Is laminate harmful to health?
People strive to create coziness and comfort in their home, and this is natural. Building materials from which they are made at home and what is in them must comply with environmental standards and not harm human health. One of the finishing materials, which has recently become increasingly popular, is a laminate or laminated coating. From it is made of flooring, sometimes walls or even ceilings. Accordingly, it is necessary to immediately determine whether the laminate is harmful to health?
Why laminate?
This type of interior decoration has become one of the best thanks to the many positive qualities of this material. Here are just some of them:
- Ease of installation. You can put laminate on your own, without the help of construction companies.
- No complicated tool required for installation.
- Affordable price.
- Large selection of colors, the ability to choose the perfect option for any interior.
- High operational qualities at the correct laying and the careful relation.
In the case of external similarity with parquet, the laminated coating differs from it in its composition, and there is nothing to say about the price, it is lower at times. In addition, the laminate flooring does not require additional processing and after installation, you can walk on this floor immediately.
Laminate consists of several layers, and in its production is mainly used wood (up to 90%) and wood waste. The bottom, or first layer - thick paper. It is resistant to deformation and gives strength to laminate.
The middle or base layer of the laminate is chipboard or fibreboard. It consists of sawdust, shavings, waste of logging production, bears the main burden. The crushed wood is impregnated with adhesive composition and pressed at high temperature. The plates obtained as a result of this process are strong and durable, not subject to rotting and fungal diseases of wood.
What is the danger of laminate
The question of whether this building material is dangerous cannot arise, since the tree is by far the most environmentally friendly. When gluing the filler used natural resins or artificial adhesive mixtures. Resins are a natural substance, and will not have a harmful effect on humans. Synthetic adhesives are usually made from high quality raw materials and are also harmless.
The top layer of the laminate is made on the basis of acrylic or melamine resins. It is intended to protect the base layer from mechanical damage and other effects, very durable in its structure. As a part of paint and varnish products, the use of acrylic resins has found wide application, they are completely harmless. Melamine does not contribute to the binding of particles, and therefore in one of the components in the composition formaldehyde is used as an adhesive composition.
The presence of this component raises some concerns about the health safety of laminate flooring in the apartment. Formaldehyde fumes have a greater danger to human health, but we should not speak about their presence during the operation of the laminate. Formaldehyde can become gaseous only at very high temperatures, well above room temperature. Such coverage will be safe even in tropical climates.
Manufacturers of building materials are aware of the toxicity of formaldehyde, and therefore all materials that contain this substance are not available immediately after production, but are stored and weathered for a long time in warehouses.
Обратите внимание! Степень безопасности ламината можно узнать по классу его эмиссии. Emission – степень концентрации вредных для человека веществ, в данном случае это формальдегид и его производные. Европейские нормы экологической безопасности выделяют несколько видов.
Types of emission
Е0 - in the production of this product only natural substances were used, the complete absence of any harmful components. Laminate with this class of emission will cost significantly more.
Е1 is an absolutely safe laminate for health, at the same time it is of high quality and meets all international standards. In its production and its composition does not use formaldehyde, or their content is negligible. This marking on the product means that the percentage of harmful substances does not exceed these indicators in the natural substance of wood. That is, in its natural state, wood contains formaldehyde, and its smell makes wood unique.
E-2, E-3 - melamine resin is present in the composition of such a laminate, to which formaldehyde is added. It is not suitable for use in residential premises, it may be used in public places, offices and warehouses, that is, where a person is for a short time and there is no effect of elevated temperatures on the floor.
At high performance, such a laminate has a low price and is very attractive to the consumer. In addition, it can be installed in rooms where all other materials are ideal in terms of sanitary standards. In this case, the total concentration of harmful secretions will not exceed the permissible values.
The EPLF marking indicates that the manufacturer belongs to the European Laminate Manufacturers Association. This product is allowed to use not only in homes and apartments, but even in children's and medical institutions. There are types of laminated flooring for underfloor heating.
No matter how hard we try to determine how harmful laminate is, this question remains open today. It is strongly recommended to refuse to purchase laminate from dubious sellers. For full confidence in the environmental safety of this flooring should carefully examine its packaging and ensure that the appropriate labeling. In addition, the seller must provide the appropriate quality certificate for this product.
Video
How to check the laminate for safety and how to choose a safe laminate, look in the video:
See also:
What laminate is produced in Russia
Cleaning laminate without stains