your pets, and your plants.

Some are simple DIY natural recipes and others are ready to use soaps that are eco-friendly (and biodegradable). These are healthier alternatives to bleach and toxic deck cleaning formulas.

I list which options are appropriate for wood decks, painted decks, composite decks, and vinyl decks.

The same solutions that work on wooden decks also work on fences, siding, and outdoor furniture.

This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

1. Natural All Purpose Deck Cleaner: Oxygen Bleach & Soap

Oxygen bleach works well to clean decks. The usual recommendation is to use the brand OxyClean, but an all-natural alternative (without acrylic polymers, dyes, fragrance, or unknown surfactants) is Nellie’s Oxygen Brightener Powder.

Oxygen bleach products are safe for the environment (unlike bleach and some other cleaning products). Nellie’s powder is biodegradable and doesn’t harm plants or pets.

Performance: This does work on algae and mold. It might not get rid of deep-seated mold and algae in wooden decks, but it does work well on surface-level growth and it prevents mildew and algae build-up if it’s used often.

It also works on dirt build-up, rust, and other stains. It doesn’t bleach wood but it does help to reduce the graying out of wood, restoring some of its original color.

Ingredients: Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Percarbonate, Sodium sulfate, Primary Linear Alcohol Ethoxylate.

Use on: Most wood decks and composite decks. (Not for use on wooden decks finished with linseed or tung oil).

DIY Recipes:

Without Soap: Dissolve 1 cup of Nellie’s Powder in 1 gallon of water. Apply this to the deck and scrub.

With Soap: In 2 gallons of warm water, dissolve 2 cups of Nellie’s all-natural oxygen bleach. Add 1/4 cup of a natural, biodegradable liquid dish soap. (This dish soap is plant safe)

With Soap & Alcohol: Add 2 tablespoons of natural dish soap, to 1 gallon of water, with 1 pint of rubbing alcohol, and 1 quart of oxygen bleach.

Note: A specialized deck scrub brush that gets into the grooves between boards works best to clean decks.

2. Natural Mold & Algae Killer: Borax or TSP

i. Borax (sodium borate), another bleach alternative, is a highly effective homemade cleanser, degreaser, stain remover, and anti-mildew cleaner.

Performance: It works to remove algae, moss, mold, and mildew. It also helps slow down the return of algae and mold.

Use on: Wood decks, siding, and roofing. It works on stone patios or other exterior stone, concrete brick, and slate (like pavers). Not ideal on painted surfaces.

DIY Recipe:

Mix one cup of borax into one gallon of water and scrub the surface with a deck brush.

ii. TSP (trisodium phosphate), is another DIY powdered cleaning product that really works well at killing mold and mildew.

And although the substance is biodegradable and does not give off VOCs it does require some skin and eye protection and the phosphate does throw off the natural balance of the environmental biome. You should use it with caution especially around plants you want to keep alive or around streams, ponds or lakes.

You could use it occasionally if you really let the algae and mold go on for too long or if you don’t have precious plants nearby. To avoid having to use TSP, use the other options on this list more regularly.

Use on: Wooden decks. Not for use on painted wood like paint decks, fencing, or outdoor furniture, unless you want to remove the paint.

DIY Recipe:

Dissolve 1/2 cup of TSP in 2 gallons of warm water. For mold and mildew, you can mix 1 cup of TSP with 3 quarts of warm water. The solution can be used in a spray bottle or applied with a stiff scrub brush or sponge. Rinse thoroughly with plain water.

3. Natural Non-Toxic Deck Soaps

i. ECOS dish soap is a top pick for a non-toxic biodegradable soap. It works well on all types of decks, fences, and outdoor furniture. It’s pet friendly and doesn’t harm plants.

It can be used alone or in a formula with vinegar and/or baking soda, or oxygen bleach.

Ingredients: Water, Sodium Coco Sulfate, Cocamidopropylamine Oxide, Lauramine Oxide, Coco Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid.

ii. AFM SuperClean is a non-toxic heavy-duty cleaner. You can use this on outdoor decks and furniture if dish soap isn’t cutting it.

The ingredients are listed somewhat vaguely as: Water, 2 non-ionic plant surfactants, water softener, 2 plant-based emulsifiers, citric acid, Sodium percarbonate.

iii. RMC Exterior Soap is an exterior soap to clean and nourish oil-treated exterior wood.

Use on: To clean external wooden surfaces, which have been treated with linseed oil (like Rubio Monocoat Exterior Hybrid) and Tung Oil.

Directions:

Mop the patio, shake the bottle, pour 1 liter of RMC Exterior Soap into 3 liters of clean water. Clean with a floor cloth or fluff-free duster. Allow the surface to dry for approx 30 minutes.

Buy on Amazon or on their website.

4. DIY Recipe for Composite Decks: Vinegar and/or Baking Soda

White vinegar is a degreaser and has some anti-mold and mildew properties. You can use natural white vinegar or organic apple cider vinegar as a deck wash.

Baking soda acts as a wood brightener on weathered wood and is a good all-purpose cleaner.

Baking soda is plant safe, the dish soap below is plant safe, but vinegar can harm plants in high concentrations.

Use on: Wood decks, composite decks like Trex. Vinegar is not to be used on painted decks or decks finished with linseed or tung oil.

DIY Recipes:

Just Vinegar: 1 part water and 1 part vinegar and spray onto your deck.

Vinegar & Soap: Add a teaspoon of natural liquid dish soap to 2 gallons of the vinegar/water solution.

Vinegar & Baking Soda: Add 1 cup vinegar with 1 gallon of water. Sprinkle the baking soda on the wood and then add the vinegar and warm water and scrub.

Vinegar, Baking Soda & Soap: Add 1 cup of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of natural dish soap to 1 gallon of water. Add one box of baking soda to the affected areas of the deck. Then add the vinegar, soap, and water solution to the deck, one section at a time. Scrub!

Just Baking Soda: Add 1 cup of baking soda to 1 gallon of water. Stir until dissolved. Brush onto the deck and scrub. Rinse after.

You can also add 1/2 cup of lemon juice to 1 gallon of water with baking soda and vinegar.

5. Brighten Wood, Remove Stains & Restore Color Naturally

i. Oxalic acid, an organic compound found in plants, works to remove iron stains and tannin stains that are common with cedar and redwood decks.

Oxalic acid used as a deck wash helps to remove the graying of the wood and restore its color. It does have a bleaching effect on the wood.

It’s biodegradable and won’t kill your grass or nearby plants (it’s not easily absorbed by other plants), but especially in concentrated form and in powder form, you do want to be careful not to breathe it in, or get it on your eyes or mouth.

ii. RMC Exterior Wood Cleaner is a product to remove the gray color and restore wood to its natural color. It also removes green deposits and regular old dirt. This is used before sealing (or resealing) a deck.

This is an excellent product and folks report it working really well.

Directions:

Dampen the surface with water using a hose, apply Exterior Wood Cleaner using a wide brush or similar. For light cleaning, the product can be diluted with water at a ratio of 1:2. Scrub the treated area. Repeat if necessary. Rinse. Let it dry before treating it with the Exterior Hybrid Linseed oil.

By Decking Material:

How to Clean a Wooden Deck

First rinse the wood deck with water to soften the wood. For tough stains, use a stiff bristle brush with your cleaning solution to remove the dirt, mold, or algae. Avoid power washing that can splinter wood unless you are experienced with this. If you are re-sealing make sure your deck is dry first (give it 24-48 hours).

For a wood deck sealed with linseed or tung oil:

Recommended: Borax, TSP, dish soap, Rubio Monocoat Soap, AFM SuperClean
Not Recommended: Vinegar, baking soda, very acidic cleaners, oxygen bleach

For a wood deck sealed with a water-based sealant:

How To Clean a Composite Deck

Some wood deck cleaners can be too harsh for composite decks. Brightening ingredients can strip the sheen, dulling it.

The best eco-friendly composite deck cleaner is soap, water, and vinegar. Baking soda can be used for mold. A gentle pressure power washer can be used up to 3100 psi or a soft bristle brush.

Recommended: Vinegar, baking soap and dish soap, or AFM Superclean
Not Recommended: Bleach, oxygen bleach

How to Clean a Painted Wood Deck

Harsh cleaners can damage the paint, dull the sheen, or lead to cracking and peeling. A gentle soap/surfactant that is free of ammonia works well on painted decks and porches (as well as outdoor furniture).

Recommended: AFM Superclean, natural dish soap
Not Recommended: Ammonia, vinegar, TSP, or borax could damage a painted deck or other painted outdoor wood in higher concentrations.

How to Clean a Vinyl Deck

Many companies recommend Cascade Powdered Dishwasher Detergent as a good household option, but this is not the healthiest choice for people or the environment. Some more options below.

Recommended: Natural dish soap and water, Cascade Powdered Dishwasher Detergent is recommended by a couple of companies but a more natural and environmentally friendly alternative is Nellie’s Dishwasher Powder. You can also use Simple Green or AFM Super Clean.

Ammonia mixed can be used against mildew and leaf stains. Not the most eco-friendly option though!

Not Recommended: Bleaching ingredients, no-rinse formulas, abrasive cleaning products like powdered abrasives, scrubbing pads, steel wool.

Composite deck cleaners such as Corte Clean, Thompson’s Water Seal-Oxy Action, Olympic Deck Cleaner, or other powder or liquid composite deck cleaners should not be used with vinyl decks according to the company that makes AZEK Decks.

