Dear Forum,
We are considering which types of flooring to choose for our new prefabricated house. It is very important to me that no harmful substances are present (formaldehyde, VOCs, permethrin, etc.).
We plan to install tiles in the bathroom, kitchen, and hallway. For the living area, bedroom, and children’s rooms, we prefer a warmer floor covering, ideally with a wood appearance. I do not want carpet, and cork is probably out since it is too sensitive to light and pressure for us.
I have read a lot online, and cork, linoleum, natural flooring, and parquet or wood planks are often mentioned as particularly low in harmful substances. However, it is also pointed out that details matter a lot—for example, whether the floorboards are click-fit or glued (risk of formaldehyde), whether the top layer has a lacquer that contains pollutants, or whether the substrate board contains toxins… all of which makes sense.
It is also mentioned that certifications, like the Blue Angel, do not guarantee the absence of harmful substances but only that the levels are below legal limits. Some posts even suggest that the pollutant levels of materials used in the room add up—for example, if the wall paint is just below the limit. This is frustrating to me. What can I really rely on if even certifications are questioned?
I am now wondering how to find a floor that contains NO harmful substances. Of course, price is a factor. Our prefab house supplier offers parquet flooring including installation for €140 (about $150), which is our budget limit. We could install a click-system ourselves to save money. Is this possible with underfloor heating?
Does anyone know of a brand (e.g., for laminate, engineered wood, parquet, natural flooring, linoleum…) or have tips for reliable certifications? How do you assess “natural flooring” referred to as low in harmful substances? The polyurethane it contains is said to be critical as well.
Kind regards,
Catibu74
We are considering which types of flooring to choose for our new prefabricated house. It is very important to me that no harmful substances are present (formaldehyde, VOCs, permethrin, etc.).
We plan to install tiles in the bathroom, kitchen, and hallway. For the living area, bedroom, and children’s rooms, we prefer a warmer floor covering, ideally with a wood appearance. I do not want carpet, and cork is probably out since it is too sensitive to light and pressure for us.
I have read a lot online, and cork, linoleum, natural flooring, and parquet or wood planks are often mentioned as particularly low in harmful substances. However, it is also pointed out that details matter a lot—for example, whether the floorboards are click-fit or glued (risk of formaldehyde), whether the top layer has a lacquer that contains pollutants, or whether the substrate board contains toxins… all of which makes sense.
It is also mentioned that certifications, like the Blue Angel, do not guarantee the absence of harmful substances but only that the levels are below legal limits. Some posts even suggest that the pollutant levels of materials used in the room add up—for example, if the wall paint is just below the limit. This is frustrating to me. What can I really rely on if even certifications are questioned?
I am now wondering how to find a floor that contains NO harmful substances. Of course, price is a factor. Our prefab house supplier offers parquet flooring including installation for €140 (about $150), which is our budget limit. We could install a click-system ourselves to save money. Is this possible with underfloor heating?
Does anyone know of a brand (e.g., for laminate, engineered wood, parquet, natural flooring, linoleum…) or have tips for reliable certifications? How do you assess “natural flooring” referred to as low in harmful substances? The polyurethane it contains is said to be critical as well.
Kind regards,
Catibu74
I would also ask, what do you consider a pollutant? Is it any substance that, regardless of concentration and processing condition, can potentially cause harm? If so, you might as well aim for perfection. Any material can be harmful. Even oxygen leads to poisoning at high concentrations.
The forum members have already responded similarly and provided specific product recommendations. Personally, I consider ceramic tiles to be relatively low-emission during the occupancy phase (once the flexible adhesive has fully cured). They are also likely one of the most hygienic building materials in use. Keep in mind that while wood is great (attractive, cozy, “warm”), as an organic material it is also susceptible to various types of damage. On average, carpets harbor so many insects and spores that it hardly matters if they emit a lot of VOCs (possibly even helping against dust mites – lol).
It is no coincidence that in places where hygiene is critical (hospitals, industrial and commercial kitchens), surfaces are predominantly covered with tiles and metal.
However, I assume that metal is not desired as a flooring material in this case.
The forum members have already responded similarly and provided specific product recommendations. Personally, I consider ceramic tiles to be relatively low-emission during the occupancy phase (once the flexible adhesive has fully cured). They are also likely one of the most hygienic building materials in use. Keep in mind that while wood is great (attractive, cozy, “warm”), as an organic material it is also susceptible to various types of damage. On average, carpets harbor so many insects and spores that it hardly matters if they emit a lot of VOCs (possibly even helping against dust mites – lol).
It is no coincidence that in places where hygiene is critical (hospitals, industrial and commercial kitchens), surfaces are predominantly covered with tiles and metal.
