Formaldehyde in subflooring?? Big oops
ecalp| Posted inGeneral Questionson
(Background: I just had a baby and have a 4yo with some medical history. Renovating as green as possible!)
So… Our unfinished oak floors have been laid. I THOUGHT we were using the old subflooring, but I am somehow mistaken; he put in new subflooring… I imagine is plywood? I’m rather spiraling over formaldehyde.
The plan now is to use a noVOC water-based poly to finish. But now I’m concerned we will be breathing in formaldehyde all day in our new pandemic life where we never go outside because of fires and air quality? (I’m in California)
Tear it up??? Are we okay??? Thanks for your help.
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Replies
The California CARB2 requirement for plywood is 0.05 PPM. That's pretty stringent. If you still have concerns, I would focus on implementing an effective ventilation strategy and eliminating any combustion-based appliances.
Plywood isn’t a material that is known to be an issue with offgassing. You’re also going to be somewhat encapsulating it with your new hardwood floor which, while not exactly a barrier, will reduce anything getting into your living space from the subfloor.
I don’t think you have anything to worry about from the subfloor. If you’re in one of the fire zones, the smoke is a much bigger health risk. If you’re worried about your new baby and air quality, Honeywell makes some good portable air filters you can use in your baby’s room. I would recommend one with a HEPA filter (for smoke particulates), and an activated carbon layer to get anything that’s left.
Bill