Related Posts:

Stains and Sealants for Decks, Fences, Outdoor Furniture
Choosing a Non-Toxic Deck Material
Non-Toxic Exterior Paint

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 7 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!

Non-Toxic Deck Stains (A Comparison)

September 6, 2021 by Corinne Leave a Comment

This article digs into non-toxic and natural options for staining and sealing wood decks as well as most outdoor wood like fences, furniture, windows, doors, play gyms, and planters.

This post covers both water-based sealants and natural oil-based options that are either zero or low-VOC and have been vetted by the chemically sensitive.

Penetrating sealers require that older decks and outdoor wood be sanded all the way down, but the film-forming options can be applied to lightly sanded older wood.

The water-based finishes don’t work over oily dense tropical woods like Ipe, Teak, and Mahogany but the natural oil-based stains and the hybrid work well over these woods.

If you are working with pressure-treated wood, all stains require that the wood has time to dry out first which can take anywhere from 3 months to a year.

If you would like to look at wood types and other decking materials that do not require a finish like composites and even aluminum, see my post on deck materials.

Top picks:

Top water-based option: Vermont Natural Coatings PolyWhey Exterior Penetrating Wood Stain
Top oil-based option: Outdoor Defense Oil or Rubio Monocoat Hybrid Exterior

This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Non-Toxic Sealants and Stains for Decks, Fences, Outdoor Furniture, Play Sets & Planters

Milk Paint Company All Natural Outdoor Defense Oil Sealant

1. Vermont Natural Coatings & Böhme – Terra Plus Exterior Deck Stain

What is it: This is a natural oil / waterborne hybrid penetrating stain. The colors are semi-transparent. It is a waterproofer with UV protection. It has better UV protection than the other options by this company.

Where to use it: On exterior decks and stairs.

Types of wood: Use on new or properly prepared decks. You can use it on Ipe, Mahogany, and Teak as well as non-tropical deck woods (be sure to talk to the company for direction). You only need a light sanding on a previously coated deck because it’s a film-forming sealant.

Specs: Low VOC. One person who was super sensitive thought this was better than PolyWhey. The company describes the smell as a sunflower or pumpkin odor, not a linseed odor.

Where to buy: Through the Vermont Natural Coatings website; sometimes on Amazon.

2. Penetrating Water Proofer Infused With Juniper

What is it: This is a water-based penetrating sealer. It does not form a film and the wood looks totally bare after applying it. The only purpose of this sealant is to provide waterproofing. It does not provide any UV or abrasion resistance. The wood will gray out naturally.

Where to use it: It is used on decks, railings, shake roofs, siding, fencing, indoor/outdoor play gyms, the exterior of planters/raised garden beds, outdoor furniture, and animal hutches/pens. It is not suitable for subterranean or submerged wood. It can be used indoors as well as outdoors. It cannot go over or under another product.

Types of wood: It can be used on new, or weather wood as well as pressure-treated wood. For pressure-treated wood allow 6-12 months before application. It can work on Teak and other oily woods and it is a good choice for cedar, pine, spruce, and fir.

Specs: It is zero-VOC and contains no solvents, dyes, biocides, or fungicides.

Where to buy: From Walmart and you can sometimes find it via Amazon.

3. PolyWhey Exterior Penetrating Wood Stain

What is it: This is one of the most durable water-based non-toxic deck stain/sealers that I know of. This is a semi-transparent stain and topcoat sealer in one. It is a waterproofer with some UV resistance (more UV resistance the darker you go in stain color).

Where to use it: Wood siding, decks, fences, outdoor furniture, log cabins, exterior wood doors, play gyms, swing sets, beehives (it’s well-known for this application), pet hutches, barns, chicken coops, and other outdoor wood surfaces. This coating is great for the exterior of raised garden beds with AFM Dynoseal for waterproofing on the interior.

Types of wood: It can be used on new, pressure-treated, and weathered wood. Like with all deck stains, pressure-treated wood needs to dry out for 6 months to a year before application. Not for use on exotic super dense woods such as Teak, Ipe, or Garapa/Brazilian Ash.

It can be applied over older oil-based stains or finish, as well as other water-based finishes if it’s been fully sanded first so that it can penetrate into the wood. No product can go over top of this in exterior applications.

Specs: It is non-toxic, low odor, low-VOC, and contains no biocides, fungicides, or anti-microbial agents. The pigments act as natural UV inhibitors.

The folks at Green Building Supply have tested the non-toxic options on fences and found this to be as durable as oil-based stains and more conventional toxic stains/sealers.

Where to buy: You can buy it online at Walmart and sometimes via Amazon.

4. AFM Safecoat EXT Exterior Polyureseal

What is it: A clear acrylic urethane coating for exterior use on wood and concrete. This is a water-resistant coating with good abrasion and UV resistance.

Where to use it: On walkways, decks, fences, floors, patios, doors, and pet cages. It can be applied to raw wood or wood stained with AFM Safecoat wood stains, as well as concrete or previously painted (with water-based paint) surfaces.

For abrasion resistance on outdoor tables, a paint and sealer combo would work well: AFM Safecoat All Purpose Exterior Satin and then AFM Safecoat EXT Exterior Polyureseal. (And if you really wanted a painted deck, this would be the only non-toxic combo to achieve that look).

Types of wood: Use on dry and absorbent wood. It can be applied to raw wood or wood stained with Safecoat DuroTone, concrete, and previously painted surfaces that are properly prepared. This product can not be used over oil-based coatings.

Specs: Low-VOC, it also can function to seal in offgassing of hazardous chemicals.

Where to buy: Through Green Design Center/Building for Health.

5. Milk Paint Outdoor Defense Oil

What is it: An all-natural oil sealer made from pure tung oil, pine oil, and zinc. Out of the natural penetrating oils, tung oil is the most durable (and also the most difficult to apply).

Where to use it: On outdoor wood like picnic tables, wooden Adirondack chairs, wood furniture, decks, siding, wood fencing, front porches, concrete patios, park benches, wooden storage sheds, wood doors, and windows. You can use it on beehives with a full 30-day cure. This is the all-natural option for sealing raised garden beds (both inside and out).

You can also use this over Milk Paint to protect it from the elements or you can mix (some) pigments into the tung oil.

Types of wood: You can use this on all wood types. Extremely dense woods such as Teak, Ipe, etc may require thinning with more (natural) solvent. Not for use over new oil-based sealers/stains or other finishes. You can use it over aged penetrating oil finishes (like aged linseed oil).

Specs: No metallic driers. Full ingredient disclosure: pure tung oil, pine oil (which acts as a solvent), and zinc. Some highly chemically sensitive folks have preferred these natural oil coatings to synthetic coatings like PolyWhey (others would find the opposite preferable). Always test for your own tolerance and I would recommend not using or being exposed to these natural solvents when they are wet if you are sensitive. My in-depth look at tung and linseed oils goes into more detail.

Where to buy: Through the Real Milk Company’s website. You can use code mychemicalfreehouse for 10% off.

To clean your Tung oiled deck, you can use gentle soaps, but some non-toxic cleaners can damage it – this post goes over the best options.

6. Monocoat Hybrid Exterior Wood Protector

What is it: A modified linseed oil and wax penetrating oil finish that is applied with just one coat. It provides protection from water and UV (except for the color “Pure” which has no UV protection).

Where to use it: Wooden decks, façades, patios, shutters, portals, garden furniture, pontoons, windows, doors, etc.

Types of wood: Works well over almost all wood types including oily exotic woods (Ipe, Teak, etc).

Specs: Solvent-free, technically 0-VOC because it’s a natural product. Though see my in-depth review of Rubio Monocoat and other linseed oils for information on naturally occurring VOCs. Rubio Monocoat is preferred to plain linseed oil in many ways because it’s lower in odor. You need a part B accelerator, be sure to test that out as well.

Where to buy: Directly through their website.

To clean your linseed oiled deck, make sure to use specialty products that won’t damage the surface.

Cleaning and Reviving Your Wood Deck

To remove green algae, moss, dirt stains, and graying from wood prior to staining and sealing your deck or other outdoor wood you can use Rubio Exterior Wood Cleaner.

Use this before applying water-based stains like Vermont Natural Coatings PolyWhey Exterior Penetrating Stain or oil-based finishes like Monocoat Hybrid Exterior Protector.

One sensitive person described the feel as a light soap but with almost no odor.

Related:

Looking for non-toxic exterior paints? This post goes over the options.

For a review of deck materials – alternatives to pressure-treated wood, low odor woods, wood that doesn’t need a sealant, and non-wood alternatives, see this post on decking materials.

How to clean your non-toxic deck? Here are healthy cleaning products for every decking material.

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 7 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!

Non-Toxic Decking Material Options

August 15, 2021 by Corinne 2 Comments

This is a complete guide to non-toxic decking – types, materials, additives, and brands.

For most people, the main choice is between composite decking and solid wood decking. For the chemically sensitive you will have to get samples yourself of the decking materials as well as the stains needed for real wood – as this choice is very individual.

The long-term benefits of not having to do any maintenance on composite decking can outweigh the initial concerns.

There are also some more unusual options to choose from like aluminum decking.

Composite Decks

Material Make Up

Composite decking material is generally made from a mix of wood fibers and plastic. The plastic is polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), mixed together with wood dust, pigments, UV inhibitors, and usually borate. This plastic is usually recycled, like from plastic grocery bags.

If you do well with polyethylene or polypropylene that should be OK for you, but ask to see a sample of the ones available near you and see if you can get a sample of one that is as newly manufactured as the one you would buy. These plastics do have a little bit of odor.

