“X-ray check” for the floor structure

Looking beneath the surface is advisable in every situation of our lives – even in our own four walls. When installing tiles, parquet or other floor coverings, a multitude of ancillary products is used. Various installation materials are concealed under the wear layer. Once installed, these are practically invisible. Nevertheless, they may contain harmful substances that can pollute the air inside the room. If you want to be sure that the materials used for the entire floor structure are low in emissions, you should take a close look or ask a professional floorer for advice. The EMICODE^® quality seal for “clean” building products provides useful guidance.

People spend around 90 percent of their lives in enclosed spaces – the lion’s share of it inside their own four walls. A healthy indoor climate is therefore of vital importance. Regular ventilation is crucial to ensure a constant exchange of air. However, attention should also be paid to the use of low-emission building materials. Even water-based products are not automatically healthy: Low solvent does not always mean free of harmful substances. Adhesives, for instance, can still contain volatile organic substances that pollute the indoor air and have negative effects on the residents’ health.

The Europe-wide recognized quality label EMICODE^® helps consumers identify whether all layers of the floor structure are low in emissions. Apart from finishing products like parquet varnishes, also flooring adhesives, levelling compounds (fillers) and primers are used for producing the floor structure. In addition, there are intermediate layers such as underlays and other materials such as joint sealants. If these products have been granted the EMICODE^® seal, they are regularly spot-checked for their emission levels.