Re: [GBlist] flooring for the chemically sensitive

["David Porter" <dporter@porterarchitects.com>]

> So, what they now hope to use in this second-floor apt. is a
> "Pergo-type" flooring called Wilsonart, which supposedly does not
> contain formaldehyde in its pressboard core.  I've been aquainted with
> sample boards, and they don't seem to off-gas anything toxic.  My
> concern is the glue.
>Anyone have experience using this particular floor and
> glue?

I just completed a punch list walk-through on a 2300 SF custom house
addition that I had worked on as the architect.  All of the floors used the
Wilson Art laminate "wood" flooring (the contractor said he had had better
results and warranty service from the Wilson Art product than he had had
with Pergo).  The flooring has been down now for about a month or two and
the air conditioning has been running all of that time.  I did not detect
any sense of odor whatsoever from the flooring.  I don't know what the
chemical composition of the glue is but there did not appear to be any
detectable "glue" odor in any of the rooms.  The client specifically wanted
no carpeting because they have three children with Asthma.

>And, last, but  definitely not least, what are my
> other alternatives?  I'm somewhat limited by price.

If you are limited by price, then maybe you shouldn't be looking at any of
the laminate floorings.  They are not the cheapest flooring products on the
market.  In the south Florida market, to have the Wilson Art product
installed ran about $6.50/SF.  I could have had 20x20 ceramic tile installed
on the slab for a little under $4/SF.  You will probably find flooring
prices to be regionally sensitive.  I have found ceramic tile flooring in
the Northeast to go for bigger bucks than we pay in Florida.  A supply and
demand thing, I think.  And, to get really down to the lowest possible cost,
you could stain the concrete slab ($1 to $2/SF depending on the slab prep
work needed) and seal it or you could install vinyl composition tile (around
$1.50/SF installed).

David Porter AIA
Palm Beach Gardens, FL USA
dporter@porterarchitects.com
www.porterarchitects.com



______________________________________________________________________
This greenbuilding dialogue is sponsored by REPP/CREST, creator of
Solstice http://www.crest.org, and BuildingGreen, Inc., publisher of
Environmental Building News and GreenSpec http://www.BuildingGreen.com
______________________________________________________________________