Most of them now are capped in an outer layer of plastic. The type of plastic is not always specified, but you should ask, especially if you are avoiding PVC vinyl.

Additional Chemicals During Install

Glue is not used to install composite decks, but you are meant to seal the rough edges of some brands with a lumber wax – be sure to tests out the product that the company recommends if you are super sensitive.

Trex does not recommend using a lumber wax, sealant, or any other glue or sealant in the installation.

The only maintenance needed for most brands is soap and water.

Mold Prone?

Many have reported their composite decking becoming prone to growing mold. Some experts have recommended only going with brands that are capped with plastic on all sides to help prevent this issue. Brands with bamboo fibers might also be less prone to mold since the fibers do not clump as much.

Brands

Capped composites like Trex Transcend or TimberTech Earthwood Evolutions use a traditional composite decking core with an added plastic polymer cap.

Trex is the most well-known brand of composite decking made with recycled bags (PE), and it is capped with an unspecified type of plastic, which they said is not PVC.

Dura-Life brand is a blend of polypropylene (about 20 percent), recycled wood and plastic (about 25 percent), and hardwood flour (about 55 percent). Dura-Life planks have a polypropylene cap outer shell covering the extruded composite core.

I have heard from really chemically sensitive folks who did well with Dura-Life. I sampled this one and I would describe the odor as a fairly mild glue odor when sniffed directly.

A non-wood composite, Lumberock Premium Decking, offers a line of decking materials made from a combination of plastics and mineral materials instead of wood fibers. You might want to check that one out if you are sensitive to the natural odorants of wood.

Wood-based composites do still retain some wood odor. For example, a cedar composite that I tested definitely smelled like cedar. The ones I tested (Trex, Dura-Life) also have an odor that I would describe as a light glue odor.

Cost

A Trex deck typically runs from $9 to $16 per square foot.

Maintenance

Non-toxic cleaning products that won’t damage composite decks are here.

PVC Decking

Material Make Up

Some PVC decking is 100% plastic and some is a composite decking made of PVC and wood fibers.

Many chemically sensitive folks like to avoid PVC since it tends to be higher in offgassing, odors, and added chemicals, however, the odor here of the wood-PVC composites is fairly mild and in my experience was milder than the composites above.

These are some brands that make PVC decking which generally look the same from the atop view as the non-PVC composites.

Additional Chemicals During Install

With solid PVC boards you would not need to seal the edges.

Mold Prone?

Mold growth would only be superficial on solid PVC boards since it cannot grow in the material. With composite products, if they have real wood in them they likely are prone to mold to some degree, especially if not capped on all sides.

Brands

AZEK and TimberTech AZEK products are made from a solid PVC which they claim is highly resistant to stains, scratches, splits, mold, and mildew.

Despite being PVC, I found that the TimberTech AZEK only had a slight odor when new (when sniffing it up close) – less than the odor of TREX and Dura-LIfe composites, in my opinion.

TimberTech Pro and TimberTech Edge are composites – a mix of wood fibers and plastic PVC, capped with PVC. (Not capped in PE as some websites say).

Envision Composite Lumber with no natural wood fibers and PVC. Some lines are capped (in PVC) and some are not.

EverNew by CertainTeed line includes decking materials that are either solid vinyl or a blend of PVC vinyl and wood flour.

Fortress Apex PVC Decking’s “foam core” is cellular PVC reinforced with bamboo. The boards are encapsulated in an acrylic polymer.

Fiberon company makes surface decking, railing components, and fencing products that are made from a solid PVC “Permatek” outer shell bonded to a wood composite core.

Cost

Azek is 2-3 times the cost of Trex composite.

Maintenence

Non-toxic products that won’t damage vinyl decks are outlined in this post on deck cleaners.

Real Wood Decks

Pressure Treated Decks

Pressure-treated wood for decking is usually pine, treated with copper and quaternary ammonia. The ammonia will offgas from the pine, but for those who are extremely sensitive, they can have challenges with this when it is fresh.

I have also seen pressure-treated wood treated with flame retardants, though this is not the norm – examples: wood from Hoover and FRX.

One other challenge with pressure-treated wood is that it can not be sealed or stained for about 6 months when it is new unless it’s already been dried out.

Cedar Decks

Cedar is the most common natural wood option and it’s good for those avoiding toxins since it doesn’t need pressure-treating (with copper-quats) like pine does.

Cedar does have a rather strong natural odor which bothers some people with extreme chemical sensitivity. My post on the odorants of wood looks more at this issue.

Although it doesn’t require pressure treating you should stain it every few years, so you will have to find a sealer you can tolerate. My post on deck sealers goes through the options.

Usually the base structure of decks is made from pressure-treated wood.

Redwood is another naturally rot-resistant wood used for decking in North America. Like Cedar, it is not pressure treated and does require a sealant.

Cedar and Redwood are pricier than pressure-treated pine.

Ipe Decks

Ipe is a wood species for decks that could be ideal for those avoiding toxins.

Though it’s quite pricey, pricier than Cedar and Redwood, it does not require sealing (or pressure-treating). Though adding a sealer can help preserve it. You can choose between natural oil options and a very low VOC oil/water hybrid detailed here.

Other Rot-Resistant Woods Used in Decking

Massaranduba, Cumaru, Tigerwood, Garapa, Mahogany, and Teak are a few other naturally rot-resistant tropical woods that can hold up as outdoor decking.

Out of the woods used for decking, Cedar is the highest odor wood and Garapa is the lowest. If you find yourself sensitive to the natural odorants of wood, get a few samples of different species and see how you do.

Non-Toxic Modified Woods

Thermally Modified Wood

Thermally modified wood for decking is treated with heat. This makes it more durable and gives it protection against rot and termites. No chemicals are used in the treatment. It has the smell of smoked wood.

Thermory is a heat-treated wood brand, they say it lasts as long as a tropical hardwood like Ipe.

There is a wax to seal the edges of Thermory. Other than those edges it comes finished and you don’t have to refinish this again if you don’t want to.

Acetylated Wood

Accoya wood is Radiata Pine and Alder species treated with acetic anhydride. The treatment leaves the wood harder, more dimensionally stable, and immune to insects. Some acetic acid is left in the wood and that does leave it smelling a little bit like vinegar.

You can add a finish or leave it unfinished.

Furfurylated Wood

Kebony is another modified wood. Furfuryl alcohol is impregnated into the wood and is polymerized. I’m a little more hesitant to recommend this type of wood due to more unknowns with this chemistry.

Aluminum Decking

Aluminum decking by Nexum, pictured above, is made from powdered coated aluminum. A chemically inert product and certainly the safest one on this list for the extremely chemically sensitive.

The above type is gapless which can help to provide usable area under the deck.

Related:

Non-Toxic Deck Stains & Sealers

Non-Toxic Deck Cleaners

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 7 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!

Choosing a Non-Toxic Vinyl Plank Floor

July 21, 2021 by Corinne 19 Comments

Vinyl Plank, Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP), and Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) are very low in VOCs and offgassing.

Most people find it odorless, but those like me with a high sense of smell can certainly pick up the offgassing.

I pick up the chemical odor off every brand I have sampled (they are all very similar) and I do have concerns about plasticizers (which all brands contain) and small amounts of metals, explained further in the article.

Most of it is phthalate-free now – though phthalates were replaced with alternate plasticizers. The most common plasticizer used now is DOTP.

Whether vinyl plank should be considered toxic depends on your threshold for toxins in the home and our knowledge is also limited by the current research and understanding of the new plasticizers – which we will discuss.

There is a huge difference between vinyl plank and sheet vinyl flooring. Sheet vinyl, the very flexible kind that comes in large rolls is way higher in offgassing. It’s one of the top products to avoid in a healthy home in my opinion.

Vinyl plank comes in two main types: resilient vinyl plank and luxury vinyl plank.

This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The top sample is a vinyl plank (glue down) and the bottom three are luxury vinyl planks which click together

Vinyl Plank (as Opposed to Luxury Vinyl Plank)

Vinyl plank or resilient vinyl plank is a much thinner product than a luxury vinyl plank. It’s more flexible than luxury vinyl plank (but not as flexible as vinyl that comes in a roll) and is installed by a glue-down method.

This type of vinyl has less offgassing of VOCs compared to LVP in my estimation, this is only due to the fact that there is less of it! I would certainly consider this an ultra love VOC product. But you do have to consider the glues used as a source of offgassing (at least until it’s fully cured).

I have seen some vinyl plank that still has phthalates, so be sure to check to make sure it’s phthalate-free and made of virgin vinyl.

The ones pictured below are Shaw brand 6 mil Resilient Vinyl plank Flooring. It’s 5/64 inches thick. It’s free of phthalates.

I have also seen Armstrong “Good” line which is similar.

You will have to check which glues the brand recommends and will warranty it with but most of them are zero VOC when cured.

Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) (and Luxury Vinyl Tile)

This type of vinyl plank is thicker, more rigid, has multiple layers, and is click together.

It has a core (SPC or WPC), a vinyl wear layer, and often has an underlayment attached as well.

This multilayer rigid core vinyl used to be called EVP – engineered vinyl plank, (though most of the information online is incorrect regarding the definition of EVP). Don’t worry, because this term is almost never used anymore.

LVP and LVT (luxury vinyl tile) are the same product, the only difference is that LVP looks like wood and LVT looks like tile or stone.

Let’s look at the chemical composition of the materials.

SPC Core Vinyl Floors

Most of the luxury vinyl plank (LVP) click-together flooring has an SPC (stone polymer composite) core. This is a mix of limestone, PVC, and plasticizer.

