Question from Mira
Hi Debra,
My finances are such that I can afford a small condo but not a free-standing home. My HOA will not allow wood or tile floors in my 2nd floor unit (the 2nd floor is best for me because I have mold allergies and I’m further away from the ground). They will allow carpeting or cork. I’ve been testing 100% wool carpet samples, but I’ve reacted to them thus far. There is a cork company called WE Cork located in New Hampshire that makes cork flooring that looks like wood. The MSDS for this “Serenity Floating Floor” is here:
http://www.wecork.com/wp-content/forms/FloatingFloorHDF-MSDS.
My concern of course is the formaldehyde. When I talked with them they said the formaldehyde is in the high density particle board which is sandwiched between two layers of cork; there is also a top coat of water based polyurethane sealant that is applied in a heated state which increases its strength/hardness. There will also be a polyethylene moisture barrier laid on the subfloor before the cork is laid. There would be a 3/8″ gap between the floor boards and the walls to allow for swelling without buckling. They said I could use a water based polyurethene coating on these edges to completely seal anything I could be exposed to. If I did this, do you think it could be a “safe” floor? I would alert the installers to wear protective gear.
Another cork company is Wicanders who also make cork flooring to look like wood in their Woodcomfort Floating Floor collection. Their main offices are in Portugal and I can’t find an MSDS sheet on this product.
After much searching I finally found something close to an MSDS sheet for Wicander’s. I’m passing the link along to you in case it helps you answer my question. It has some chemicals but is Greenguard certified. I’d be grateful for your take on chemical safety for someone with MCS (me). Of course I will test with samples, but I’d love your input as well.
They list formaldehyde emission as E1.
I would appreciate your thoughts on both of these products.
Thanks so much!
Debra’s Answer
I’m reluctant to say that any flooring that emits formaldehyde in any amount could be safe.
All these emissions ratings for formaldehyde don’t mean “zero.” They are small amounts.
Have you tested samples of either of these corks?
Let’s examine the WE layers in order:
* top coat of water based polyurethane sealant that is applied in a heated state which increases its strength/hardness
* cork
* high density particle board
* cork
* polyethylene moisture barrier laid on the subfloor before the cork is laid
Cork would not block formaldehyde, but the polyurethane sealant might. And more layers of sealant would block more formaldehyde, especially if you used AFM Safe Seal which is designed to encapsulate formaldehyde. If you were to apply that as a topcoat over the flooring, I think it would be pretty safe. At least the best you could do given your choices under the circumstances.
In this document from Wicanders it says that the cork is attached to PVC and high density fiberboard (outgasses formaldehyde).
Cork is only 29%.
55% is high density fiberboard.
6% PVC.
Formaldehyde emissions are class E1. That means it’s emitting formaldehyde.
Greenguard certified doesn’t mean no emissions. It means the product has less than a stated limit of emissions. If that number were 10, some products certified have 9, some 8, some 7 etc, some 0.
Hello there, I sell cork flooring. I only sell the 100% cork stick down tiles. The floating floors you are talking about have MDF and only a 3mm cork backing and a veneer. These are no good in wet areas such as bathrooms as they wood will swell. I would request stick down raw cork tiles, if you want to colour them yourself, or you can order, preglued, prefinished tiles through me.
If you want any information about cork please don’t hesitate to contact me in New Zealand on +64277008900 or toni@corkincolour.co.nz.
We have 40+ years in the business.
Warm regards
What type of adhesive is used on your stick-down tiles? I usually do not recommend such tiles because of the odor of the adhesive.
I called several so called “cork” flooring companies. All are suspect – buyer beware! All of them hide the MSDS for the top coat that was put on which is toxic made-made coatings. The only toxic free flooring is natural stone and you have to be careful with that, too!
RE: Anne Worner’s comment of looking into wool carpeting from New Zealand
Several years ago I looked into wool carpet advertised as containing no biocides to deter mold. I learned that, although the carpet manufacturers of these carpets didn’t add these biocides to their carpet, the wool they purchased for making carpet usually, if not always, had been treated prior to their purchase.
It would be a good idea to check with whichever carpet company you choose on this matter.
How about regular cork? Not laminated to a substrate – but can be laid on sub-floor. I have a tie between cork and linoleum for my home and both are going to require particular installation, however without the ‘floating’ part this is a material that should be safe. Cork will be much quieter than linoleum.
Here is a quote from the following website, “If you are working on a LEED project or are just chemically sensitive, you’ll want to use the glue-down cork tiles instead of cork floating floors.”
http://www.corkfloor.com/tiles.html
So far most stores have offered much verbal insistence about useing the tiles, they do carry the floating type. I don’t want the chemicals. Frank Lloyd Wright used cork in his famous house and it still looks lovely today, if it was good enough for Frank then it’s good enough for me.
Thank you Sally! Some of the Globus cork tiles are attractive — I’ll call them and ask them about installation as I have a gypcrete subfloor which is not allowed for direct glueing. I appreciate this help!
Hi, SallyS and Mira. I would love to hear more about the Globus cork products. I’m very sensitive to so many things yet would love to have cork floors.
If anyone has lived with this company’s product, how long did it take for the initial cork odor to subside and were there any MCS complications? (These variables, of course, contribute to the experience: climate, humidity, and location.) Were some of the cork colors easier to be around than say the dark colors?
Thanks so much!
AmCork claims their cork flooring does not contain any formaldehyde. I have used it in my home with no problem.
What about natural linoleum tile? (Marmoleum) (one of which comes in snap together cork/linoleum or natural linoleum sheets that you glue in? I used Tite Bond III (Debra suggested) it is waterproof and nearly no scent. I am suspecting that the ban against tile and wood is because of the weight. These are quite light. Maybe you could convince them to let you use them, if you tolerate. You can get samples.
My church put in a new US FLOORS cork floor about 10 months ago and I still cannot go into the building without getting a migraine after 5 minutes. The building used to be perfectly safe for me. This floor is from Portugal, is made from ground up cork in a matrix of something that holds them all together, and has a particle board backing that creates a “plank”. The floor is outgassing like crazy. This floor had all the Greenguard certifications etc. I am not the only one who can’t tolerate the cork floors either. In my experience the best floor is ceramic tile with unsealed grout…need to check on the grout ingredients too.
My husband put down US Floors Almeda Cork while I was on vacation. I came back energized and feeling good. Went to work in my “new” office with the lovely floor. Three days later I came down with flu like symptoms, aching joints and muscles, stinging eyes and wheezing.
We have taken the floor up – it is offgassing in the garage right now. Two days after its removal I started feeling better.
I have called US Floors, requesting an MSDS (they only have a spec sheet on their website), but to no avail. I feel they are ignoring me.
If you are sensitive to chemicals I would avoid this flooring.
Next I’m going to look into wool carpeting from New Zealand.
If they are restricting your choices because they are worried about it being noisier in the unit below you, perhaps you could negotiate a preferred material if you promise to use area rugs, go shoeless in your unit, and take it up when you leave.