However, I assume that metal is not desired as a flooring material in this case.
Tolentino schrieb:
However, I assume metal flooring is not what you want.Why not? It’s nicely germ-free to cover the entire floor with stainless steel, then run the cleaning robot with a disinfectant solution over it three times a day. Finally, feeling comfortable. :pBack to the topic: There is no such thing as completely pollutant-free. Neither in your living space nor anywhere else you go. I believe if you buy your flooring not from a random place but from a local professional supplier, and clearly express your desire for low-emission materials, you will be well served. All flooring materials approved for use nowadays in Germany should be safe.
I consider labels like organic flooring or similar to be misleading. They are just expensive marketing terms designed to extract even more money from overly cautious home builders.
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xMisterDx26 Sep 2023 17:33KarstenausNRW schrieb:
Choose a floor covering that you like (personally, I always go for oiled/waxed parquet). Materials like laminate or vinyl are suitable for affordable rental apartments, but not for an owner-occupied home.
P.S. Parquet should always be glued down on underfloor heating. This is also possible with click parquet. There are plenty of very low-emission parquet adhesives available. DIY is not rocket science here and can save a lot of money.Paragraph 1 is yet again a classic example of "Why has building become so expensive?"
Paragraph 2 is simply nonsense.
With floating installation, however, larger or more expansion joints are needed.
In principle, it’s not wrong to be concerned about harmful substances. After all, what damages people often only becomes clear after a long period of time or once enough people have been affected...
And the reference to the Romanian ghetto by kati... is utterly unacceptable... Feel free to come by and say that to my very nice neighbors, who come from Romania and still have family there.
Are these already early side effects of the rise of the AfD?
Catibu74 schrieb:
Dear forum,
we are considering which flooring to choose for our new prefabricated house. It is important to me that no harmful substances are present (formaldehyde, VOCs, permethrin, etc.).
We plan to install tiles in the bathroom, kitchen, and hallway.
For the living room, bedroom, and children’s rooms, we want a warmer surface, preferably with a wood look.
I do not want carpet, and cork is probably excluded because it is too sensitive to light and pressure for us.
I have read a lot online, where cork, linoleum, bio-based floors, and parquet or wood planks are often mentioned as particularly low in harmful substances. However, it is also noted that the details matter, for example, whether the flooring is click-lock or glued (risk of formaldehyde), whether the top coating contains toxic substances, or whether the substrate board contains harmful chemicals... that all makes sense.
It is also mentioned that labels, such as the Blue Angel, do not guarantee the absence of harmful substances but only that the levels are below the legal limits. Some posts suggest that the exposure from materials installed in the room adds up, for example, if the wall paint is also just below the limit. That annoys me—what can I rely on if even certifications are questioned?
Now I wonder how to find flooring that CONTAINS NO harmful substances at all.
Price is, of course, a factor. Our prefabricated house supplier offers parquet flooring including installation for €140 (approx. $150) per square meter, which is our maximum budget.
We could install a click-lock system ourselves and save money. Is that possible with underfloor heating?
Does anyone know of a brand (for laminate, engineered wood, parquet, bio-based floors, linoleum...) or have tips for reliable certifications?
How do you assess “bio-based floors”? They are often described as low in harmful substances, but the polyurethane content is said to be critical as well.
Best regards I wonder what your main reason is for wanting a completely toxin-free floor?
Are you worried about emissions, or do you have small children who play on the floor and “lick” it (just asking!)? Emissions have been discussed extensively. Regarding the surface for playing children, I would recommend real wood parquet (also available as a click-lock system that can be installed by yourself over underfloor heating!) or solid wood planks treated with hard wax oil. I would specifically prefer oak (due to its antibacterial properties). Wood is more forgiving than tiles when it comes to small accidents. Also, dropped toys might cause minor dents that suit wood better than a cracked tile. Linoleum would be another alternative for me.
When we built our house, we also focused on using environmentally friendly building materials in many areas, mainly for ideological reasons. I installed oak real wood flooring (click system) myself, and my grandchildren feel very comfortable on it. Neither their parents nor I have concerns. At home, however, the “poor little ones” have to play on laminate :p
i_b_n_a_n schrieb:
At home, the "poor little ones" have to play on laminate floors :pAt least you can disinfect that with Sagrotan 😉W
WilderSueden28 Sep 2023 20:25i_b_n_a_n schrieb:
Toys that fall down might cause a small dent that matches wood better than a cracked tile.Rustic floors are best because scratches can be more easily sanded down and concealed with oil than on a lacquered, smooth parquet floor.Similar topics