What are the recommended timeframes for off-gassing when it comes to flooring, furniture, fabric, and paint?
In terms of flooring, Vern Rich, managing director, Shawmut Design and Construction, Boston, says that carpet and adhesives take 48 hours to off-gas. To be safe, most flooring manufacturers recommend at least 72 hours, according to Eileen Goodman, director of interior design, Columbus, OH-based Moody Nolan Inc. Latex and acrylic paint take about 2 days to off-gas; epoxy and polomyx can take up to 5 days. Furniture from manufacturers that employ older production processes may require 2 to 3 weeks to off-gas. But, with the emphasis on green, Rich says that many systems-furniture manufacturers have established sustainable finish processes to minimize VOC emissions (in other words, new furniture systems have virtually no off-gassing). And, some carpet manufacturers now offer carpets that off-gas before they’re shipped. “With the big push for the use of more environmentally friendly materials, off-gassing problems should ultimately be eliminated or significantly reduced,” says Goodman. How