It’s low in offgassing due to the high amount of limestone – it’s usually 60-80% limestone and the rest is PVC and plasticizer with no foaming agent. Look out for companies that call this a “limestone core” without mentioning the PVC/vinyl content (it’s still there).

It also contains some minor stabilizers and pigments (Pharos).

It is grey in color, very dense and rigid, and looks like the middle layer in these photos:

These floors all have a SPC core. The top sample is hybrid (wood wear layer, SPC core), the bottom two have vinyl wear layers and SPC cores

WPC Core Vinyl Floors

Only a few brands have WPC (wood plastic composite) – they were originally made with real wood or cork dust but now most of them don’t contain plant-based fibers.

The WPC core is usually made from PVC, limestone, plasticizers, a foaming agent (like formamide), and wood-like or wood materials such as wood flour. Wood-like plasticizers can be used instead of the wood fiber.

The primary difference between most WPC and SPC core floors is that WPC contains a lighter extruded or foamed plastic core, while SPC contains a solid denser core with more limestone.

The Cali Vinyl Plus pictured below has a true WPC core that they call BPC (bamboo plastic composite) which is made with bamboo fibers.

I generally find SPC to be a little bit lower in odor and offgassing than WPC, but it’s been variable.

Formamide comes with a Prop 65 label warning.

WPC is beige or yellow in color, less dense than SPC, and looks like this:

LVP with a WPC core (Cali Vinyl Plus and Montserrat Click Lock)

Underlayment of LVT

The underlayment is usually an integrated plastic layer, though some brands, like Coretec, have cork attached.

The cork adds significant offgassing in my opinion, however, it is going to be almost entirely blocked by the click-together system. (But for those extremely sensitive the offgassing from the cork gets into the other layers during storage, production, transportation).

I personally avoid the brands with cork underlayment due to the unnecessary addition of VOCs, plus you are adding an organic material that is not mold proof in the way vinyl is.

The foam underlayments are usually made from IXPE or EVA foam, though some of them smell a lot more like rubber to me.

Many of the brands have such a thin attached underlayment that you still need to add one, so those don’t add much value. Check the warranty though, as some brands require an additional underlayment and for other brands adding an additional underlayment will void the warranty.

Brands like Cali Bamboo have a thick and cushiony underlayment (and you don’t have to add another one).

The underlayment often contains antimicrobials.

Wear Layer of Vinyl Floors

I have not found the thickness of the wear layer to affect the offgassing, though it’s possible that there is a minor difference there.

The wear layer is vinyl without the wood or limestone.

If you want the floor to last you want to go with the thicker wear layer. Some brands include the black layer (see photos above) that comes right after the top layer as part of the “wear layer”, but that will show as black marks if the top layer wears down! You want to look at the wear layer as the layer that has the integral wood or stone look color and design.

The top coating is a polyurethane with aluminum oxide cured under UV lights (so there is no offgassing there).

The wear layer can contain antimicrobials.

Should you Consider Vinyl as a Safe Flooring Choice?

These floors can be considered by anyone in the mild to moderately chemically sensitive category.

Plasticizers are also less of a concern for older folks than those more susceptible to hormone-disrupting chemicals.

Those who are super sensitive to wood odorants might consider LVP as the next choice after ruling out solid wood, engineered wood, tile, and polished concrete.

The VOCs are very low but it’s not zero-VOC or odor-free and the plasticizers are for me still an “unknown” factor in terms of safety and health.

All LVP (and LVT) brands are very similar, there are only four main differences outlined below:

FOUR Things to Ask (when choosing LVP floors)

Double-check to make sure it’s virgin (not recycled vinyl)
Look for phthalate-free (bio-based plasticizers are the best)
You might have a preference for SPC over WPC
Check the underlayment, you may choose to avoid cork

Healthiest (Safer) Brands of Vinyl Plank

Shaw In the Grain Luxury Vinyl Plank

Virgin vinyl
Phthalate-free
Made in America
Starting at $2.81 /sqft

Mohawk Dodford 7.5″ Luxury Vinyl Planks
Mohawk Thatcher 7.5″ Rigid Core Vinyl Planks
Mohawk Franklin 7.5″ Rigid Core Vinyl Planks

Virgin vinyl
Phthalate-free
Thatcher and Franklin are SPC core
Made in America
Dodford $2.75, Thatcher & Franklin $4.59 /sqft

Daltile Wellsridge 7.5″ Rigid Core Vinyl Planks

Virgin vinyl
Phthalate-free
SPC core
Made in America
$5.87 /sqft

Cali Bamboo Builders Choice
Cali Bamboo Vinyl PRO
Cali Bamboo Vinyl PRO Mutestep
Cali Bamboo Longboard

Virgin vinyl
Phthalate-free – uses bio-based plasticizers
SPC core
$2.69 /sqft for Builders Choice; $3.79 /sqft for Vinyl Pro; $3.99 /sqft for Mutestep; $4.99 /sqft for Longboard

Home Depot Brands

Out of the Home Depot brands they all have low offgassing as well but are not always good quality in terms of the thickness of the floor and thickness of the wear layer. Traffic Master, Lifeproof (underlayment odor was strong to me), Home Decorators are all very similar.

All of the Home Depot brands are phthalate-free.

Phthalate-Free Vinyl Flooring and Replacement Plasticizers

Phthalate-free brands are preferable – which most are now. Phthalates are known to be toxic, they have a host of known health problems and they leach quite a bit from floors.

All brands sold at Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Lumber Liquidators are phthalate-free. Almost all other brands are now too.

If phthalates (also known as ortho-phthalates) are not used, other plasticizers will be used instead.

Replacement plasticizers include DOTP (also called DEHT) which is the main one used right now, this is used in the vast majority of brands.

Based on what we know about DOTP it doesn’t have any known endocrine disruption effects like phthalates do. They also claim that it is more stable in the material and doesn’t leach as much as phthalates. DOTP makes up 8-23% of the product.

The Ecology Center cites concerns that plasticizers can still leach even if not as much as phthalates and they caution against replacement chemicals that are of similar chemical composition. We usually find that in time, with more studies, we find out more about the health impacts. They conclude that we do not yet know the full health effects of this plasticizer and have doubts that it is not in fact an endocrine disrupter.

I believe that it is currently difficult to say if the current plasticizers like DOTP, and therefore LVP floors as a whole, are non-toxic.

Other Plasticizers Used

Some may contain benzoate ester (Source), I have seen tributyl citrate listed once (source).

Companies like Cali Bamboo use bio-based plasticizers, which should mean it’s either Grindsted Soft-n-Safe (made by Danisco/DuPont) or Polysorb ID 37 (made by Roquette).

According to HBN these are well studied and are believed to be the least toxic of the six non-phthalate plasticizers. This is why Cali LVP is my top brand pick.

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. Most other brands are virgin vinyl now.

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.

Offgassing of VOCs in Vinyl Flooring

Sheet vinyl is higher offgassing than LVP. Sheet vinyl is in the 0.5 – 5 mg/m3 total VOC range, whereas vinyl click will be less than 0.5 mg/m3. (And it’s actually much less than 0.5mg/m3).

The offgassing is less of a concern to me than plasticizers (semi-VOCs) which are a longer-lasting and more of a concerning class of chemicals.

How long does LVP/LVT take to Offgas?

In absence of studies that indicate when the flooring product is completely offgassed, we have to judge based on our senses. A few months will get the product most of the way there. When I have seen LVP in buildings that are a couple of years old I cannot pick up any offgassing at all.

Sealing in the VOCs and Semi-VOCs in Vinyl Flooring

You can seal in any odors as well as most of the plasticizer leaching with shellac. I have tested shellac on various types of vinyl flooring. It has worked well on all the types that I have tried it on from sheet vinyl to a thick rigid LVP.

The downside is that shellac adds a shiny and less durable (to water) coating on the floor, which takes away from the more realistic wood/stone look and can show damage more easily.

You can remove the shellac later with alcohol (I used hand sanitizer), but the downside is that if you seal an LVP flooring that is click together it’s difficult or nearly impossible to remove all of the shellac perfectly from within the grooves.

Formaldehyde-Free LVP Flooring

No brand of LVP/LVT or vinyl plank adds formaldehyde. Any brand advertising as formaldehyde-free is only stating the obvious which can in some cases be considered an inaccurate insinuation that other brands are adding formaldehyde.

Greenguard or Floorscore Brands of Vinyl Plank (LVP)

The VOCs are so low in vinyl plank that they are far below any threshold of the green certifications. No brand is going to be above Greenguard gold levels – therefore whether it’s certified or not does not matter.

Floorscore to me is a particularly useless certification but definitely doesn’t help differentiate between vinyl plank brands.

None of the certifications are including the measurement of plasticizers, which is my main concern with vinyl plank flooring.

Is it Waterproof and Mold Preventative?

The Locking System

The thinner LVPs don’t have a very good locking mechanism, it’s more like “set together”. So that isn’t going to hold up well to water. If the product has a really good locking system and it’s installed in a way that it’s not pulling apart or separating then this can be quite waterproof. How waterproof it is also depends on how long the water is sitting on it.

Contractors recommend starting at 5 mm total thickness for a good locking system.

The Vapor Barrier

Another factor to consider is that most brands of luxury vinyl plank and tile require an additional underlayment that is also a vapor barrier under the vinyl. This means that if water gets between the two layers then it cannot dry out.

Is it Mold Preventative in a Bathroom?

