VOC levels and Solventless Floor Coatings from FLOORChef

At FLOORChef we're often asked about the VOC levels of our products, however as we specialise in solventless floor coatings there's really no quick answer to this question.

Let me explain.

The idea of declaring the 'volume solids' or 'percent solids' might be applicable when it comes to traditional solvent-borne paint products. In this case, such a figure indicates the amount of solvent evaporating from a film during the drying process and, therefore, what health/safety risks it may pose. Without doubt there is a practical reason for knowing the 'volume solids' or 'percentage VOCs' for these types of products.

On the other hand, with no evaporative component to speak of in our solventless systems, conventional VOC figures like these begin to lose any significant meaning. As a result FLOORChef focuses on the total volatile organic compound (TVOC) emissions and, in particular, how they compare to flooring alternatives like carpet, timber, tiles and vinyl.

The reason is because TVOC emission tests measure the weight of volatiles a flooring system will continue to emit after installation. In our opinion this is the most vital statistic of all as it clearly defines what is being breathed in everyday by the people on the floor.

National and international authorities in this field agree that a figure of 0.5 milligrams per square metre per hour is an acceptable emission rate for interior flooring systems. When we had our 'worst case scenario' independently tested, Fresh Tofu, we found that less than 0.05 milligrams per square metre per hour was released into the air. That's less than 1/10th of the accepted threshold!

Next time you are looking at flooring systems, ask about the TVOC results because that will give you the best idea of what you're actually breathing in at the end of the day.