Moisture Resistant Chipboard Flooring Fumes

[solo]

Recently replaced the old damaged floorboards in a bedroom with this stuff. Haven't carpeted it yet as it was just going to be a "chill room" for me. Problem is, the stuff stinks. Have put air fresheners in the room to mask the smell but I can still feel and taste the effects of the "fumes". Any ideas how long this is likely to last? Any chance I could seal the surface with paint or emulsion. Don't really want to be pulling out for carpets just yet if I can help it.

TIA

 

[ktuludays]

Is it the green t+g stuff?

Can't say I've ever noticed any strong smell from it

 

[solo]

Yeah, that's the stuff.

I think it doesn't half pong. Maybe it's just a natural chipboard smell? Either way, it doesn't agree with me.

 

[Nige F]

Any chance I could seal the surface with paint or emulsion. Don't really want to be pulling out for carpets just yet if I can help it.

TIA

Yes you can seal it with one of the Zinsser products. I did the same to a whole room of T+G flooring with a damp problem affecting the boards. Not emulsion !

 

[solo]

Hi Nige F. I've got some Bullseye 123. It says primer sealer on the tin. I'll give that a go. Cheers.

 

[John D v2.0]

maybe it's something in the glue? chipboard is basically sawdust glued together. You would't expect something nasty in flooring nowadays, but anything's possible.

Although on that note, for around than twice the price, you can get plywood flooring sheets which are a million times better than chipboard, the only downside is they're not t&g so you have to cut them a bit to join over a joist. But that is a good thing anyway.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

The issue is at least partly ventilation. Vent the room out for a few weeks (as would happen on a new build) and the smell will go. Using air freshener sprays, etc to mask the smell doesn't really get rid of the resin smell from the chipboard. As said above, if you can't ventilate (and it is winter so I can understand that) then sealing with any form of oil-based finish or a shellac sealant will be the next best thing

BTW John, I can assure you that plywood also smells - albeit not as much as chipboard, costs at least 3 times as much as chipboard and for several years now hardwood plywood for sub-flooring has been coming in with 1 to 3mm difference in thickness (seems that 18mm varies a bit in China), so you invariably end-up having to put a layer of SLC/latex on top to get a nice flat floor for carpeting. Not a problem for commercial floorers, but elsewhere? Go to Brazilian plywood and that's a lot more consistent - but at 4 to 5 times the price of chipboard

 

[John D v2.0]

thanks, fair enough I got this one
https://www.builderdepot.co.uk/18mm...de-wbp-plywood-b-bb-2440mm-x-1220mm-8ft-x-4ft
9.19 per m2
over this kind
https://www.builderdepot.co.uk/18mm...e-chipboard-flooring-2400mm-x-600mm-8ft-x-2ft
6.04 per m2

although they used to have a more economical 8 by 4 sheet at the time. The plywood doesnt seem to smell, but it will vary by batch.
The ply is all indeed actually more like 17mm, but given how twisted our joists are, that's not a big problem!

 

[solo]

John and JobAndKnock

Just read a couple of interesting articles concerning off/out gassing of particle board products.

Looks like ventilation might be the way forward for now.

This was supposed to be my bolt hole away from the missus and her TV programmes. At least someone gave me wireless headphones for Xmas. Spotify, here I come.