This is often recommended as a floor for a bathroom and for a basement.

I have lived in a couple of apartments with vinyl in the bathroom, one was glue down vinyl plank and one had a floating luxury vinyl plank. Both had areas where the seams were not tight and so there is no way I believe this was waterproof. I also wondered about the edges, especially if the baseboard is not caulked to the floor.

Is it Mold Preventative in a Basement?

Though LVP is recommended for basement floors because it’s quite resistant to mold I have a different view on the topic.

Blocking moisture in the slab in my experience is a bad idea. The slab is always trying to dry to the inside as it’s the only way it can dry and it’s often getting wet from the outside/underneath. Any material that blocks moisture can and often does cause mold to grow under the area that is being blocked.

Cheryl Ciecko, mold preventative architect, has described this situation well. And as an extremely mold-sensitive person myself, I know that this is frequently a problem in slabs. Therefore I only recommend a breathable floor covering on slab foundations and in basements.

Polished concrete or tiles with a breathable grout are best.

The Healthiest Alternatives to Vinyl Plank Flooring

Hybrid Flooring

Hybrid flooring has an SPC core and a real hardwood wear layer.

This has less offgassing in my estimation than LVP, it gives you the feel of real wood on top, and I would expect that the real wood would block all or most of the plasticizers from leaching out (it also avoids having plasticizer as the top layer).

My top pick is Cali Bamboo Geowood because they use bio-based plasticizers but there are two other brands to check out in the main flooring post.

Vinyl with a Concrete Based Core

Another twist on vinyl floors is X-core Connect by Mats inc. This flooring has a vinyl top layer but the center is a concrete-based material. I have seen samples of this and in terms of health and offgassing, I definitely thought it was an improvement over regular vinyl floors.

Engineered Wood

Most engineered wood is no-VOC. Look for brands with a plywood or solid slat core. The UV cure polyurethane finishes are also zero-VOC.

Some brands have an oil-based finish and that is not bad either (ultra-low VOC).

Avoid brands with an HDF or MDF core. See the post on engineered wood floors to see the different types and brands.

Polyurethane Sheet Flooring

If you want glue-down planks or larger areas of sheet flooring, polyurethane is much safer than vinyl rolls. The brand picture is Wineo. It barely has any offgassing and doesn’t contain plasticizers.

I talk about it more in the post on RV flooring.

Cork Flooring

Cork flooring is not zero-VOC but it is another option to consider that is very low-VOC.

My top brand is definitely Amorim Wise as it’s far lower offgassing than any other brand I have seen (most of them are actually high in offgassing).

They claim it’s waterproof but I personally would not bank on that.

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 7 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!

Review of Boxabl, Home of Elon Musk

July 12, 2021 by Corinne 7 Comments

Review of Boxabl SIPS Prefab House

The company Boxabl has created a metal SIPs (structurally integrated panel) house that has caught a lot of folks’ attention.

The main reason it has gone so viral is that it promises it all – fast, easy, cheap, resilient, and healthy.

My job as a Building Biologist is to review homes for durability, indoor air quality and resilience to mold.

It may be cheap and fast, but is this home a durable and healthy home?

First, is it “eco-friendy”

The basic structure of this house is a steel and styrofoam structural panel. This is very safe even for those with chemical sensitivities. That part has practically no offgassing and I am a big fan of SIPS.

They also use MgO (magnesium oxide) board on the interior surfaces which is generally safe option as it has extremely low or no offgassing in my experience.

It’s not clear how that is attached to the walls in this case, it’s likely glued on, which could be a problem for offgassing. (More on in the inherent risks of MgO against steel below).

The flooring appears to be glue down vinyl, though they have described it in different ways. The countertops and tabletop are laminate (which is a melamine plastic glued onto a substrate which is almost always MDF). And the interior cabinetry is conventional (which is typically particle board and laminate).

These three elements will contribute to offgassing – VOCs, plasticizers and glue from the vinyl floor; glues and formaldehyde from particle board based cabinets; and glues and formaldehyde from MDF based laminate countertops.

While this is not high in offgassing per se, according to conventional wisdom, it absolutely could be too high for those who are sensitive to formaldehyde.

At this time the interior cannot be customized and it includes all the interior finishes other than the bed and sofa.

Even though it would be quite easy to choose your own healthy floor and cabinets in theory, it would likely be difficult to remove the already glued down vinyl.

With just a little more effort this company, they could have reduced offgassing significantly by choosing better cabinets, countertops and floors. (Though keep in mind we do not know the exact materials or brands used so I am making some best guesses based on what is most typical right now).

Is it a durable design?

In general, metal SIPS are very resistant to mold because as long as the wall remains laminated they are immune to condensation problems. Moisture cannot get into any wall cavity to find a cold spot to condensate.

If they are well connected and well sealed then they could also be durable against leaks. The waterproofing will depend on how well the seams are connected. I owned a metal SIPS trailer (Camplite) that was very leaky!

There are a number of concerns I have with this house:

There is a clear negative lap at the bottom of the first piece. It’s not just an exterior trim detail, it’s integral to the design. I don’t see how you would not always be battling water pooling up and soaking the wall.
It’s nice that it unpacks quickly into a full livable house but how are all those seams waterproofed? I do not think we have enough information on that right now.
Because it’s done almost entirely in a factory we would need to see a detailed factory tour to see if this is a good design (the company does not yet have a full-sized factory and is still raising money at the time of writing). There are so many details I would want to see including how the windows and all seams are waterproofed.
The house, like all prefabs, needs to be seen in person, especially during installation to see if there are any areas vulnerable to water. Because this company does not have a show house and is not in full production yet, it’s highly unlikely you will be able to see one any time soon. My prefab post goes over the due diligence needed here, and with this house, we don’t have enough information to even do the due diligence.
MgO and steel have not gone well together in the past. In Denmark, massive problems (and lawsuits) resulted when salts naturally leached out of MgO board and corroded the metal in the buildings.
The website says that Boxabl “doesn’t use lumber or sheetrock” and in an email they said “we do not use wood or materials that can rot or mold”. But in multiple videos, wood appears to be the framing of the edges of the SIPs. Hidden wood in a metal-based house is a problem in my books.

Is this a reliable company?

Still in development

Well, I don’t think we know if this is a reliable company yet. As I discuss in my general prefab post I never go with the prototype of a prefab. They commonly have problems.

There could be situations in which we know a lot about a company, the construction details, and the testing of the prototype, but I don’t see enough information here to be confident.

The company needs to raise 10 million dollars to be in full production, and at the time of writing they are still raising money. They are not yet at production stages.

Inconsistencies

On the fundraising page it says “early investors get a discount”. When someone asked what the discount is they responded “It is possible there will be a discount. We haven’t announced it yet.”

In one of the videos, the rep states that you could install this without a foundation or permit. That sounds ill-advised.

It does not seem like the reps actually know what the floors are made of.

Elon Musk Involvement

It definitely adds legitimacy that Elon Musk is living in one. But it’s unclear whether he is backing the company or not. His area of expertise is not in construction but it would be great if he did lend his mind to making this a better built home than what it looks like. It has great potential to solve the problem of lack of affordable and healthy housing around the world. But in my view this house has not proven itself yet.

Guide to Non-Toxic Glues and Caulks

July 11, 2021 by Corinne 59 Comments

Updated Fall 2021

Testing wood glues, construction adhesives and silicone caulks was the hardest part of building my house since I did this when I was highly sensitive.

But, you’re going to need glues, caulks, and adhesives if you are building so it’s a good idea to start testing them out!

You’re going to need them for repairs and renovations too. I would suggest knowing which are non-toxic and which ones work for you before that urgent repair is needed.

This post covers low VOC, low odor, non-toxic options that are suitable for chemically sensitive or health-conscious folks.

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Non-Toxic (Low VOC) Sealants for Marble, Granite, Limestone

June 3, 2021 by Corinne Leave a Comment

This is a post just for sealing light-colored marble, light granites, limestone, and other light-colored cool-tone stones.

My post on all-natural oil-based sealers for stones focuses on walnut and other non-toxic oils that work best on dark-colored, medium-tone (or beige-toned) stones since they do darken and yellow the stones slightly.

There is no 100% natural, 100% toxin-free, or zero-VOC sealer for white and light-colored stones. This should be considered early on if it’s a new build for someone chemically sensitive.

Light-colored stones are also much more likely to be porous compared to some darker-colored stones that can be naturally dense enough to not require a sealant.

Manufacturers of natural stone countertops usually recommend a penetrating or impregnating sealant every few years (depending on the type of stone, the use etc).

These sealants do not fully disclose their ingredients, but I have dug into the literature to see what is likely in them.

These three sealers are ones I have tested, researched, and compared, and are the safest, lowest offgassing options out there right now.

This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

1. Sealer’s Choice Gold

Aqua Mix Sealer’s Choice Gold by Custom Building Products is a water-based sealant for natural stone. It’s low odor, low VOC and has been a favorite among the chemically sensitive.

What are the Ingredients

These types of sealants commonly contain proprietary fluoropolymers as the main technology along with alcohols and ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether. More on those ingredients below.

Microban was Added…

This product hasn’t always had Microban – that was added more recently. The company would not disclose which chemical Microban refers to in this instance, but by looking through the Microban website it’s most likely nanosilver. It could possibly be zinc pyrithione.

I don’t think it’s a good idea, in the long run, to add nanosilver to products, but in terms of the actual exposure to the individual homeowner, I don’t consider nanosilver to be very harmful here.

