There are flooring products that do not off gas , check those out.

Use LVP that uses the click floating method, no glues. No do not use laminates in areas where water is an issue. True, hard wood does increase the property value and I agree can get costly, our LVP sales are thru the roof, I probably sell 10 LVP jobs compared to 1 solid hardwod.

Could someone give me brands of LVP that would not emit chemicals please?

I know that we need to try and stay away from adhesives that would be problematic

We believe we have a real off-gassing problem with our vinyl planks from DuChateau. Does anyone else have any information on this flooring??

Largomez im soooo sorry to hear that! DuChateau is not one that I've been researching. This just shows me I really do need to thoroughly research FloorScores, GreenGuard certification, etc
I hope it improves!!!

Cancork you seem to be soooo knowledgeable. Thank you!! Do you know anything about this company for largomez?
Also what can you tell me about cork floors? Good for sensitivities?

Check out Modin Collection from Flooret (on Houzz). Environmentally friendly. 40 mil wear layer is best in the industry. $3.50 SF.

High quality product if you find a finish you like that works for your space. Planks 9" wide x 5' long.

Thank you Hal Braswell!!

The European cork products will work in 99% of chemical sensitivity cases. That means stuff from Lumber Liquidators, big box stores, Build Direct, etc are OFF THE TABLE! USFloors cork has a long history of upsetting people's noses.

iCork Floor carries three different manufacturers (all boxed up under the name 'Forna') and they all work very well with "sensitivities". Of course, without seeing your own test results for chemicals that you have tested sensitive to, I can't go further than that. A very small percentage of people will be sensitive to ONE of the 100+ chemicals found in flooring products. Without knowing your OWN sensitivity profile, it is hard for anyone else to predict the outcome of their flooring to your sensitivity. Which is why it is VERY important to gather samples (or even a full box) of a product and have them AROUND YOU for a few days. At your desk. Under your sofa. On your bedside table, etc.

The DuChateau vinyl makes me scratch my head. Normally they produce nice, benign products. Which makes me wonder if ADHESIVE was used in the install? Or the layer underneath the vinyl (underlayment like plywood or underlayment like under pad)?

There are literally THOUSANDS of OTHER THINGS that can cause a sensitivity to flair up. And it may have NOTHING to do with the floor itself. If a box of flooring was left open (see above) for awhile and NOTHING happened, but the LAID FLOOR has caused issues, then I would say it is not the floor. It is something else. And that gets super difficult to pin point.

That's Great info. The vinyl planks were laid down on our concrete base using some kind of adhesive. I'll check to see what they used. Thank you very much.

If this is glued down, then I would say you are going to look VERY closely at the adhesive. What is happening? What is your reaction?

Get hold of the name of the adhesive (a photo if you can get one) and then we'll see if we can track down the issue. There are many VOC free adhesives out there - they still "stink" but VOC free (migraine sufferers can react just to ODOUR...even with VOC Free products). There are plenty of high-end adhesives that are ranked as Low VOC (the numbers indicate "low" or "very low"...again people can react just to odour).

The problems come in when trying to get something to stick to concrete - especially if the adhesive MUST be used a vapour barrier (as in "below grade" or basement setting). That's when we get out of the 'benign' adhesives and into the aggressive ones.

That being said, even the aggressive adhesives are considered MUCH BETTER than the old glues from 50 years ago.

Let us know the name of the adhesive and some of the issues you are having.

The vinyl plank has been installed now for over two years and we have noticed, especially in the hot and humid summer months in Florida, that when we close all the windows and leave the house closed up for 1/2 to several days, we will return to a house that has a distinct chemical or plastic-like smell that is readily noticeable as soon as you open the door. We leave the AC on during the time we are away. All of the AC ductwork was replaced at the same time the home was renovated with the new flooring so we don't believe that is the source of the smell. We believe the installers used Bostik Pro-Source for the glue down on our single story cement floor base. We are trying to verify the adhesive brand name but that was the name I was told the installers preferred to use. We have noticed the smell in the winter months as well when we leave the house completely closed up.

Vinyl is plastic - petroleum based plastic at that. This is a known concern for vinyl. If this is two years old, this isn't anything to do with the adhesive. If this was 2 WEEKS old, then it might be something with the adhesive.

I'm sorry but this is one of the draw backs of vinyl - chemical smell when it warms up (direct sunlight). I've heard this complaint many times with cork that is finished in vinyl (ahem Wicanders). As soon as the house is closed up for a few days during the summer, the homeowners complain of a distinct "vinyl" smell. Which is EXACTLY what it is.

This is the profile of vinyl. This will continue until you remove it - in 2 years time or in 2 DECADES time. It won't matter. This is vinyl. This is what it does. At this point, it isn't the adhesive. You have petroleum based plastic in your home...this is what happens.

Many vinyls will advertise low VOC...but the PHTHALATES are the biggest issues out there. And those have only RECENTLY been under investigation.

I wish you luck. This is "normal" for vinyl - whether it is 1 week old or 30 years old.

Thanks for all that great info. Wish we had known this before we installed the Vinyl planks in the entire house.

Cancork you are a blessing to many! I wish you were in North Carolina!!! I would surely use you as my vendor!!!
I appreciate your help and expertise so very much! We're still looking and trying to research as much as possible. A healthy home is soooo important!!

