Question from Mira
Hi Debra,
I’m considering asking my condo HOA Board for permission to install wood floors in my 2nd story unit. They would require acoustic insulation so the neighbor living below me doesn’t hear footsteps/noise. There are cork and polyurethane underlayment options, which can be used separately or in combination. Or, I could get wall-to-wall wool carpet with felt pad. (Neither option is ideal I know, but I want to do the best I can).
The wood floor would need one or both of these types of underlayment:
WE Cork Soundless and Soundless+ underlayment MSDS:
http://www.wecork.com/wp-content/forms/Soundless_Soundless+MSDS.pdf
Healthier Choice Sound Solution Acoustic Underlayment (contains antimicrobial) MSDS:
http://www.menards.com/msds/104543_001.pdf
(I wonder if the polyurethane underlayment would be safe with the wood flooring over it. It has a very slight odor).
VERSUS:
http://www.hiberniawoolcarpet.com/display-color.asp?s=Habitat&clr=Seashell
I’ve home tested dozens of natural, green, wool carpets samples and the only ones I didn’t react to were two styles made by Hibernia Woolen Mills: Elements and Habitat. These are triple washed and contain no dyes. I detect no smell from them. They are low pile berber carpets which collect dust less than pile carpet and are easier to vacuum and keep clean.
with
http://www.rugpadcorner.com/shop/superior/
I love this carpet pad — my friend has it under her area rug. It has no smell whatsoever and feels wonderful underfoot. It can be used for wall-to-wall also.
What do you think of each option and which would you choose?
Thank you!
Debra’s Answer
I looked at the MSDS sheets for the floor underlayment and they both were fine.
They both contain polyurethane, however, polyurethane itself is not toxic, it’s the chemicals they add to it to make polyurethane foam and polyurethane floor finish that make these products toxic.
The antimicrobial the Healthier Choice underlayment is Hydrated Alumina, which is well known for it’s antibacterial properties. This is a particle suspended in and surrounded by a polymer–like a seed in honey–so there is no exposure to it.
So either choice would be fine with me.
I think you’d have less problem with the HOA if you chose the carpet. [And that’s what she did.]
I didn’t think that there were any carpets on the market other than Earth Weave and Nature’s Carpet that don’t use highly toxic SBR (styrene butadiene) latex adhesive to adhere the fibers to the backing, so I was surprised to read Mira’s comment that Hibernia wool carpet has no odor. I called the company and they refused to tell me what adhesive is used, so I suspect they are using SBR. Debra — do you happen to know if that’s true?
I don’t know offhand, but just today I interviewed the founder of Earth Weave Carpet Mills on Toxic Free Talk Radio, and he gave a very good description of how carpets are constructed and where the toxic chemicals are. They also have a great diagram on their website of carpet construction.
Debra, here’s something I learned about choosing carpet while working on this project.
Most carpet samples have been sitting around the store or factory for months or even years and have already out-gased. Taking this kind of sample home to test for safety will not give you an accurate picture of the carpet and your response to it . It’s imperative to ask for a dye-lot sample from the actual roll that would be installed in your home. Ostensibly this is to test for color, but for our purposes it’s to be sure we’re getting a fresh sample from the roll that would actually be installed. This is the sample to test at home to see if it’s safe for you. Don’t be surprised if it smells of chemicals or even of natural latex, when the store sample didn’t. This happened to me and prevented me from buying a carpet that would have made me sick.
I just received the fresh run sample of the carpet I thought was safe. It’s not safe for me and I’m so glad I got this fresh run sample (I asked for a dye lot sample which has to be from the same roll as would be installed). I’m back to the drawing board but I might have to sell this condo.