Testing a Sample

I tested this sealant on previously unsealed quartzite. It’s fairly low odor when wet (though not extremely low odor). I did find that by the next day I personally could not pick up any offgassing. I can see why it has been a top choice among the chemically sensitive.

All chemically sensitive folks should test out a sample before proceeding to seal a slab in their house.

Where to Use it

On light-colored, cool tone stones that would be discolored by natural sealers (like walnut oil), including white and grey marbles, light grey granite, travertine, and limestone. (Of course, it works well on porous dark-colored stones as well, I just prefer to use a natural oil-based sealer on most dark natural stones).

You can use it on unsealed and previously sealed countertops that are due for re-sealing. As well as light-colored stone tiles in the shower, bathroom, backsplash, and floors.

Where to Buy

Amazon in the US
Amazon in Canada
Walmart.com in the US

2. Granite Gold Sealer

Granite Gold Sealer is another water-based sealer that is low odor and low VOC.

What’s in it

While these two sealers probably use similar technology, the two smell quite different.

Still, it likely has the same base of ingredients: proprietary fluoropolymers as the main technology along with alcohols and ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether. More on those ingredients in their own section below.

Test Results

It’s difficult to quantify which of these two is better for folks with chemical sensitivities and because it’s hard to compare these two objectively. You may want to test both options – sensitivities are very individual.

I personally found this one a little harsher when wet but as soon as it was dry (which was very fast) I found it to be great.

Where to Buy

Amazon in the US
Amazon in Canada
Walmart.com in the US

3. Stain-Proof Stone Sealer (Formally META-CREME)

This product uses a different formula than the first two. This is a water-based silanes and siloxanes impregnating sealer.

It’s similar in odor and VOC levels to the first two. All three are low odor compared to solvent-based sealants and all three could work for chemically sensitive folks after testing for individual tolerance.

(If you have a really wet area like the base of the shower, the company recommends this product for porous tiles in that area).

What’s in it

The company provides a full (or almost full) ingredients list in their SDS: octyltriethoxysilane, triethoxytridecafluorooctylsilane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, alcohols C12-16 ethoxylated, alcohols C12-14 ethoxylated, dimethylsiloxane/[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propylsilsesquioxane, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane.

Test Results

I certainly did find the odor mild and fairly quick to offgas, but I did not test this at the same time as the two above to compare it to those.

When testing it for durability I wasn’t that happy with it. It didn’t hold up well to marring from vinegar and it wasn’t easy to touch up those areas. I have some photos of that testing in my natural stone sealer post. But that is not unique to this sealer, calcium-rich stones like marble, travertine, and limestone are very vulnerable to acid etching. It was interesting how well the natural walnut oil protected against vinegar since as far as I know, all chemical sealers cannot protect against acids.

Where to Buy

Organic Lifestyle in Canada
Various online and instore locations in the US

Composition of Fluoropolymer Based Stone Sealers

What’s Really in Them?

We don’t have a full disclosure of ingredients from any company making a fluorolopolymer based stone sealant as far as I know. The following is based on piecing together disclosures from various companies and from looking at patents.

A fluoropolymer in stone sealants could mean any of the following:

polyvinylfluoride (PVF)
polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
polychlorotrifluoroehtylene (PCTFE)
perfluoroalkoxy polymer (PFA)
fluorinated ethylene- propylene (FEP)
polyethylenetetrafluoroethylene (ETFE)
polyethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE)
perfiuoroelastomre
chlorotrifluoroethylenevinylidene fluoride
perfluoropolyether (PFPE)
perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA)
Based on Patent

The ingredients probably look something like this:

Water
Ethanol
Ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether
Fluoropolymer aka mixed perfluoroalkylethyl phosphate salts
Isopropyl alcohol
Source Pharos

Do you Really Have to Seal your Countertops?

Countertop sealers last around 2-5 years. Sealers break down over time. The resin is degraded by cleaning products and by general use.

Porous stones are more susceptible to stains and will require sealing more often (1-3 years). Check the density and integrity of the past sealant with a simple “water drop test”. Each stone is different, and sealers and quality of application vary – you have to do a water drop test to determine if or when to seal your stone.

Water Drop Test:

Stone must be clean and free of dust
Place a single drop of water (quarter size) on the stone
Length of time to absorb: <1 minute porous; >1 minute non-porous
Perform three tests for the first 2,000 ft2 and at least one for each additional 3,000 ft2

Source MCM Natural Stone Inc and ASTM F-3191

Be sure that you are not using cleaning products that etch the stone and break down the sealants (no vinegar, no hydrogen peroxide, etc), here are non-toxic cleaning and disinfecting products for real stone.

Adding more Protection

You can also add a wax to polish your stone countertop. A brand like Rock Doctor makes a carnauba and mineral oil-based wax polish that works with their flouropolymer water-based sealer. Unfortunately, their polish also has added fragrance to it though.

Alternatives to Using These Synthetic Sealants

Use a dense stone that does not require any sealant. Look at Ubatuba, Black Galaxy, Absolute Black or Blue Pearl granite, Slate, some Quartzites, and other dark-colored dense stones. Dense stones normally shouldn’t be sealed or may only need one application of sealant.
Use walnut oil to seal a medium to darker colored or warm-toned stone (see how well this performs here).
Choose a countertop that doesn’t need a sealant at all like quartz, Dekton, and others in the main countertop post.

Related post: The most affordable non-toxic countertops

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 7 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

Non-Toxic Windows, Blinds & Curtains

May 1, 2021 by Corinne 81 Comments

Updated Winter 2020/2021

1. Window frame materials – Windows made of thermally broken aluminum are the top choice for non-toxic windows. Accoya wood is also a healthy window option. Some vinyl and fiberglass brands can be considered, though they do offgas.

2. Window treatments – Natural untreated fabric, natural fiber roll down blinds, non-painted aluminum blinds, and aluminum screens are the top choices for healthy window treatments. Blackout bamboo shades, polyester curtains, hemp, cotton, and paper pleated shades should be considered as well. Avoid PVC shades/curtains, flame retardant treated fabrics, wrinkle-free finishes, and wood and aluminum blinds with finishes that offgas.

3. Window sealing – Polyurethane canned foam is the norm, which does cure quite well. The least toxic option is backer rod.

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.

Non-Toxic Curtains and Blinds

The best non-toxic window coverings are natural untreated fabric, natural fiber roll down blinds, aluminum blinds and aluminum screens.

For blackout shades, bamboo shades with liners, polyester curtains, hemp, cotton, and paper pleated shades can be considered.

Avoid PVC shades/curtains, curtains highly treated with flame retardants and other chemicals, and wood and aluminum blinds with finishes that offgas VOCs.

1. Fabric Curtains

Fabric curtains are usually treated with wrinkle-free chemicals and flame retardants.

Natural fabrics do break down in UV light but are a healthier option. Look for Oeko-Tex or GOTs certified fabrics to guarantee that they don’t use chemical treatments.

Libeco linen is not GOTS certified but is usually grown without pesticides and the natural colors don’t contain dyes.

Linen options found on Amazon, like the ones in the photo, are either a linen polyester mix or polyester made to look like linen.

IKEA makes GUNRID “air purifying curtains”. These are made of recycled PET water bottles. The air purifying claim sounds like it comes from a treatment of titanium dioxide which creates hydroxyl radicals.

2. Blinds and Shutters

Bamboo Blinds

Green versions of blinds include bamboo roll down blinds that are not treated with chemicals like those from Earthshade and Blinds Chalet.

I got a sample from Blinds Chalet and was happy with them (these really need a backing unless you want just minimal privacy).

Check to see what the backing is and order samples.

Bamboo blinds come in different looks, and other grasses can be woven into the blinds as well.

Wood Blinds and Shutters

I have not found wooden blinds with a 0-VOC finish since this is so hard to accomplish with something that holds up to UV.

Real wood blinds are also prone to warping. Real solid wood is best used as shutters.

The real wood blinds from Blinds Chalet are very light and thin (Signature 2 inch in Carmelia). I could pick up only very minor offgassing which did come to completion in a few weeks.

All of the thin 2 inch real wood blinds from Blinds Galore were also very low in odor, just like other major brands. Only the very sensitive would be able to pick this up. And with a bit of time this did offgas.

Real wood blinds made of basswood are extremely light. From an aesthetic point of view, they are almost impossible to differentiate from the composites.

Faux Wood

Faux wood blinds are usually PVC, but composite blinds can be made of safer plastics mixed with wood.

The composite sample I got from Blinds Chalet was very low in offgassing (Premier Composite Shutters).

Composite blinds from Blinds Galore don’t explicitly say what kind of polymer (plastic) is used. Some of them are listed as PVC as some do not indicate the type of plastic used.

This brand has an American and Canadian website. I tested Bali wood blinds.

They were extremely low in offgassing.

Aluminum Blinds

Aluminum blinds used to use powder-coated metal which was very safe. You can find some older blinds like this.

But currently, all metal blinds in North America, Asia, and Europe are made with a polyester-based baked-on enamel finish that does offgas in theory.

By the time I have received samples of metals blinds the offgassing has been complete.

I have also seen additives, for example, Hunter Douglas ads an anti-static additive to the coating. This may be something like Teflon (but we don’t actually know what it is), which could offgas as well.

You can find brushed aluminum blinds with no paint or coating, like those from Earthshade (pictured). At some retailers, brushed aluminum does have a coating.

3. Between the Glass Blinds

Between the glass is a really cool option that eliminates the worry of offgassing.

Here is an example from Pella.