Cancork, I just was told the adhesive used in our home was Taylor 2091 PSA. Do you know anything about that adhesive or issues with it?

The Taylor 2091 PSA is a low-odour, solvent free, pressure sensitive adhesive with all the hall marks of a "water based" product. Once dry (which is how they create the pressure sensitive application) this is about as exciting as paint.

http://wftaylor.com/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2017/04/120319_Taylor_2091_spec.pdf

After 2 years....it isn't the adhesive. It is vinyl getting nice and toasty warm. As things warm up (direct sunlight...winter heating season...etc) things give off odour. Again, this is 99.999% the vinyl floor. After 2 years, a PSA like this one should be one of the safest products used in your home.

THANKS AGAIN FOR THAT GREAT INFO.

Does vinyl that is phthalate free have an odor? Or does all vinyl have an odor?
Thanks!

I would say that all vinyl has "odour". Just like a new pair of running shoes, they have an odour when they come out of the box. How long the odour sticks around for and how much odour comes off when they warm up (as complained about above) is up to the individual brands and their mix of PVC, where they source it, urethane finish, adhesives, etc.

The higher end products (the stuff out of Europe) should have a much lower "odour" profile (and VOC and phthalates) than the stuff found in N. America.

The Korean products are very stable when warmed up (they are designed for in-floor radiant heat) and have a much better "chemical" profile when compared to other products. But they do come with a price tag.

Our poor floor consultant. I've been having him research the lines they carry very thoroughly. Says he's learned a lot too!!

Cancork, are you familiar with MultiCore Premium? It seems to have many research based certifications, etc. Your thoughts?
I think I'm going to order a box and live with it awhile to see. Pretty flooring, too!!!

I also have off gassing from a Du Chateau luxury vinyl plank flooring glued down on concrete about 2 years ago. Perhaps there is a problem with this product. Are there any updates?

We have click lock vinyl planks, About 2 weeks ago the planks were sliding apart near the front door. The installer used adhesive on the loose planks and caulk near the front door. We have a strong ammonia sent in the front hall, and after the cleaning lady was here 2 days ago, the whole place smelled like dead fish or ammonia, We cant lose the odor. Suggestions? What should I clean vinyl floors with?

"Strong ammonia scent....and after the cleaning lady was 2 days ago..."

There's your answer. The CLEANING LADY is using an ammonia based cleaner. That is a no-no for any flooring product other than tile.

Stop the cleaning lady and ask to see what she is using. I'm going to guess you will find your answer in her mop bucket and not your floor.

You want a pH neutral floor cleaner that says it is safe for vinyl. I recommend you purchase it and leave it out for your cleaning lady. And make sure she uses your mops (microfibre) and your cloths. Ask her to leave her cleaning stuff in her car and use YOURS.

I think you will find this ends the odour issue.

Make sure she is not using Windex. A friend realized that her cleaning lady was using Windex on everything.

I have to say that I did our entire cabin in EZ Lay loose lay LVP this past summer and there was no apparent odor or off gassing even with 50 boxes of flooring sitting there and then installed! If you walked in from outside there was no odor at all either. I just bought more loose lay XL Drop n Done (same company as makes the EZLay and same specs) and have just finished doing a 280 sq ft room in our home. No smells whatsoever.

We put vinyl flooring in a small section in our computer room almost 4 months ago. This past week I started to smell this awful smell in that room. At first we thought it was our futon. We have two Pom-chi pups that were getting inside the futon underneath it. They are not potty trained that well and I thought they were peeing inside the futon. So we removed the futon and I cleaned the floor with a steam mop. I didn’t see any stains on the floor at all. Then I didn’t smell anything for a couple of days. Now I’m smelling it again. It has been really hot the past couple of weeks and we do have a skylight in that room. But we keep the AC cranked even when we are at work. So is it the vinyl floor? It’s from Mohawk. Here is a pic of the box. Please advise,

Any research or comments on glue down vinyl planks by Tiziano let, adhesive Xl Brands Stix 2230 over concrete foundation. Flooring installed in February 2018 and I still smell a strong chemical smell in October. Concrete was tested for moisture and acceptable limits. Any issues anyone aware of?

Would Wicander’s or Karndean be a good choice as they are European? I bought a box of LVP that isChinese and it holds up well to my kids and dog but it has a weird sweet smell.

As a designer and someone who is chemically sensitive, I would never use or recommend any vinyl flooring!!

@ Delano Designs so does that mean you also don't recommend hardwood floors, linoleum, laminate, carpet etc. etc. all of which either have some synthetic material, vinyl or wood finishes that smell and could off gas. Some of the LVP products are green certified and guaranteed not to off gas. You just need to choose an appropriate product. Not ban them completely.

I do not recommend laminate or carpet unless its wool either. This also has to do with the production and materials used in manufacturing. Does this mean my clients never use these products no, but I do not recommend them. And for the record products are not guaranteed to off gas, they just do not exceed certain limits set by the certification requirements. And as someone who almost died many years ago from carpet installation, I am very conscious of products and how and what they are made of.

What type of flooring would you recommend for living amen bedroom areas that most likely are safe for those with chemical sensitivities?