Recent news about the formaldehyde levels in laminate flooring have caused some to have more questions about what formaldehyde is, and whether or not it is something to be concerned about in our flooring. The short answer is no. All our products exceed the California Air Resource Board (CARB) standards for formaldehyde emissions, and for many of our products such as our solid wood flooring, formaldehyde is a non-issue. We’ve put together several resources to help clarify this issue and equip you to answer any questions your customers may have.

Small doses

Formaldehyde happens everywhere. It is in products like makeup, paint, glue, medications, cigarettes, resins, building materials, and our body even produces it in small amounts. The guidelines of CARB Phase 2 set the limit of formaldehyde emissions as .05 ppm (parts per million). It is important to note that CARB Phase 2 only applies to composite wood products, such as laminate and engineered wood flooring. Solid wood flooring is not manufactured with glue, and although wood is a natural product and contains some formaldehyde naturally it is only in trace amounts.

Are your floors safe?

Yes! Our engineered wood floors go through proper testing to make sure we are in compliance with CARB Phase 2 and other safety standards. In fact, Real Wood Floors exceeds these safety standards. We don’t want to sell a floor that we wouldn’t have in our own home.