4. Window Screens

Conventional screens are very smelly at first.

They can be left outside to offgas, or aluminum screens can be used instead.

Marvin is one brand that makes aluminum options.

Non-Toxic Blackout Shades

1. Bamboo Shades Blackout Liner

Blinds Chalet blackout liner on the bamboo shades is PVC- free.

Their bamboo is also grown without pesticides and chemicals.

2. Polyester Blackout Curtains

Polyester with no PVC backing will work for many people. It’s not perfect right out of the box, but it doesn’t take long for the chemicals to dissipate.

If you can wash and/or air them out first that will help.

West Elm 100% polyester curtain liner is an extra layer of polyester that goes under their other curtains, they = contain no PVC or foam.

They still have that new fabric smell but will air out with some time. West Elm has been improving their eco-credentials lately. Someone sensitive to chemicals did well with these.

These Eclipse polyester curtains from Amazon do not contain flame retardants, can be washed and aired out, and should be tolerable after washing and airing for most people.

These Sleep Well polyester curtains do not guarantee no flame retardants, but they do claim no chemical fabric coatings. They are 100% polyester and free of PVC. They are washable. You can remove that new fabric smell by washing them. Some have reported these having no smell and others more sensitive still can pick up the new fabric smell.

3. 100% Blackout Shades

Earthshade makes eco blackout shades and rollers that are probably the safest ready-made option on the market.

The blackout roller shades do contain 35 ppb formaldehyde which is produced when pressing the polyester sheets together to laminate them with heat.

The shades have also been processed with bleach. Those are the only two treatments of the fabric.

Generally, my recommendation on formaldehyde (as long as it’s not urea) is to give it 3 months of offgassing. When installed with a proper blackout system these will get you the most light blocking of the list.

4. Something Simple for Light Blocking

Another option to consider is this paper black pleated shade – the company claims in an email they do not give off any hazardous chemicals (I bought the natural color version of this – it has a slight chemical smell and needs to be offgassed only for a short while).

They are not that great at blocking light compared to the other options and you will need to double them up to make a bigger difference. But these are super inexpensive, easy to install quickly, and worked perfectly in my tiny house.

5. DIY Hemp Curtains

Another really safe option (truly the safest) would be to make your own blackout curtains with pesticide-free hemp fabric.

Though it’s difficult to make traditional looking curtains from this thick not very flexible fabric.

6. Cotton Room Darkening Curtains

IKEA Room Darkening Curtains made with 100% cotton are somewhat light blocking.

They should be washed or aired out before using.

Avoid: vinyl roller shades and vinyl mini-blinds, PVC and conventional blackout curtains.

Non-Toxic Window Frame Options

The top choice for green non-toxic window frames is aluminum (thermally broken).

Accoya naturally treated wood can be considered another top choice, though wood is more difficult to upkeep.

Fiberglass and vinyl are the next best choices – they do offgas, but some brands will cure quite quickly or be low enough emissions to not cause any issues.

Non-Accoya wood is treated with pesticides, insecticides, and fungicides and it’s prone to warping and water damage. Let’s look deeper:

1. Metal Window Frames

Aluminum windows are the healthiest, safest option. It is what I used in my tiny house (pictured above). On the interior, I added wood framing trim. You can also use decorative moldings around the windows.

I used DYG windows from Canada. Milgard is a popular brand that makes thermally broken all aluminum windows (US and Canada).

High-end aluminum thermally broken window brands include Western, Arcadia, and Fleetwood.

What is used in the windows as a thermal break is blocked by the glass and metal so there is no need to worry about much offgassing. Thermally broken aluminum windows are all aluminum with polyurethane inside.

Non thermally broken aluminum windows are not a good idea to use as they conduct heat and cold and easily condensate. Aluminum clad means there is an exterior of aluminum which usually has wood inside.

The most extremely sensitive clients can pick up the seal, PVC glass stop and some glues used.

The finishes I have seen on aluminum windows are baked-on enamel, resin paints, powder coated and anodized. Some baked-on enamel finishes and paints can offgas, the other two are considered safe.

The gaskets are made out of rubber or PVC.

2. Wooden Window Frames

Wood windows are usually treated with fungicides, pesticides, and insecticides. You could use a sealer that seals those chemicals like AFM Safe Seal, AFM Transitional Primer, or Zinsser Shellac (the Bullseye Shellac is waxed and harder to paint over, the SealCoat is dewaxed and easier to paint over).

Safer Wood

Accoya wood used in some window brands uses a non-toxic process called acetylation to naturally provide rot resistance.

They use no chemical fungicides or mildewcides and they claim this process helps to reduce shrinking and swelling compared to most solid wood windows.

Loewen is one of the brands that uses Accoya wood and allows you to choose your paint brand.

Custom Wood

You could go with totally custom made wood windows, but they are more expensive and you still have to consider what kind of sealer you can tolerate on the inside and outside.

For an exterior sealer see my post on paints and sealers.

Problems with Wooden Windows

All wood (through and through) windows are not a good idea as they do not hold up well to moisture in the long run, Accoya wood claims to have solved this problem.

You can also consider ones that are wood on the inside and a more weather resistant material on the outside if you like the look of wood inside.

Consider also the glue that is used in conventional wood windows could be irritating for the sensitive person.

Chemical Wood Treatments

Marvin’s wood windows (which have aluminum on the exterior) are treated with TimberTreat pesticide, tebuconazole, and propiconazole fungicides, an unlisted insecticide and mineral oil.

Pella and Anderson also make wood windows that are treated with the same or similar chemicals (they are also aluminum on the exterior).

3. Fiberglass Window Frames

Fiberglass offgasses VOCs and some sensitive people do report reacting to it. Though it may be tolerable for some.

Some types and brands are better than others (in terms of offgassing) and this could result in a preference of fiberglass over vinyl or vice versa.

Marvin’s Ultrex was not tolerated by the very sensitive though some less sensitive have done well with it.

Marvin has two different kinds of fiberglass, one has an acrylic component and one has a polyurethane component. You may find them to be different – with the polyurethane one being better tolerated. Pella fiberglass is tolerated by some sensitive folks.

Kolbe has their own fiberglass called Glastra which is mixed with another polymer (plastic).

4. Vinyl Window Frames

Vinyl is generally not healthy, but since this is a hard plastic, many very sensitive individuals report tolerating it. I did not pick up any offgassing on the vinyl windows I tested (and used in a little camping trailer).

I can pick up the offgassing in some of them used in apartments under one year old. Others have reported reacting with new ones. Some let them offgas for a while before installing.

Personally, with a bit of time to offgas, I find these to be good. Better than fiberglass, but not as good as aluminum.

Fibrex is a PVC and wood composite made by Anderson which some sensitive folks have reported being too high in offgassing for them.

Vinyl Components

Vinyl components can be used in any window frame type. Look into the gasket, window stops, jamb liners and tracks which can all be PVC. I have seen some companies (like Alpene) replace the PVC stop with aluminum.

More details on Alpine (which makes fiberglass and vinyl windows) and other low toxin “High Performance” windows in this post on Passive Houses.

Window FAQs

What are High-Quality Trusted Window Brands?

High-quality window companies recommended by architects include: Marvin, Kolbe, Anderson, Pella, and Wasco. Alpene for High-Performance windows.

Are Gas-filled Windows Non-Toxic?

Windows filled with argon or krypton gas have a higher insulative value and both gasses are considered non-toxic.

Are Low-E Coatings Non-Toxic?

The two main types of Low-E coatings are both non-toxic. The “soft coat” is a mechanically applied silver coating that is within a double pane window system. You will have no exposure to the silver. A “hard coat” is a layer of tin oxide that is applied while the glass is still hot. The tin is a more integral part of the glass in this case, and is therefore not a risk.

Sealing Around Windows

Caulking

The first two I would test out are AFM Caulk and silicone. Silicone caulks all have different odors/offgassing and rates of curing. My top pick is a neutral cure silicone – Chemlink. GE is also quite good.

I have a post on caulking that goes into more detail.

Sealing Around the Frame

Plastic backer rod (polyethylene) can be used to seal around windows. This is a non-toxic and odorless alternative to polyurethane canned spray foam.

Many people do tolerate the canned spray foams after some offgassing (give it 24 hours to cure or more). Great Stuff is a common one to find easily online and in stores.

Handi-Foam is another brand, that is certified with Greenguard Gold for more assurance (but I cannot tell the difference between the two).

Some people use wool around windows. I prefer not to have wool around windows. The sealing around windows is meant to be airtight to prevent moisture issues, so wool would not suffice.

Window Flashing

For zero-VOC window flashing use TYPAR AT.

They do not recommend this being used in the rough openings, and it doesn’t fit all building codes.

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 6 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

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Non-Toxic Kitchen Cabinets: Complete List of Types and Brands

April 30, 2021 by Corinne 39 Comments

Conventional Cabinets & VOCs

Conventional cabinets can be a significant source of VOCs in the kitchen – with all of the low and mid-range brands using particleboard or MDF at least in their lower-end lines, which offgas formaldehyde.

There are pressed wood products with no added formaldehyde now, and some cabinet makers mentioned in this post are using these. I don’t always think the alternative glues are better.

The move towards CARB II and GreenGuard Gold has greatly improved the formaldehyde levels in the conventional options in recent years.

Regular plywood-based cabinets (as opposed to particleboard or MDF) offgas quite rapidly, while at the same time more companies are offering formaldehyde-free options.

Paints and varnishes are not likely to be zero-VOC unless that is stated. But the brands here are offering natural finishes, custom finishes, or factory cured finishes which I found to be almost no VOC.

