Going Green: Choosing Non-Toxic Adhesives and Finishes

One of the hottest, most exciting trends for homeowners in recent years has been the desire to make their homes environmentally friendly. From top to bottom, homeowners are trying to use green products in their homes, and this extends to the adhesives and finishes used on flooring.

While it can be difficult to find non-toxic adhesives and finishes to use in your home, it’s not impossible, especially with the right information at your disposal. Here are a few tips for choosing the right non-toxic adhesives and finishes for installing green flooring in your home.

Choose Natural Flooring

The first step in making the flooring in your home as green as possible begins with the flooring material itself. There are a number of great solutions for non-toxic, environmentally friendly flooring that will both look great and perform the way that you need.

To start with, you should consider natural hardwood flooring, particularly reclaimed hardwood, for a non-toxic flooring option. You can also choose substances like cork and stone, both of which are generally free from harmful chemicals.

When you start with a completely natural flooring option, you’ll have already done the bulk of the work towards removing toxic adhesives and finishes from your flooring.

Look for Non-Solvent or Water Based Adhesives

When you’re looking for a quality adhesive for your flooring, caulk is the go-to choice for many homeowners. However, many caulks are either solvent or epoxy based, both of which can contain toxic chemical that will derail your attempt to make your flooring as green as possible.

Luckily, there are a number of great adhesive solutions that will hold your flooring in place without the worry of damaging, toxic chemicals. While looking for a non-toxic adhesive, you should keep an eye out for products that are either non-solvent or water based.

It might take a little searching, but you should be able to find a non-toxic adhesive that fits into your environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Avoid Products with High VOC

Many stains and finishes are high in what’s known as volatile organic compounds (VOC). VOC content is what many people are talking about when they refer to a chemical as ‘toxic’. If you’re trying to go green in your home, you should make sure to use stains and finishes that have a low VOC number.

As with adhesive, you should try to find a water based finish, making sure that the VOC content is less than 150 grams per liter. When you use a low VOC finish, you’ll be able to make your floors look great while sticking to your plan for going green.

Install Green Flooring in Your Home

Although it can be difficult at times, going green is one of the most worthwhile, rewarding experiences that you can have as a homeowner. Not only does going green increase your home’s efficiency, it also makes sure that your family stays as healthy as possible.

If you’re planning on installing green flooring in your home, you need to make sure you go all the way by using non-toxic adhesives and finishes. By doing a little research, you can find environmentally friendly solutions to finishing your floor and making sure it is securely in place.