Floor Varnish Fumes Health

Although polyurethane gives natural wood floors a beautiful long lasting sheen it is also a toxic chemical and should be used with caution.

Floor varnish fumes health.

Lacquer is dangerous to swallow. The fumes and odors left behind after restoring wood flooring can be a headache literally. Prevention eco friendly options are always the most ideal treatment for hardwood floors but polyurethane exposure can also be limited by allowing proper curing before re entering the affected area. Adverse health symptoms when exposed to toxic floor finish.

Getting to know wood stains. Is polyurethane coating on wood floors toxic. While these health hazards are definitely troubling remember that these are only the known health risks of polyurethane fumes in the home. To minimize the dangers of polyurethane vapors always apply the finishes in a well ventilated space wear a face mask and eye protection and don t smoke.

Today the ingredients of wood stains are more complicated. Wood stains have 3 main components including pigment or dye binders and solvents. Many common products used to refinish wood flooring contain harmful chemicals known as volatile organic compounds or vocs. However exposure to paint and its fumes has the potential to cause irritation of the skin eyes and throat.

Dyes can penetrate the wood and pigments sit on top of the wood like paints. Moreover the vocs that many paint products contain can. Avoid living in your home if you or family members experience headaches brain fog lethargy wheezing eye nose or throat irritation until proper diagnosing of the air quality regarding potentially toxic chemicals and lung damaging particulates. Breathing in the fumes for a long period is also harmful.

Most paints are very safe. Green building council ranks varnish and lacquer as the worst offenders in terms of voc off gassing. Do not use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If your floor is being finished by a professional and it s possible for you to leave the home it s best to stay away long enough for the finish to cure and the odor to disperse which usually takes about 48 hours.

And wet or drying paint particularly oil based paints tend to emit a lot of vocs says clifford weisel a professor at the environmental and occupational health sciences institute of rutgers. This article is for information only. Lacquer is a clear or colored coating called a varnish that is often used to give wooden surfaces a glossy look.