You may opt to finish them yourself with non-toxic sealers or non-toxic paint.

The best option for most people is the mid-range brands with the right healthy upgrades.

If you need assistance choosing the best cabinets for your sensitivities, please contact me for a one-on-one consultation.

Healthy Cabinet Brands – Listed by Material

Healthy cabinets could be made of solid wood, plywood, pressed wood without added formaldehyde, or metal.

Sometimes glass or MgO board can be used.

Of course, some are sensitive to the terpenes of wood, and wood can also pick up and hold onto secondary odors so I have included non-wood options on the list.

The cabinets in my tiny house are solid wood, but the reason cabinets are made of engineered wood products is that solid wood can warp in the kitchen.

1. Non-Toxic Metal Cabinet Brands

There are companies that make metal kitchen cabinets, and they can look quite cool.

Fadior makes stainless steel cabinets. The cabinets are made of all stainless with aluminum reinforcements, no wood or PVC.

Bertolini (affordable, 100% metal).

IMD has no wood and no adhesives (North America and Europe).

Pedini (high-end) Italian company that was at the forefront of green cabinetry. They offer some metal options.

When shopping for metal cabinets you want to see if there are any non-metal components and what those are.

2. Healthy Solid Wood Cabinets

Healthy Cabinet Makers make solid wood cabinets aimed at the chemically sensitive.

It’s rare to find cabinets made out of solid wood, so I would certainly go with a company that has expertise with this type of construction. Even the boxes are solid wood.

Solid wood can be prone to warping in high humidity (if not constructed well by a specialty company like this).

This company also has a commitment to healthy finishes.

3. Low-VOC and Formaldehyde-Free Cabinets

i. KERF makes modern looking cabinets out of Purebond (formaldehyde-free) plywood which has a zero-VOC finish. The edges are finished with Osmo which I review here.

ii. Neil Nelly Cabinets makes low-VOC wooden cabinets with no-added-formaldehyde cases/drawers (Purebond Plywood). They use low-VOC glues, adhesives, and finishes. You can ask them about a no-VOC finish option.

iii. Executive Cabinetry offers a choice between regular plywood and Purebond (no added formaldehyde plywood).

iv. Another very popular brand is Crystal Cabinets. They can use standard plywood or Purebond plywood (no added formaldehyde) for the boxes. They have an option for low emitting finishes, or you can finish them yourself.

You can also have them finish them for you with the varnish of your choice (though that option is fairly expensive).

Non-toxic cabinets finishes are listed here, and non-toxic cabinet paints here.

This is often the top pick for many in the high-end green market.

v. Bellmont Cabinetry offers a line called EcoCore that is melamine over a no added urea-formaldehyde particleboard (meaning it’s made with only phenol-formaldehyde). Their veneer plywood is a safer choice. They have doors that are solid wood (for stained finish only).

vi. Taylor Made Cabinets offers custom no added formaldehyde cabinets, with plywood boxes and solid wood drawers and doors. Their MDF is made without formaldehyde.

vii. Royal Cabinets makes a line called Green Leaf that is made with no added formaldehyde materials (solid wood fronts are an option) and low-VOC finishes.

viii. Barker Cabinets offers RTA cabinets made with Purebond plywood for the boxes. The raised panel doors (Windsor, Seattle, etc.) are made of solid wood panels (no MDF). The painted doors are made with a conversion varnish that does have some offgassing. The stains and clear stains did seem to have some slight offgassing as well (possibly better than the paint, depending on the age of the samples).

ix. PureKitchen uses Purebond Plywood for the boxes. They made a door style with plywood and solid wood (not MDF). The paint is Sherwin Williams Chem Aqua Plus.

Some of the same companies that make kitchen cabinets also make non-toxic bathroom vanities and closets.
Here is a company making solid wood closets.

4. Fully Custom-Made Cabinets

Custom cabinets are usually made by local craftsmen. This is usually the highest-end option. But for me in my tiny house, we kept it really simple with basic cabinets made by my carpenter builder.

Cabinets can be made with a combination of solid wood, plywood, Purebond (formaldehyde-free plywood), or formaldehyde-free particleboard.

Purebond plywood is made of “soy glue” which for some people is preferred over regular plywood. Not all chemically sensitive people do well with this.

Personally, I would have no problem using either plywood made with phenol-formaldehyde (which offgasses quickly and fully) or the formaldehyde-free alternatives.

Drawers can be made of mostly metal.

My cabinets, pictured, are custom made with solid wood on the doors/face. MgO was used for the boxes (a highly unusual choice!). IKEA ready-made metal drawers were used with MgO as the base of the drawer.

The wood did warp a little in my kitchen (this was poplar wood).

Some ideas to cut down on costs (while keeping the cabinets low in toxicity):

Use shelves instead of upper cabinets – either wood, glass, or metal.
Salvage cabinets and countertops from demolitions as they may have off-gassed or you may find metal ones.
DIY simple open shelving below the counter made of solid wood, concrete, tadelakt, metal, or glass.
Metal and glass cabinets you can custom make or make yourself – here is a description and instructions from Build a Healthy House. IKEA also offers some mostly glass options.
Incorporate affordable metal drawers or shelves inside of cabinets (like my IKEA parts).

5. Non-Toxic Big Brand Cabinets

i. KraftMaid Cabinets (Lowes and Home Depot)

KraftMaid cabinets are a great mid-range semi-custom option.

They offer all plywood cabinets boxes as an upgrade. The shelves are also plywood. Most plywood now quickly offgasses to completion. It’s a far better choice than particleboard.

The drawer sides are solid wood, with a plywood base.

The doors are solid hardwood frames with solid or veneer center panels, or laminate doors.

I like solid wood as my top choice followed by laminate doors.

You can order samples for $3 each to see the finishes. I personally found that the painted lacquer finish hit odorless very quickly, within days. I don’t think any instrument would pick up offgassing off these at that time. They said the samples are always newly produced.

The clear finished seemed even better to me right away. But both finishes would be fine for 99% of folks and both are better than conversion varnish used by other brands.

KraftMaid cabinets cost you anywhere from $100 to $300 per linear square foot.

Merillat Cabinets

Merillat and Kraftmaid are owned by the same company, and Merrillat’s best line, their Masterpiece, is the exact same product as Kraftmaid.

Other Home Depot Brands

Many folks have reported doing well with Thomasville brand cabinets from Home Depot.

iii. IKEA Cabinets

IKEA is obviously a very affordable ready to assemble (RTA) option.

From IKEA, the lacquered VEDDINGE cabinets and melamine-faced cabinets are preferred because those finishes block some offgassing.

The KUNGSBACKA cabinet fronts and side panels are made of PET plastic wrapped around particle board, which is also a great way to block offgassing from the particleboard.

Formaldehyde Levels in Big Box Store Cabinets

Many people are finding that since CARB II came into effect, which drastically reduced formaldehyde in nationwide brands, regular cabinets work fine for them.

You may want to compare some of the brands at IKEA and Home Depot. If you find GreenGuard Gold certification you know it’s extremely low formaldehyde.

With most particleboard and MDF, the main adhesive is formaldehyde. You can see the typical levels in the chart in this post.

I would avoid MDF and particleboard, opting for brands that offer an upgrade to all plywood boxes and solid wood doors.

My second choice after that is a melamine or laminate finish which blocks most of the formaldehyde.

Melamine Versus Laquer – Which is Safer?

IKEA has two main finishes on the doors.

Melamine is one option. This is a plastic exterior that is fairly thick and does not have noticeable offgassing.

The other option is the painted (lacquered) finish. This is made with a base of particleboard.

Lacquer paints do have some ability to seal in offgassing, but this doesn’t block the formaldehyde as well as the melamine or laminate does.

How to Block & Seal in Formaldehyde

In cabinets with a melamine or plastic laminate finish on the outside (like many IKEA cabinets) this does block most of the formaldehyde offgassing.

If the edges are sealed in by the finish, that is even better.

If the edges are not sealed with melamine, the formaldehyde offgassing from the edges can be sealed with AFM Safeseal or Zinsser Shellac. You should also seal up the unused shelving holes with shellac as well.

If you go with the lacquered finish you can seal the edges with Safeseal or Shellac.

Metal and Glass Cabinet Components from IKEA

The IKEA drawers have metal sides which is a great feature. The fiberboard base can be swapped out for another material.

IKEA also sells glass cabinet drawers and glass shelves for inside cabinets. The JUTIS line is metal and glass.

I used their metal drawers and metal corner cabinet shelving in my tiny house and put my own fronts on them.

You can really cut down on costs and toxin exposure but using many IKEA parts.

If you want to dig down deeper into materials – my post on Laminate, Melamine, and Thermafoil goes into more detail.

6. Plastic Kitchen Cabinets

Non-toxic outdoor kitchen cabinets can be made of polyethylene or metal. The above cabinets are from Werever Outdoor Cabinets.

Folks who have not found a suitable material in the indoor options might use the outdoor styles inside. You could, of course, use these outside as intended, as well.

One benefit here is you might find modular options in this category quickly and easily at big box stores.

One company, Reform, which makes doors and accessories to fit on the IKEA base cabinet frames, makes a solid polyethylene (HDPE) door line called MATCH. That would be an awesome option for many sensitive folks. You would need to check out the above section on IKEA to see if the base cabinets could suit you.

If you need assistance choosing the best cabinets, countertops and other kitchen items for your sensitivities, please contact me for a one-on-one consultation.